Compare the leaders' fear in Luke 22:2 with Proverbs 29:25. What insights emerge? Fear Exposed in Luke 22:2 “and the chief priests and scribes were looking for a way to put Him to death, for they feared the people.” • The spiritual leaders’ plotting is driven not by conviction but by dread of losing popular approval. • Their concern is horizontal: public opinion, political stability, personal position. • Fear dominates their decision-making, producing murderous intent instead of humble submission to God’s Messiah. The Snare Defined in Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man is a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is set securely on high.” • “Snare” pictures a baited trap—once stepped into, escape is difficult. • Fear of man enslaves; trust in God liberates and protects. • The proverb contrasts two paths: bondage to human opinion versus security in divine sovereignty. Comparative Insights • Same root, same fruit – Luke shows the trap in action; Proverbs names it. – Leaders, ensnared, trade righteousness for self-preservation. • Misplaced fear dethrones God – Exodus 20:20 calls God-fearing good; here fear is misdirected. – When reverence for the Lord is replaced by terror of crowds, sin escalates (John 11:47-53). • Trust versus calculation – Proverbs offers the antidote: “trust in the LORD.” – Leaders calculate outcomes, forgetting Isaiah 2:22, “Stop regarding man…whose breath is in his nostrils.” • Ripple effect on others – Their snare sets Israel’s masses on a course toward shouting “Crucify Him!” (Luke 23:21). – Fear spreads; faith could have spread instead (Acts 5:29). Application for Today • Identify the trap: any choice driven mainly by how others may react. • Replace it with trust: rehearse God’s character, promises (Psalm 56:3-4). • Lead courageously: influence flows from conviction anchored in the Lord, not polls or popularity. |
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