We All Betray Jesus
Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon.
-- John 13:26
Have you ever been betrayed by someone close to you? Maybe a spouse or parent, a friend or co-worker? It hurts. It shakes that foundation of trust in a way that sometimes can never be rebuilt.
Jesus understands. His disciple, His close friend, betrayed Him to the very people who wanted Him dead. Jesus knew who would do this awful thing. Jesus knows everything and when He looked at Judas He saw His betrayer. Still, He sat at the table between Judas and John. He ate the Last Supper with the twelve. He even washed the feet of Judas. Would you do that for a person you knew would betray you?
We tend to picture the Lord's Supper as the Leonardo Da Vinci painting. It really wasn't like that. The table was u-shaped and the head of the table was actually on the side. I learned this from Adam Hamilton in his study 24 Hours That Changed the World. I also learned that John was likely seated on Jesus' right, in a place of honor. And on Jesus' left was Judas, his betrayer, also in a seat of honor.
It's easy to get upset, even angry, at Judas for his betrayal. But before you judge, before you condemn, think about it. How many times have you betrayed Jesus? How many times have you let Him down with your words and actions? How many times have you turned away from Him in favor of the world?
Judas may have been the one who accepted money to betray Jesus but each and every one of us nailed Him to the cross. Our sins led Him on that path of agony, abandoned and alone. We betray Jesus every day and sometimes in ways we don't even realize or understand. Next time you accept communion, remember that His body and His blood saved you, a sinner, a betrayer, from death.
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