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JESUS IDENTIFIED THE TRAITOR
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
John 13:18-26

Psalm 41

 

“…one of you shall betray me.”

 

JESUS IDENTIFIED THE TRAITOR
 
Blessed is the believer who is forgiven of his sins, and walks in the humble steps of his Lord. But there was one among the twelve who was not blessed, but cursed. The Lord had loved him truly by washing his feet, and eating bread with him. Yet this disciple filled his heart with hatred and his mind with murderous thoughts. All this happened in order that Scripture might be fulfilled, “He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me” (Ps 41:9 cf. 2 Sam 15:12; 16:23). As Rev Dr Timothy Tow puts it, “Ingratitude is the half-sister of treachery.” But both ingratitude and treachery are found in Judas. He is doubly cursed; the son of perdition indeed (cf. Heb 6:4-6).
 
At the Passover table, Jesus told the twelve that one of them was about to betray Him. Evidently, none of them had suspected Judas. It is not unreasonable to say that Judas was a crafty two-timer. He had two faces. Outwardly, he appeared loyal, but inwardly, he was full of treachery.
 
Then Peter gestured to John to ask the Lord to identify the traitor. John obliged and asked, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it.” And Jesus gave the sop to Judas Iscariot. It was the custom in those days for the host to dip a piece of bread in gravy and offer it to the most honoured guest at the table. It was the Saviour’s final loving attempt to move Judas’ heart to repentance. Judas reacted to Jesus’ loving act by hardening his heart even more. Calvin wrote, “Judas delivered himself entirely to Satan when he had taken the sop. …His heart ought to have been softened by Christ’s great kindness, but it was harder than iron. And so his desperate and incurable obstinacy deserved that God should, by His righteous judgment, harden his heart still more by Satan. When by kindnesses to our enemies we heap coals of fire on their heads they are, if they are incurable, the rather burnt up to their destruction. And yet our kindnesses is not to blame, for their hearts should have been so influenced to love us.”
 
THOUGHT: Did Jesus love Judas?

PRAYER: Father, help me to be kind even to those who do evil against me.

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