Originally published Friday, 27 March 2015.
Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me; one who is eating with me. Mark 14:18
Friend, do what you came to do. Matthew 26:50
Judas was proactive in his betrayal of the Son of Man. (See Matthew 27:3-10)
The betrayal of Christ by Judas Iscariot reminds me that we will only be betrayed by someone in close proximity to us. We don't call malice from an outsider betrayal; only that from someone close.
Jesus ate, slept, traveled, taught, and ministered beside Judas. Why would we think that couldn't or wouldn't happen to us? If it hasn't happened to you, the probability is high that it will. If it has, then would you like to respond even more like Christ the next time? Me too. Additionally, I would like to see the warning signs earlier so that I don't open myself up to as much hurt in the future as I have endured before. (See this great post here via iBelieve.com.)
For those of us without omniscience, which is all of us, we may have entertained the Judas unknowingly. That is, until the moment our betrayal was at hand. We may have postured for a Jonathon's embrace only to be met with a Judas' kiss. On the other hand, we may have simply been reluctant to see the warning signs and forged ahead with toxic relationships, that upon their end we wished we had never begun.
Christ knew that He would be betrayed by one of those closest to him. For him, it was only a matter of time. Yet, he chose to invest in Judas anyway. Why? What can we learn from that? What were his parting words to Judas?
- Jesus parted without malice. We see no record or indication that Jesus slandered Judas or cast judgement on him. He warned him, however, that it would have been better for him that he would have never been born. (See Mark 14:21)
- Jesus spoke the truth over the situation. (Mark 14:17-20)
- Jesus' omniscience ensures that he fully expected and anticipated betrayal and accepted that as the path towards the fulfillment of his life's purpose.
- Jesus continued to call Judas friend. (See Matthew 26:50) Judas' final act did not negate or erase the relationship that Christ had with him up until that point.
- "Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?" Jesus, being fully human and fully God, hurt just as we do when someone hurts us. His heart was not protected from pain any more than ours. Yet he did not retaliate against Judas.
When someone with close, intimate proximity to us stings us with their malice, acts of betrayal, or apparent apathy, we can rest assured that Christ empathizes with us, sees our pain, and will one day bring justice to the situations we experience. Further, Christ provides an example of holiness for us to pattern with our parting words.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as the pathway to peace. Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will. That I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. ~Reinhold Niebur
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