Betrayer or Friend

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

BETRAYER OR FRIEND

John 13:18-30

18 "I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: 'He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.'   19 "I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. 20 I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me." 

21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me."  22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, "Ask him which one he means." 25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?" 26 Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. "What you are about to do, do quickly," Jesus told him, 28 but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

NIV

We have come to the actual time of the betrayal being exposed. Judas had already betrayed Jesus. Luke gives us the details of Judas going to the chief priests and officers of the temple guard to discuss how he might betray Jesus. That is what event, what time, what place would be the best in order to accomplish this act of betrayal. Luke also tells us the chief priests were delighted and agreed to give him money. What we know is that Satan cannot make somebody do such a thing, unless it is already within the depravity of their heart. We know Judas was a thief, having helped himself to some of the money of the purse he carried for the expenses of Jesus and his disciples. There was within him this sin of greed, and Satan used this against Judas, tempting him with his weakness within his heart. There is an interesting point in this narrative where Jesus says that he was not referring to all of them. He tells them although he has chosen all twelve of them, in order to fulfill the scripture, the one he shared his bread has lifted up his heel against him. Jesus was quoting from psalm 41:9

Ps 41:9

9 Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.

NIV

However, we find that it is interesting Jesus does not quote the whole of the verse, but just the last portion. Perhaps Jesus never trusted Judas nor considered him to be a friend. It appears that Jesus knew all along, which makes perfect sense since he is divine and thus omniscient, that when he picked or called Judas, it was because he knew the heart of Judas, the pattern of lies and greed that would cause him to be the one to betray Jesus, which had to be done in order for him to go to the cross. It is interesting that later on after Judas had left and they were continuing their discussions, Jesus tells the eleven that he no longer calls them servants, but that now he calls them friends. This is where that song came from with the words, “I am a friend of God”. This proves the point that Jesus did not consider Judas a friend but saw him as a betrayer from the beginning, yet he did not turn him away, for this was how he would get to the cross. The plan was in place and he used a hardened, callous, or evil heart to accomplish his plan. Jesus makes it clear at this table of the evening meal that he knows his non-friend, his betrayer and he is going to reveal him at this time. It is the one who he dips the bread and gives it to. It is interesting that the heart of betrayal will always be revealed. We should be encouraged to know that Jesus sees us as friends rather than as betrayers. It does not mean we have no sin. We only have to see how God felt about David, a man who sinned but also repented. He is the only man whom God testifies is a man after His own heart. What we know is our heart is bent toward God, although we still fail. We are not like Judas, having a hardened heart bent on self-fulfillment or greed. Although we have questioned ourselves at times when we have failed and done so miserably if by doing so, was it a form of betrayal. Then we know it is not as we have sought his forgiveness, repented and moved on in our journey with him. He has assured us our sin has been forgiven, all our past, our present, and any of our future sin, because we are in Christ. Our faith in Christ has not wavered. He sees us as his friend, not as a betrayer.