Day 1112: Betrayed - John 13 vs 18 - 30

18 “I do not speak concerning all of you - I know whom I have chosen, but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’ 19 Now I tell you before it happens, that when it does happen, you may believe that I am He. 20 Truly, truly I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me. And he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”

21 When Jesus had said this, He was troubled in spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.” 22-26 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom He spoke. Now there was leaning against Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples whom Jesus loved. Therefore Simon Peter motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. Leaning back against Jesus’ bosom, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” When He had dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

27-29 After receiving the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” But no one at the table knew why He said this to him. Since Judas had the moneybox, some thought that Jesus said to him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 Having received the piece of bread, he then left immediately. And it was night. John 13:18-30 Modern English Version

Earlier, Jesus had said “And you are clean, but not every one of you.” And John explained that this was because He knew who was to betray Him, and that's why He said “Not all of you are clean.” Jesus now says that it was to fulfil Scripture, and quotes Psalm 41:9. Why did He want the disciples to realize that even knowing that He would be betrayed was so important? (vs 19)

He was going to send them out with the gospel message, and they were to truly believe that He was the one God had sent into the world. And what was the wonderful assurance He gave to them as they would take His message into the world? (vs 20)

To receive the apostolic message means to welcome Jesus and to embrace Him as Saviour and Lord. And to receive Jesus, is to receive the One who sent Him. Knowing that this all ‘fulfilled the Scriptures’ would be of great encouragement to His disciples.

But notice how this affected Jesus' spirit. (vs 21) The fact that He would be betrayed, and that His hour was very near, troubled Him. And we don’t know the depths of that trouble! The Psalm He quoted had the words “My enemies say of me in malice 'When will he die, and his name perish?'” (vs 5), and, “a deadly thing is poured out on him; he will not rise again from where he lies.” (vs 8) It was Psalm of rage against King David.

And so we read in vs 22-26 of the consternation of the disciples, and of the discreet transaction between Jesus and 'the disciple Jesus loved'. In those times men reclined at a table rather than sitting on chairs, so it's easy to see how he could lean back and ask the Lord who it would be. And Jesus dipped the bread, and gave it to Judas Iscariot.

Luke says that as the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, the chief priests and scribes, fearing the people, were seeking how to put Jesus to death. “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot . . . he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of a crowd.” (Luke 22:3-5) Now the opportune moment had arrived, and Judas immediately sets off on what the other disciples thought was an innocent errand Jesus had sent him on. And it was night.

But the darkness of night was no match for the darkness in the heart of Judas. He was the willing servant of Satan who betrayed Christ for thirty pieces of silver. Oh may we never let Jesus down, be it for money, for fame, or for any other desire. May we His true followers be.