MATTHEW 26:14-25 THE BETRAYAL

Written by , Rector of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia
 

¹⁴ Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. ¹⁶ From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
¹⁷ On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”
¹⁸ He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’ ”
¹⁹ So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. ²⁰ When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. ²¹ And while they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”
²² They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?”
²³ Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. ²⁴ The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
²⁵ Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?
Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.”

With 21 hundred years of hindsight, we find it incredible that Judas could spend three years as part of Jesus’ intimate circle and be able to betray him. In Matthew’s iteration of the events of the Last Supper, we read that Jesus actually acknowledged to Judas that he was the betrayer after he warned the disciples that “It would be better for [the betrayer] if he had not been born.” How could Judas have followed through on his plan after such a conversation with Jesus?

There is only one explanation for Judas’ action. Apparently, Judas was so deceived that he did not believe that Jesus was who he said he was, and therefore, Jesus’ statement about the betrayer was equally not credible to Judas. Notice that Judas does not call Jesus Lord in this passage, as the other disciples do.

As we contemplate Judas’ betrayal of Jesus we must not lose sight of the fact that this was all before Jesus rose from the dead on that first Easter morning. We have that advantage, as well as two millennia of historical witness to the power of God in Jesus Christ. So, what is our excuse?

We, like all the disciples, say, “Surely not I, Lord?” If we had been there, we would never have betrayed Jesus. Yet, everyone there abandoned Jesus, and the most vocal champion, Peter, even denied him multiple times. If we look objectively at our lives, we would be hard put not to admit that we have abandoned, denied and perhaps even betrayed Jesus numerous times, even as we call him “Lord.”

What we need to do is hear the Holy Spirit convicting us with the words, “Yes, it is you,” and like the 11 turn back to God in repentance. It is by God’s grace that we are convicted of our sin and it is by God’s grace that we are offered forgiveness for our sins. The ultimate betrayal is to live as though Jesus is not able to forgive us.

Forgive me, Lord, of my unwillingness to live in a manner that proclaims you as my Lord and Savior, as well as Lord and Savior of the world. Cleanse me from my denials and betrayals of you, and empower me by your Spirit to live as a faithful disciple in submission to the Master. Keep me ever mindful of my need to be reconciled to God. Amen.

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