Matthew 26: God’s Plan (and Ours)

God and evil have always served as an intriguing discussion. Whether philosophers or everyday parents struggling with the trials of life, there is the ongoing question of how can a good God allow (or create) evil?

Volumes have been written, but Matthew 26 offers some interesting insights. Here, Jesus is betrayed by Judas, arrested by his enemies, and even denied by his top disciple Peter. Everything that could go wrong did go wrong–and that was before being beaten and hung on a cross to die.

But Jesus didn’t lament the existence of evil. He understood the Father had a plan and that plan was big enough to include the evil taking place around him. Why was that?

First, Jesus, as God’s Son, had the distinct advantage of being perfect. However, from a human perspective, we can see he embraced both the idea of a perfect Creator and an imperfect creation. Without this tension, humans would simply exist as robots without choice, erasing love from the scenario. This love, displayed most strongly in the cross of Christ, is exactly the reason Jesus came in the first place.

So why does God allow evil? One way to answer is love. Without evil, there is no choice. Without choice, there is no love. God’s plan is much bigger (and better) than ours. Let us look to him for wisdom rather than our own human limitations this day.

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Dillon Burroughs has written, co-written, or edited over 60 books, including the upcoming devotional work Thirst No More (October 2011). He served as an associate editor for The Apologetics Study Bible for Students and is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. Find out more at DillonBurroughs.org.