“When he had said these things, Jesus was greatly distressed in spirit, and testified, ‘I tell you the solemn truth, one of you will betray me.’” —John 13:21
Ever been betrayed by someone you considered to be a close friend? Jesus understands. In a very solemn announcement, He says that His spirit is distressed over the coming betrayal of one He has shared life with. It is painful to His core. What a bitter sorrow to witness an apostle turn apostate. It is evident that this is a particularly cutting sorrow to Jesus. Just because Judas’ actions were foreknown by our Lord neither lessened nor dulled the blow. Sorrow is no less painful known in advance. Certainly, Jesus had sensed the hardness and deadness that sin had produced in Judas’ heart. He knows exactly what is in each person’s heart, much better than we know ourselves, discerning even the motives behind our actions.
“O LORD, you examine me and know. You know when I sit down and when I get up; even from far away you understand my motives. You carefully observe me when I travel or when I lie down to rest; you are aware of everything I do. Certainly my tongue does not frame a word without you, O LORD, being thoroughly aware of it.” —Psalm 139:1–4
In the verse for today, Jesus was not only giving the other disciples a “heads up,” but also lovingly warning Judas as well. Unfortunately for Judas, he did not heed the Lord’s caution. The next time Judas will see Jesus will be in the garden of Gethsemane when he comes with the mob to betray Jesus. Sadly, within a very short time, both the Master and the servant are dead—the Master dying for our sins, the treacherous servant dying in his own. Judas missed his opportunity to turn from his sin.
What trouble the Lord went through for the sake of our souls! Indeed, He was acquainted with sorrow and suffering. Isaiah prophesized:
“He was despised and rejected by people, one who experienced pain and was acquainted with illness; people hid their faces from him; he was despised, and we considered him insignificant.” —Isaiah 53:3
It is verses like these that help us see the amazing love Christ demonstrated towards sinners. He died for Judas. He died for me and He died for you as well. His love for us is beyond measure in-depth and tenderness. His love carries with it the great cost of Calvary.
I am reminded of Paul’s words in Romans:
“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (For rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person perhaps someone might possibly dare to die.) But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” —Romans 5:6–8
The single verse in John that is our verse for today reminds us that, like our Lord, we will neither be loved nor embraced by the world. We can expect opposition. We have no cause to be surprised when friends fail and people around us disappoint. We are in the world but we are not to be of the world. Friendship with God often means that we will have to endure the world’s hatred. Jesus had warned His disciples regarding this very thing:
“If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. However because you do not belong to the world, but I chose you out of the world. For that is the reason the world hates you. If they obeyed my word, they will obey yours too.” —John 15:18–20
Become More
“Redemption does not only look back to Calvary. It looks forward to the freedom in which the redeemed stand.” —Leon Morris
“Love seeks one thing only: the good of the one loved.” —Thomas Merton
Further Reflection
“Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty,
At Calvary.” —William R. Newell, “At Calvary”