'When he had said this, Jesus was deeply troubled and testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant. 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.” [Now] none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him. Some thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or to give something to the poor. So he took the morsel and left at once. And it was night (Jn. 13:21-30).'
John presents Jesus as being ‘deeply troubled’ over his coming betrayal by one of his disciples. It was John himself, ‘the one whom Jesus loved’ that was reclining at Jesus’ side who got Jesus to reveal who was going to betray him. Jesus loves all his true disciples. However, the disciples did not know what Judas was going to do. Jesus offered Judas a morsel, a sign of friendship, a chance to change his mind, and Judas took it; yet he continued with his evil plot and betrayed Jesus. Jesus demonstrated what he preached, “Love your enemies (Mt. 5:44).” Although the evangelist said that Satan entered Judas, Satan had no power over Jesus’ life or death; “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father (Jn. 10:18).” It was the Father’s plan to let events unfold as they did. John closes the passage with the sentence, “And it was night,” which brings to mind what Jesus previously said; “If one walks at night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him (Jn.11:10).” The power of darkness in Judas was contrasted with the Light of Christ which cannot be overcome by it.
Almighty God, you command us to love and pray for our enemies even as we struggle every day not to be overcome by the powers of darkness in this world. Shower us with your amazing grace that we may be filled with the Light of Christ and not stumble as we walk, by faith, along the path you have chosen for us. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
References:
Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, & Roland E. Murphy, (Eds.). (1990, 1968). The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentis Hall, Inc.
Jose M. Casciaro, Santiago Ausin, Gonzalo Aranda, Claudio Basevi, Vincente Balaguer, Francisco Varo, James Gavigan, Brian McCarthy & Thomas McGovern (Eds.). (2017). The Navarre Bible - New Testament. Dublin 8, Ireland: Four Courts Press.
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