21 After he said these things, Jesus was deeply disturbed and testified, “I assure you, one of you will betray me.” 22 His disciples looked at each other, confused about which of them he was talking about. 23 One of the disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was at Jesus’ side. 24 Simon Peter nodded at him to get him to ask Jesus who he was talking about. 25 Leaning back toward Jesus, this disciple asked, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It’s the one to whom I will give this piece of bread once I have dipped into the bowl.”Then he dipped the piece of bread and gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son. 27 After Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” 28 No one sitting at the table understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Some thought that, since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus told him, “Go, buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So when Judas took the bread, he left immediately. And it was night. 31 When Judas was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Human One has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify the Human One in himself and will glorify him immediately. (John 13:21-32, CEB)
Satan entered Judas when he took the bread. Remember that the gospels are probably oral stories to a community that were then written down and people needed a reason why one of the chosen disciples would turn on Jesus and betray him. But did Judas betray him? We could go into a long discussion of this, but one of the things I learned a long time ago and has changed the way I lead worship is the word that is translated as betray here really isn’t betray. The word in the Greek is παραδίδωμι. It means to hand over. Which gives the connotation of betrayed, but if Judas and Jesus has talked about what needed to happen, then maybe Judas was doing what was worked out. This is why I love the portrayal of Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar.
I say during communion, in the night in which Jesus was handed over, because God was always and is still in control. Even when we don’t see it or understand it. God is always in control. And in order to be betrayed, someone else has control.
Jesus knew the plan all along, that is why it is laid out to all here and God was always in control.
So share God’s love and even in the times it seems all hope is lost, know that God is still in control.
Love People, Love God.
aSacredRebel 