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"Judas Betrays Jesus" Devotional - The Passion

When we read the story leading up to Jesus’ death, we never imagine ourselves as Judas. We’d much rather think of ourselves as John—the beloved disciple who stuck closest to Jesus. Yet, if we’re honest, there have been times when we’ve betrayed Jesus in our own lives for far less than 30 pieces of silver. 

Before The Last Supper, Judas had already been to the chief priests to do a little negotiating. They gave him an advance, and a desperate Judas went on his way. Now, all he had to do was wait for the right moment.

It came as Jesus was descending the Mount of Olives where He had fervently prayed for God to take this cup of suffering from Him. When He came down from the mountain, He saw Judas approaching. God certainly didn’t waste any time. 

“While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, ‘Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?’” (Luke 22:47-48, NIV)

Once he kissed Him, the men who had come to arrest Jesus stepped forward. The Bible says that one of the disciples (who remains nameless) grabbed a sword and cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest. 

Jesus told him to put his sword away, and He reached over and healed the man’s ear. The decision had already been made in Gethsemane. He had fully surrendered to God’s plan.

In Matthew 26:53-54, Jesus asks, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?”

You see, God used even Judas’ betrayal to carry out His ultimate plan. Verse 56 goes on to say that “all the disciples deserted him and fled.” With one kiss, Jesus was sentenced to death, and all of His friends abandoned Him.

There are times in life when trusted friends will betray you. But sometimes in order to move forward, you have to leave some people behind. Sometimes God’s will requires our sole attention. There are some purposes that can only be fulfilled on our own. Jesus knew what He had to do.