The betrayal is in motion. Judas is on his way to complete the deal that will make sure Jesus is arrested. Does he know what he is doing? Some think that he was trying to force Jesus’ hand to act out and conquer Rome. Some think that Judas was just a very bad man. I think Jesus loved him and knew that what was about to happen needed to happen. I think that Jesus was working on forgiveness even as the events were unfolding.
“Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.” John 13:31-32 Here is God again – bringing glory out of the worst of things that could happen to a person – betrayal leading to death. Just like Joseph told his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives,” Genesis 50:20 here what Judas meant for evil, God was going to use to glorify Jesus and God would be glorified and many lives would be saved.
This is what Jesus is hanging on to here as he approaches the most awful of times – God’s glory. And as he is forgiving Judas for what he must do, he is reminding the other 11 disciples, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35 This command is not a new idea. Jesus has preached it before. But in his last hours, once again he impresses on them the importance of this commandment. He is demonstrating it as they talk. He is not badmouthing Judas. The disciples are not even aware what is going on. They think Judas is going after provisions. What love and assurance from the Father Jesus must have had to respond this way when he knew what Judas was doing!
Jesus didn’t leave us a lot of rules. Just a couple: Love God and Love each other. Yet, how we struggle as a Christian church! We fight and splinter and gossip and backstab – all going after control and power. That is not what Jesus showed us and it is not what Jesus commanded. He showed us forgiveness amidst betrayal. He showed us all love when no one did anything to deserve it. If we claim to be his followers, we should be acting likewise. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:35 He is not even asking us at this point to love our enemies (though he does in other situations). He is just asking us to love each other! Oh God, if we don’t ever get anything right, help us to figure this one out.
And then there is Peter. Peter doesn’t want to miss the action. Where Jesus is going, he is right there. “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” John 13:37 Oh Peter. Words are easy. Living is hard. Jesus responds, “Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!” John 13:38 Before morning, you are already going to fail – not just once, but three times. What a thing to be told!
It seems that Jesus knows life is hard. He knows what it feels like to be betrayed and abandoned. Yet he continues on with the plan – to glorify the Father and to be glorified by the Father and in that bring about the saving of many lives. When I get to feeling sorry for myself, I only need to look to this time in the life of Jesus and the disciples. My bumps and mini-betrayals along the way don’t seem so difficult to get through when I look at what God can do with them. Maybe I can even learn to love my betrayers. God help me!
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