If someone betrays you, would you call
him “friend”?
This has been on my mind since Easter
actually, because that's when the topic came up. We were reading the
passion of Jesus-story and a small but important part in it, the
initiating action, is Judas' treason. There was one little sentence
that made my ears perk up – it's what Jesus says to Judas when he
gets taken captive in the garden:
Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what
you came to do.” (Matthew 26:50)
Friend? This guy is just betraying
Jesus, letting him down big time, bringing the worst pain upon him
and Jesus decides to call him “friend”?
Now we all know that Judas was one of
Jesus' closest friends, he was one of the twelve. He witnessed
wonders, heard Jesus preach, stood side-by-side with the disciples
through heat and storm. Why did he betray Jesus, after those 3 years
of a close relationship? And why does Jesus call him “friend” at
a moment where Judas definitely wasn't behaving like one?
Let's do some reading to get a clue
about what the bible tells us about Judas and Jesus.
(For the matter of not scaring you off,
I placed the scriptures at the end of the entry. I already shortened
it, yet it's still a lot Bible scriptures to read. Skip below the
dividing section if you want to refresh the scriptures right now and
read the following not-as-long stuff I wrote after it.)
So, let's gather what we found.
1.
Judas is keeping the common purse but apparently he isn't a very
truthful keeper. Instead he is called a thief, which might also be a
reason why he delivers Jesus. Greed. Still, he doesn't get much out
of delivering Jesus. Anyway, Jesus definitely knew that Judas was
stealing money. Would you call someone who steals stuff from you
“friend”?
2. Jesus knew who would betray him. He
still chose Judas to be one of his closest pals when he called the
twelve. Maybe he didn't know it back then? Well, now he apparently
does as he is even excluding him in a way (see John 13:11+18).
3. Even though knowing about the
betrayal, Jesus celebrates the Passover together with Judas. In Luke
22 the warning about betrayal is set after the meal – which
includes what Christians call “the Lord's supper” by now. Judas
took part in it. These famous lines “This is my body, which is
given for you. (…) This cup that is poured out for you is the new
covenant in my blood.” are spoken before he talks about getting
betrayed by one of his friends.
4. The identification of which man to
capture is... a kiss. Doesn't that hurt just from imagining? It's
like you spit at your friendship. Instead of distancing yourself when
turning your friend in, you get really close and stab him while
hugging.
5. AND STILL Jesus calls him
“friend”?!?
In one of the Jesus-films I was really
touched by how Jesus was depicted. True love and care about his
friends, his disciples. He was tearing up when he told Judas that he
was the one who'd betray him. That really got to me.
And now there's this part that, even
after somewhat stabbing his heart by the way he betrayed him, he
still calls him “friend”.
Honestly, I don't know what I'd do in
his situation. But I probably would call him everything else, but not
“friend”.
Interestingly, this form of address is
only used in Matthew. Still there must be a reason why it is written
there. So I looked up the word in Greek, expecting to find “philoi”
but instead there was “hetairos”, a word yet unknown to me.
What's the difference?
“Philoi” is what I know as
“friend”, like in close friend, buddy, friendship, liking
someone. For “Hetairos” I found that it is used as in companion,
comrade, a relationship describing people that have and fight for the
same aim, who fight, flee and die together.
Now what does this mean? Does it
indicate that Jesus took an inner distance to Judas by calling him
“hetairos” instead of “philoi”?
Make sure to scroll down to the very
last comment, too. It's very interesting.
As for my question I think it isn't as
relevant though. Being called “friend” – be it in comradeship
or heart-to-heart friendship – is still a big difference to
“traitor”.
Jesus called the man who caused him
suffering, pain and death “friend” while being highly aware of
all this.
We don't really know for sure of why Judas
betrayed Jesus, Satan making him do it in one way or the other, we're
not to judge about the judgment given to him either. But what became
important to me, as believer in Jesus Christ, is Jesus' unimaginable LOVE.
Jesus calls me
“friend” right now and will call me “friend” no matter what
happens.
As long as I live, no matter what I do,
how much I screw up, he will be there, waiting for me to realize my
mistakes and come back to him, repenting, and he will still call me
“friend”.
Jesus won't call me “traitor”. He
didn't call Judas “traitor”, he called him “friend”.
His love is so amazing!
I'm sure, Jesus wants me and you to be
his heart-to-heart friends. And that friendship doesn't end because
we screw up. We can always come back to him.
Because he loves us.
I hope that can serve as some
encouragement for you today.
God bless you!
(picture source: http://myexposition.wordpress.com/2010/06/28/the-values-of-friendship/)
John 12:3-7
Mary therefore took a pound of
expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of
Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the
fragrance of the perfume.
But Judas Iscariot, one of his
disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this
ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”
He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was
a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to
what was put into it. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may
keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with
you, but you do not always have me.”
Luke 22:1-6
Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew
near, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and the
scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the
people.
Then Satan entered into Judas called
Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and
conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him
to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he
consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the
absence of a crowd.
(Matthew 26:14-16; Mark 14:10-11)
The following happens in the evening
after Jesus' disciples prepared the Passover (Mark 14:12)
John 13:10 - 11
(Jesus washes his disciples feet and
Peter asks for more)
Jesus said to him, “The one who has
bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely
clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew
who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are
clean.”
(He then talks about what it means
that he had just done)
John 13:18
I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the
Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his
heel against me.’
Luke 22:14-23
And when the hour came, he reclined at
table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have
earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For
I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of
God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said,
“Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that
from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the
kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given
thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body,
which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise
the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out
for you is the new covenant in my blood.
But
behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. For
the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by
whom he is betrayed!” And they began to question one another, which
of them it could be who was going to do this.
Matthew 26:20-25
When
it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. And as they
were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray
me.” And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after
another, “Is it I, Lord?” He answered, “He who has dipped his
hand in the dish with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is
written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is
betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been
born.” Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?”
He said to him, “You have said so.”
(Mark
14:18-21)
John
13:21-31
After saying these things, Jesus was
troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you,
one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another,
uncertain of whom he spoke. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved,
was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, so Simon Peter motioned to
him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So that disciple, leaning
back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus
answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I
have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to
Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel,
Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to
do, do quickly.” Now no one at the table knew why he said this to
him. Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was
telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should
give something to the poor. So, after receiving the morsel of bread,
he immediately went out. And it was night.
John 18:1-9
When Jesus had spoken these words, he
went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was
a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed
him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his
disciples. So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some
officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with
lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would
happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?”
They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I
am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus
said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus
of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if
you seek me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill the word that
he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.”
Matthew 26:47-50
While he was still speaking, Judas
came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and
clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the
betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the
man; seize him.” And he came up to Jesus at once and said,
“Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. Jesus said to him,
“Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid
hands on Jesus and seized him.
Mark 14:43-46
And immediately, while he was still
speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with
swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the
elders. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I
will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” And
when he came, he went up to him at once and said, “Rabbi!” And he
kissed him. And they laid hands on him and seized him.
Luke 22:47-53
While he was still speaking, there came
a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading
them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him,
“Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” And when
those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord,
shall we strike with the sword?” And one of them struck the servant
of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No
more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him.
Then Jesus said to the chief priests
and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him,
“Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When
I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on
me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”
Matthew 27:3-11
Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that
Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty
pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, “I
have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is
that to us? See to it yourself.” And throwing down the pieces of
silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.
But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is
not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.”
So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a
burial place for strangers. Therefore that field has been called the
Field of Blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken
by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces
of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of
the sons of Israel, and they gave them for the potter’s field, as
the Lord directed me.”
<3 <3 <3
