The Priests and elders were now offered help from an unexpected quarter. "Then entered Satan into Judas, surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve." Judas had probably taken offence at what Jesus said, when Mary anointed His feet: he was a bad man, without any real love for his Master; and instead of fighting against the sinful lusts or desires of his own heart, he indulged them, and so let the Devil enter in, and lead him to betray the Lord. "And he went his way unto the Chief Priests, and communed with them how he might betray him unto them. And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And when they heard it they were glad, and promised to give him money. And they covenanted (or agreed with him) for thirty pieces of silver." Thirty shekels or pieces of silver (worth about 3_l._ 11_s._), was the sum which Moses had commanded to be paid by the owner of any beast, which had by accident killed the slave of another man: thus, in every respect, did Christ take upon Him the form and condition of a servant or slave. Judas having consented to sell the life of his Master for thirty shekels, "from that time sought opportunity how he might conveniently betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude." It is a terrible thing when a man is so hardened, as to watch for an opportunity of committing a crime! That, indeed, is wilful sin. The next day, Thursday, was "the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the Passover. The disciples came and said unto Jesus, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the Passover? And He sendeth forth two of his disciples, Peter and John, saying, Go ye into the city; and behold when ye are entered into the city, there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him into the house where he entereth in; and say ye to the good man (or owner) of the house, The Master saith unto thee, My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at thy house: Where is the guest chamber, where I shall eat the Passover with my disciples? And he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. And his disciples went forth and came into the city, and found as He had said unto them: and they made ready the Passover." What a strengthening of the Apostles' faith this must have been: He who could thus foretell all, even the most trifling events, must be God indeed. The blessed thought that God knows and governs all things, should make us trust in Him, and do our duty without any fear of the consequences. Chapter XXXI.--MODE OF CELEBRATING THE PASSOVER. In order to a better understanding of all that the Gospels tell us of the Last Supper, it will be well to see how the Jews at that time kept the Passover.