Satan Loves Holy Week

In a week set aside to contemplate the cross of Christ, why do we ignore his enemy?

Holy Week involves the deliberate contemplation of Jesus Christ’s final week of life on earth. Each day is given significance, even the fig tree he cursed. We are told to consider his betrayers on Spy Wednesday, his Last Supper on Maundy Thursday, and, of course, his crucifixion and final breath on Good Friday.

Good Friday is truly “Good” because of the Christian conviction that the very moment of Christ’s seeming “defeat” came his victory. The cross is where God used “the weak things of this world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27). “[H]aving disarmed the powers and authorities,” Paul says in Colossians, “he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” (Colossians 2:15). And this is exactly what happened. Ultimately, the weakness of the cross defeated the mighty Roman Empire.

Holy Week is the contemplation of these mysteries: that through his own death, Jesus asserted his victory.

But victory over what?

This is the great thread that runs through out all of Holy Week, yet something so often missed by the common Christian: lurking just below the surface of all of our Holy Week Scripture readings is the character of Satan, the Enemy that God finally and fully defeats and disarms through the “power of the cross” (1 Corinthians 1:17-18).

Satan loves Holy Week. He loved the very first Holy Week and he loves this one this year that you and I are living in.

Why?

From a practical perspective, any time you spend a significant amount of time contemplating the work of Jesus, his enemy will be nearby. Attend church, listen to sermons, create a social life within a church, join a group, put your kids in Christian school, and I cannot guarantee much spiritual push-back through the presence of Satan. C.S. Lewis would say that Satan’s prescription would probably include a well-balanced diet of religious activity.

But do all of that and begin serious contemplation of the cross of Christ and worship of Christ as King? Oh that’ll wake up the beast. The prayerful consideration of the atonement along with the heart-yielding act of worship unto the Son through his local church? Suddenly, resistance arrives.

Every gospel account tunes its ear to the presence of Satan during Holy Week. As Jesus gets closer to the cross, Satan comes close too. This may be a decent rule for us to follow. The closer to bring ourselves to the cross, the most we may expect not only the presence of Christ, but the presence of his enemy.

Look how the gospel of Luke shows the presence of Satan just in one chapter (Luke 22). We see Satan as the great instigator or antagonist of sin’s proliferation and Jesus as the giver of life and salvation. In each scene, the activity of Satan is placed next to the Word of God, Christ himself. Notice what happens:

Satan instigates betrayal; Jesus obeys the will of God

[3] Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. [4] He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. [5] And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. [6] So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.

- Luke 22:3-6

Satan is ready to turn your soul against the Messiah to gain some favor and a little cash. A bit more influence, a bit more credibility, and a lot most of secular sense. It’s a lot to gain. I guess “the whole world” is able to be gained. All it costs is your soul. People are “glad” (v. 5) to give you money and recognition if it means you turn against Christ. Another reason why Satan loves to hang around Holy Week.

Later in the chapter, at the actual scene of betrayal (Luke 22:47-53), Jesus will tell his disciples not to fight back: allow God’s will to be done. No one takes the life of the Son. He willingly lays it down.

Satan instigates pride; Jesus commands humility.

[21] But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. [22] For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” [23] And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this.

[24] A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. [25] And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. [26] But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.

- Luke 22:21-26

At the Passover, Jesus Christ has given us his body, broken for us, to take and eat. And he has given us his blood for us to take a drink. And we get petty. We sit at the table with a king only to bicker about who gets the party favors. This is all happening as the king himself is saying, “Guys, this banquet is for you, you know.” It’s like you and your friend getting a private concert in your backyard, performed by your favorite musician, except you spend the whole evening arguing over which one they like best. You’re missing the show of a lifetime.

Satan enjoys a good red herring. Look over at the meaningless, the futile, or the straight up lustful all while the good, the true, and the beautiful sits accessible in your midst, ready to be taken up and eaten. I can’t tell you how many pastors sit in jealous and contempt and envy over another church. We think another church’s music, social media presence, justice work, or influential congregants are so freaking cool. We try to edge ourselves out in the capitalistic landscape of modern evangelicalism, offering brand strategy and market-driven research alongside “compelling” sermons. Meanwhile Jesus sits at the table. “Life-Saving Bread, anyone?”

