John 13:18

In our verse for today our Lord refers to the prophecy given in David’s Messianic Psalm 41 of which was being fulfilled at that time:

9 Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. Psalms 41:9 (NIV)

“All lines of messianic prophecy meet in Jesus.” Fred John Meldau

Jesus’ selection of Judas as a disciple had been no accident or kink in God’s plans. Our Lord had known Judas’ heart from the beginning and took one into His family whom He foresaw to be a traitor. This was to fulfill Scripture and He now intimates to His disciples that their hearts were not all right with Him. Jesus had spoken of this to His guys earlier in John:

70 Then Jesus replied, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.) John 6:70-71 (NIV)

10 Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. John 13:10-11 (NIV)

Sadly, what was spoken of the excellencies of Christ’s disciples cannot be spoken of for the whole which bear that title. Even today in the best of congregations a Judas can be discovered among the followers – tares will be forever found among the wheat until the great harvest. Jesus’ parable of the wheat and weeds comes to mind and what He taught towards handling conflicting hearts:

24 Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 "The owner's servants came to him and said, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?' 28 "'An enemy did this,' he replied."The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull them up?' 29 "'No,' he answered, 'because while you are pulling the weeds, you may root up the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.'" Matt 13:24-30 (NIV)

Judas was an apostle who was admitted into the highest privilege of both eating and intimately conversing with Jesus not to mention being an eyewitness to our Lord’s great miracles and teachings. Wherever Jesus went, Judas was welcome - sitting at the table with the Master - eating the miraculous bread when the loaves and fishes were multiplied as well as sharing the Passover meal with Him thus proving not all who eat bread with Christ are His genuine disciples. Judas was guilty of the wickedest treachery. He forsook the Lord despising Him as his enemy for his love of money. I think it extremely interesting that Christ appeared to treat Judas no differently than the others. Our Lord continuously loved him to the end – fleshing out for us compassion, kindness, gentleness, humility and patience - hence the ignorance of the other disciples over who would be the one to betray Him. As His followers we are called to the same high road of behavior through the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul tells us in Colossians:

12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Col 3:12-14 (NIV)

There is a great message in this for us as well on how we are to treat our enemies – those who fervently and frequently oppose us - we are to overcome evil with good. I am reminded of Paul’s words in Romans 12:

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:17-21 (NIV)

We can only control our own actions and reactions – not those of others. We are to be good, noble and honorable in our interactions - living in harmony whenever achievable. We must leave the poor behavior of others in God’s hands. We are each accountable before God for our own lives. God’s foreknowledge of our behaviors does not negate our culpability neither did the fact that Jesus fully foreknew Judas’ deeds in any way negate his.