Wednesday 01 April 2015
- Bible Book:
- John
“After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, ‘Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.’” (v. 21)
Psalm: Psalm 70
Background
Christian history has roundlycondemned the person of Judas. So much so that Judas is equivalentto betrayer in English usage.
Yet Judas is not the only one to havebetrayed Jesus. Peter is hardly better in his denial, and all theother ten abandoned Jesus after his arrest, so that he faces thecross alone.
Jesus is aware of this, and so is notsurprised when the betrayal comes. Just as he predicts Judas'betrayal Jesus also predicts Peter's denial (
This fact is striking. Despite hisknowledge of abandonment, denial and even betrayal by those whom hecalled to be disciples, Jesus calls them, and us, to love. "I giveyou a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I haveloved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone willknow that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."(John 13:34-35)
Jesus' awareness of his impendingbetrayal by one of his inner circle makes no impact on his love forhis disciples. His knowledge that Peter, would deny all knowledgeof him is similarly irrelevant. And even though all of hisdisciples would abandon him, despite their claim finally to believein him, this too makes no difference.
It is a stark reminder of thesignificance and importance of divine love rooted not in ourworthiness but rather in divine grace. The God who knows that wewill let him down loves us not less but more.
The real challenge is whether we havethe capacity to love those who let us down.
To Ponder
- What are some of the ways in which we deny God's claim uponus?
- Think back to a time when you betrayed someone you love, and inso doing betrayed God. This might be known to others, confessed andforgiven. It might be known only to you, a guilty secret that youcarry. Offer it to God.
- Is Judas as bad as we think? (NB the Greek word for betrayed isalso the word for handing over.) What would you say to those whoargue that Judas was simply doing his job in handing Jesusover?