Judas' Betrayal And Peter's Denial
reflections
April 2, 2012, 6:44pm
JOHN 13:21-33, 36-38
Reclining at table with His disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and
testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”
...One of His disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at
Jesus’ side. So Simon Peter nodded to Him to find out whom He meant. He
leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to Him, “Master, who is it?”
Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have
dipped it.”
So He dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to
Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot. After he took the morsel, Satan
entered him. So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do
quickly.” ...So he took the morsel and left at once. And it was night.
When he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and
God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also
glorify Him in Himself, and He will glorify Him at once. My children, I
will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for Me, and
as I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to
you.”
Simon Peter said to Him, “Master, where are You going?” Jesus
answered him, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now, though you
will follow later.” Peter said to Him, “Master, why can’t I follow You
now? I will lay down my life for You.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay
down your life for Me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow
before you deny Me three times.”
REFLECTIONS
He dipped the morsel. Jesus speaks of Judas’ betrayal and Peter’s
denial. Jesus chose Judas and Peter to be among the twelve apostles. He
has made them His friends, trusted them, and loved them very dearly.
But they turn against Him.
To be betrayed by someone whom you love and trust is heartbreaking.
As the Psalmist puts it, “If an enemy had reviled me, that I could
bear. ...But it was you, my other self, my comrade, and friend, you,
whose company I enjoyed, at whose side I walked in procession in the
house of God” (Ps 55:13-15).
Still, Jesus offers a gesture of hospitality: He dips a morsel of
bread and hands it to Judas. Extending the hand of friendship, Jesus
gives Judas an opportunity to desist from his plan.
In one way or another, we have betrayed Jesus and denied Him. Yet,
Jesus continues to offer His friendship, to forgive, and to trust us.
Recall when you betrayed and denied Jesus.
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