“While they were reclining at the table eating, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me – one who is eating with Me.” (Mark 14:18 NIV)
I try to imagine the moment. Jesus had intentionally spent His last full day on earth outside of the city, with seemingly unaware friends. He had sent few of them ahead on a cryptic mission to secure a room for Passover. Though it likely felt like just another church fellowship to the disciples, Jesus knew full well the suffering that was about to commence. I’d imagine it was tough to choose a few disciples and send them into town to prepare for such a meal. I would guess that Jesus would have preferred to keep all His people in close proximity as long as it was possible. His teaching window was closing, but also He loved these men.
That evening, mid-ceremonial dinner, the Messiah blurts out His awkward truth – “One of you will betray Me.” Suddenly the bread was too dry and the wine too weak. Even in the stark reality of black and white text, we feel the tension that flooded that upper room. Each disciple asked, first themselves and then the Savior; “Surely you don’t mean me?!”
It is a holy and righteous thing to stop right here and search our hearts for Savior betrayal. Our treachery may to be as obvious as Judas or Peter, but we certainly struggle to love God most and keep Kingdom priorities with diligence. The truth is, each of us is quite capable of betrayal and have likely committed it many times over. The wonderment is, that despite full knowledge of our flawed heart condition, Jesus still chose to spend His final hours with His friends. He still chooses us now. He knows what we are capable of and even still, He loves us without restraint.
“Even my closest friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against Me.” (Psalm 40:9 NIV)
“But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed close fellowship at the house of God as we walked among the worshipers.” (Psalm 55:13-14 NIV)
When we become more accurately away of our own capacity for betrayal, we can develop compassion and absolution for betrayal by others. We realize that betrayers have simply acted on impulses we’ve all had at one time or another, maybe even today.
Perhaps Jesus walked in such incredible, concurrent forgiveness because He was as such human as He was God. He surely wrestled with His own hurt, frustration and free will. His betrayer’s actions against Him were relatable and forgivable because He’d worn flesh long to enough to be well-familiar with the catastrophic affects of the Fall.
Conversely, as believers we are fully human carrying the essence of God within. We can allow His presence to grow us out of betrayal and one step further; we can conceive grace for the betrayers in our story.
Lord, thank You for this incredible invitation to sit at the Last Supper and hear Your words, Your heart towards Your people. Thank You for putting up with betrayal: Judas’, Peter’s and our own. We are so grateful for Your grace; both to us and through us. May we walk with this shared meal ever in mind; deeply aware of our propensity for sin and gracious towards the sins of others. Grow us further
into Your image. Amen.