By Amy Schones
Jesus sat eating his last Passover meal with his twelve disciples. One disciple named Judas dined among them. Jesus knew his time had come, the very purpose for which He had come to earth; His crucifixion would be the sacrificial atonement for all who believed. This fact must have weighed heavy upon His heart, yet not only that but His pain was magnified all the more because of Judas’s soon-coming betrayal. He permitted Judas to go.
Oh, what soul-wrenching pain betrayal is!
In the 3½ years Jesus lived and broke bread with the twelve, He never wronged any, including Judas.
“ For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: “Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth” (1 Peter 2:21-22 NKJV).
Yet the fellowship Judas had with Jesus was a pretense on the part of Judas, who was “a devil.” “Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (John 6:70).
Judas masqueraded as a man of virtue who cared for the poor. “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.” (John 12:5-6).
Judas had previously accepted a bribe of 30 pieces of silver and left the Passover meal. He was on his way to betray the Lord.
“Then the disciples followed Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane as the Lord had asked. With blazing torches, Judas moved in and led the officers to Jesus. “And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples. Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons” (John 18:1-2).
Have you ever experienced betrayal? In this story, I see an example of free will. If someone you dearly love betrays you, Jesus understands the soul-wrenching pain. It’s crucial in any case to examine our hearts and remember that we are always called to forgive.
Yet, in the end, we are to stay close to the Lord, obey God through the power of the Holy Spirit, and follow the path God has laid out before us.