ZPCBlog

About the author: Megan Deck is wife to Jerry and mom to Shauny, Adelie, Wynnie, and Liesel. She works as a realtor and home remodeler, and, when time in her and her family’s schedule permits, she enjoys painting, doing all things crafty, teaching Sunday School, and going for long walks.

Scripture

After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining close to his heart; Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” Now no one knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

The New Commandment
When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.
John 13: 21-32

In order to have the most accurate understanding of what is happening in this scene, we should probably unpack a couple things. First, and whenever a scripture starts with “After saying this…” it helps to back up to the previous verses to see what had happened right beforehand. In this case, John recounts Jesus washing His disciples’ feet and His call to them that they likewise must serve one another. It’s in these verses He starts talking about the reality that one of them will betray Him so that it can serve as confirmation that Jesus is the Sent One.

The second part to examine is their table set up and the way the disciples were arranged. We are incorrect if we picture it to be the same set up as our modern dinner gatherings—everyone seated in upright chairs around tables. This is also not DaVinci’s painting of The Last Supper because it is more likely they would have been lounging on their left sides with cushions around a low u-shaped table with their feet pointed out, away from the center. Each man, if he looked backwards over his left shoulder, would see the face of the person dining to his left and, if he looked forward to his right, he would see the back of the head of the person dining on his right.

The way I picture this after studying it (and after a conversation with Stan Johnson) is that Peter is across the way from Jesus. The disciple described as “the one whom Jesus loved,” perhaps John himself, is to Jesus’ right and Judas is to His left. Peter discreetly asks Maybe-John to question Jesus about who this betrayer could be and so lays back enough to be in Jesus’ chest. Jesus responds that it is the one to whom he passes the bread. This was Judas. However, the identification of Judas as the betrayer was not immediately made known to everyone.

Hopefully, after that description you are seeing a room full of men who considered themselves brothers enjoying a meal steeped in tradition and meaning. They have been together in ministry and on mission for years at this point, and they trust each other completely. It is here, with these people, that Jesus’ spirit was troubled in the confession that one of his closest companions would betray him and it was coming soon. They look at one another, perplexed at who this scoundrel could be amongst the faces they love.

If you are like me, when I read this passage, I see myself as one of the disciples and would love to believe I could even be called “the one whom Jesus loved.” “Surely,” I think to myself, “I would never choose darkness after having had such an up-close relationship with Jesus!” Yet, what Jesus seems to be trying to warn us here is to: Beware of yourselves!

In his commentary on John, Gary M. Burge says, “Judas is a parable and a warning.” Here was a man who stood closer to the revelation and glory of God than many and yet “he flirts with the darkness to such a degree that he becomes one of its own.” He saw the healings and heard Jesus’ teachings but gave himself over to Satan’s plans anyway. If this can be true of Judas, we too are in danger: “in danger of misunderstanding Jesus and of being seduced by our own dreams and visions for life.” In 1 & 2 John, such betrayers are called “antichrists” and are defined as someone who “hands over” Christ to His enemies and who—whether meaning to or not—serves forces of darkness rather than the light.

If the command Jesus gave as He washed feet, as I started us off with, is for us to replicate Him, how then do we see Jesus’ interaction with Judas as something to be replicated? Perhaps the answer is that we first need to embrace humility knowing we are all capable of choosing darkness over light. Second, as we look around our community at the ones we love, we can see them, as Jesus does, and serve even our enemies. And, lastly, to soak in the grace of God that can look at even His greatest betrayer and still offer love.

Prayer

Dear Jesus,
Please convict us this Holy Week of the ways in which we are seduced by our own dreams and visions over Your plan. Show us when we flirt with darkness and help us find our way back to You. Thank you for loving us and for showing us how to love and serve one another.
Amen

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