We act as if the Eucharist is not enough, as if it is optional, tangential, instead of sacramental, central, experiential. Competition can sit at the communion table, but it cannot partake in it. It’s too busy self-obsessing. As Satan tries to antagonize the disciples towards divisive pride, Jesus commands a love that displays humility and service.

Satan instigates denial; Jesus intercedes for faith

[31] “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, [32] but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” [33] Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” [34] Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.”

- Luke 22:31-34

Perhaps his most heavy-handed moment, Luke is putting it in front of our face: all while Jesus is demanding your life, so is his enemy. You do not live in a nice world. You also do not live in a safe spiritual landscape. You live in contested space—the badlands, the desert, the awful sin-ridden cosmos that is crying out for redemption. The cross makes us aware of such an existence. Give your life to Jesus, we preachers say, only because we know if you don’t, it’ll be taken by Satan.

“[B]ut I have prayed for you,” Jesus tells Peter, “that your faith may not fail.” A remarkable line, when you think about it. That Jesus Christ would pray for us is a doctrine that, on its own, should instigate worship. But that he would pray that our faith would not fail is a whole other world of grace.

There is one thing that will save faith: intercession. Without prayer, faith fails. Isn’t it encouraging and surprising that the praying isn’t just left to us?

Satan instigates temptation; Jesus commands prayer

[43] And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. [44] And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. [45] And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, [46] and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

- Luke 22:43-46

And at the same time, it is on us. After all, the admonishing to “not enter into temptation” occurs twice in this chapter. It is the final line of the Lord’s Prayer: “lead us not into temptation and deliver us from the evil one.”

Why must we pray this prayer? Because it is quite possible to enter into temptation and to be handed over to the evil one. When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he could have told them so many other things to pray, but this one makes the cut: pray to God for the help you’ll need to be delivered from Satan’s influence. He is the instigator, the adversary, the liar, and the thief. Don’t believe a word he says. How? Prayer.

Satan instigates violence and anger; Jesus commands peace

[51] But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. [52] Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? [53] When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

- Luke 22:51-53

Funny how we easily admit we “lost control” without every considering who we gave it to. This short scene shows the disciples losing their cool. But who gets control after this outburst of unmitigated violence? “The power of darkness” (v. 53). One reason we pray that we will not “enter into temptation” is because we know where that path leads. Only darkness.

“No more of this!” Jesus exclaims. So fastened to the will of God is Jesus that denies self-defense. Like his mother, Jesus effectively says to his Father: “let it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38).

Satan instigates shame and despair; Jesus brings resurrection

[60] But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. [61] And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” [62] And he went out and wept bitterly.

- Luke 22:60-62

The terrifying scene of Peter’s denial appears at the end of Luke 22. The short, brief Greek sentence, “And he went out and wept bitterly” underscores the sheer devastation of this event. For Peter, this is the end. We don’t hear his name for the rest of Holy Week, let alone anywhere near the cross. He is simply gone.

Until a few women return to the house the disciples were hiding at to tell them something altogether extraordinary: “he is not here; he is risen” (Luke 24:6)! These women, the first preachers of the gospel, share the news. That’s when we hear Peter’s name again:

Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

- Luke 24:12

The one who leaves Christ at the cross returns to him at the tomb, “wondering to himself what had happened.” He didn’t really know. No one did. And yet, inside the very structures of all reality, the Powers were being disarmed and the Enemy was defeated. Strange, then, how the apostles continue in such fervor, joy, and worship after having been so humiliated, tempted, and in despair. It’s almost as if an enemy once present had finally be banished. Almost as if the light had overcome the darkness and the dead were starting to rise.

What happens when Satan stands next to God?

The good news about Holy Week is that the presence of Satan never has and never will scare God. We have false teaching that says God can never be in the presence of sin. This is simply not the truth. Look at the Garden of Eden or the Garden of Gethsemane. Or the wilderness of Christ’s temptation. Or the incarnation. God is able to be in the presence of evil, but evil is not able to stand in the presence of God.

The goodness of the cross of Christ is this: as God goes to death, it is not God who runs away, but death. Now, in the victory of the cross, both we and the disciple stand in worship and power. God permits Satan’s presence during Holy Week because God can stand near Satan, but the good news comes when we realize Satan cannot stand near God. The Enemy is defeated in the presence of God in Christ.