John 13:21-26, One of You Will Betray Me

21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side, 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 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. 

Jesus’ human nature is never eclipsed by his divine nature. Jesus is “troubled in spirit” by this unfathomable betrayal. He chose Judas to be one of his own, bringing him into the inner life of the twelve. Judas walked with Jesus some three years, listening to his teaching, witnessing his miracles, and going out with other disciples to do the same. Judas knows Jesus and is known by Jesus. 

The gospel writer, John, identifies himself in this same passage as one of the disciples “whom Jesus loved.” He is one of the twelve as Judas is one of the twelve. This passage does not say he loved John more than all the others. I take it to mean that he loved all of them with John being one of them who understood that love in contrast to Judas, who apparently could not receive it. 

To love someone and have them betray you, even unto death, is perhaps the greatest betrayal of all. John describes the stirring of Jesus’ emotions in the same way he describes the stirring of the waters in the pool of Bethesda as turbulent and convulsed. So deep is the pain and agony of Jesus, Matthew records he sweated blood while praying later that night in the Garden of Gethsemane. 

Think of a time when you were betrayed by someone you love or of a time when you betrayed someone. And then pray to the Father something like this: “Help me and intercede in my life when I am moved to betray others that I may be more like Jesus and less like Judas as you sanctify me through your Spirit.”