After he said these things, Jesus was deeply disturbed and testified, “I assure you, one of you will betray me.” His disciples looked at each other, confused about which of them he was talking about. One of the disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was at Jesus’ side. Simon Peter nodded at him to get him to ask Jesus who he was talking about. Leaning back toward Jesus, this disciple asked, “Lord, who is it?” 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. After Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” No one sitting at the table understood why Jesus said this to him. 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. So when Judas took the bread, he left immediately. And it was night. When Judas was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Human One has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 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)
One of you will betray me…
The word translated as betray actually means “to grant someone the opportunity or occasion to do something” or “to expose oneself willingly to a danger or risk” or as an idiom “To hand over life”.
When I preside at communion I say, “In the night in which Jesus was handed over…” Not betrayed. Judas did what needed to be done and Jesus knew it was going to happen. The way I understand betrayal is that someone does something to someone that they know nothing about. Jesus knew what Judas was doing. Judas didn’t betray Jesus, he handed him over.
Judas gets a bad rap. And when Judas left, Jesus knew it was going to happen.
Maybe we should be like Judas and do what we know the others will not and possibly do the thing that will get followers to question our motives. Follow God in all circumstances.
Loving People. Loving God.
And a little humor for a dark day…
aSacredRebel 