Jesus Revealed Pt. 13 - No Greater LoveSample

Judas betrays Jesus  

Thoughts on the Passage

This passage has so much to teach us.

First, Judas would betray Jesus – and Jesus knew it. When we find a person on a team that is intent on destroying the team, we remove them. Jesus knew that Judas would be needed to fulfil the plan of God. So Jesus kept him on the team and tried to work with him. 

Second, no one knew it was Judas – they each thought they might be the one who would do it. It is both scary that no one recognized Judas, and that everyone saw in themselves the possibility that they could be the one to betray Jesus. Remember this when we hear about people bringing problems in the church – it could be us if we are really honest.

Third, Jesus exposes Judas with a piece of bread. It was a special honor to be first to receive that piece of bread according to Jewish tradition for the Passover. Jesus made it appear to everyone that Judas received a special honor – not that he was being exposed. It was still not Jesus’ desire to destroy Judas; Jesus was offering Judas a way out of his broken life. Judas rejected it.

Fourth, Judas responded wrongly. He allowed satan to take control of his life – probably Judas responded to the shame of exposure with anger in his heart and his response opened his soul to demonic control. He was caught, he was exposed, he refused to humble himself, he allowed satan to fill his heart with murder and he acted out his inner evil intention. 

Fifth, Judas went out – and it was night. It was night physically and it was night spiritually. There was no light in Judas’s heart. When one walks away from Jesus – the Light of the World – we walk into darkness. A question that always arises is whether Judas had ever truly followed Jesus from the heart. Will he be in heaven or hell? We do not know. Even Peter is Acts 1:25 says that Judas “went to his own place” and makes no effort to explain what that meant. Some feel it means that Judas’s sin and treason exposed his heart and his eternal destiny was hell. There are many other ways that people understand this passage though – including that Judas just went to the place of the dead to be judged by God. Many just leave it with God to reveal it in His time. That is my preference.

Sixth, we now see a total change in the way Jesus talks to the rest of the apostles. The tension is gone, the presence of evil is gone, Judas is gone…. Now there is a freedom to openly share with the eleven and bless them. 

Application

How have we responded when our deep wounds and bitterness are exposed? Remember that all the disciples recognized in themselves the potential for betraying Jesus. They knew their hearts. Guard your heart carefully.

Give thanks today for every person who had the courage and grace to help you deal with deep problems in your life. It is probably the greatest gift that you could ever have received from them. It is not pleasant and it is easy to feel picked on, but it is a gift beyond value. God is now free to release His blessing and open His heart to you.

Time to Pray

Father, today I thank you for people who take the time to challenge me when they see things that violate the word of God. There are no greater friends around. Some have done it well and some have done it poorly. I do not care. They caused me to check my heart and allow You to root out things in my life that needed to go. Thank you for those friends. I value them beyond gold and silver. I thank You as well that You will risk losing people because You faithfully reveal our hearts. You do it with amazing love, grace, and mercy, but You will not allow us to go through life with them unchallenged. Now help us respond with humility and repentance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.