말보다 말씀! 빚보다 빛!

Passion Week: Silent Wednesday
Matthew26:1-16

The Wednesday of Passion Week is often called Silent Wednesday. On this day, Jesus and His disciples remained in Bethany and did not engage in any public ministry. Yet, while Jesus was silent, the chief priests and elders were far from inactive—they were plotting to kill Him (Matthew 26:1–5). In this growing crisis, two key events related to Jesus’ death take place. The first is the anointing of Jesus by an unnamed woman (Matthew 26:6–13), and the second is Judas Iscariot’s decision to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14–16). Why does Matthew place these two stories side by side?

The woman who anointed Jesus was preparing Him for burial. She knew who Jesus truly was—her Savior. She recognized His identity and responded with reverence, offering something of great value: a jar of expensive perfume, possibly her entire life savings, worth about three hundred denarii—roughly a year’s wages for an average worker. But more than the cost, what mattered was her heart. She anointed Jesus not as an act of extravagance but as a prophetic gesture: preparing His body for burial (v.12).

She acted in accordance with what the scriptures foretold: “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4). In addition, by anointing His head, she was declaring Jesus as King—publicly honoring Him in a symbolic Messiah’s coronation. As a result, her act of love and faith is remembered wherever the gospel is preached. This unnamed woman saw Jesus as the Messiah who came to save the world.

In stark contrast, Judas Iscariot viewed Jesus entirely differently. While the woman prepared for Jesus’ death, Judas was preparing for his own future. He saw Jesus as a means to an end, a tool for his personal gain. The name “Iscariot” is believed by some to be derived from the Aramaic word seqer, meaning "false, liar, or hypocrite," which seems to reflect his true character. He betrayed Jesus for thirty silver coins—the price of a slave.

More than that, he tried to portray Jesus as a political threat, someone seeking a throne, thus turning the public and religious leaders against Him. scripture tells us that Judas was not acting alone:

“Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.”
— Luke 22:3–4 (NIV)

Judas and the unnamed woman could not have taken more opposite paths. The woman recognized Jesus as her Savior and prepared Him for death. Judas, one of Jesus' own disciples, used Him as a tool for his personal agenda.

Who is Jesus to you? Is He a historical figure? A miracle-worker? A symbol of success? A kind of spiritual insurance policy? Or is He truly your Savior, who died on the cross to rescue you from sin? Jesus is not only the One who died and rose again, but also the Lord who reigns today.

During this Passion Week, I invite you to pause your steps and surrender your life to Him.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
— Hebrews 12:1–2 (NIV)

With joy and blessing,
Rev. Hyung Joong Kim
Copyrightⓒ 2025 by Hyung Joong Kim