Betrayal, all know and understand the sorrow and hurt that betrayal brings.

It can be in so many forms, a spouse or companion that cheated, a coworker advancing themself by stealing ideas and taking credit belonging to another.

Even family members whose knives drive deep not only to the backs of their victims, but even into their soul, wounding their spirit, damaging relationship beyond any hope of repair.

But nothing quite like the betrayal of a trusted friend, and this Jesus knew all so well.

“And if he come to see me, he speaketh vanity: his heart gathereth iniquity to itself; when he goeth abroad, he telleth it

All that hate me whisper together against me: against me do the devise (plot) my hurt. 

And evil disease, say they. cleaveth unto him: and now that he lieth he shall rise up no more. 

Yea, mine old familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

But thou, O LORD, be merciful unto me, and raise me up, that I may requite (repay) them.” Psalms 41:6-10

A perfect description of what many suffer, through the gossip and backbiting of others who pretend to care when they only than the story of the betray of Jesus, have an agenda to fulfill.

No greater example of this passage, right down to Judas eating of his bread.

The chief priest and elders had decided that they would kill Jesus, they just had to get to him and have false evidence to put him to death.

We checked out Mary anointing Jesus for his burial in our last post.

So, we’ll pick it up here,

“Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?

And they covenanted (agreed) with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover (where are we having passover dinner)?

And he said, Go into the city of to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, Mt time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.

The disciples did as Jesus had appointed (asked) them, and they made ready the passover.

Now when even was come (it was evening), he sat down with the twelve. And they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?

And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.

The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had never been born.

Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.” Matthew 26:14-25

Judas had already sold him, he just wanted to appear innocent in front of the others.

The others were truly horrified, expressed that horror in asking, could they betray him.

They were truly terrified by the thought that they would harm him in anyway,

But Judas had already shown his guilt by taking sop and dipping it as Jesus had foretold.

If you have the opportunity read each account of this in the different Gospels.

It is the same story but having different writers, Mark, Luke, John, and Matthew, there are different details that you can find in one account that is not mentioned in the other and by studying all four we get the entire story,

I can never think of those who are sold into slavery without thinking about this story.

If wicked who betrayed them fail to repent, they will truly suffer far greater that their victims because they have betrayed innocent blood.

As Jesus stated, it would have been better for Judas if he had never even been born.

Thirty pieces of silver for the Son of God, spotless, perfect, sinless, and holy. We’ll read soon the money benefited Judas in no way at all, and we’ll check out his end.

Maybe today, you also have been hurt and betrayed, give that pain to the Lord, he understands exactly what you feel.

As we go into the crucifixion and resurrection we’ll see the passage above so clearly.

They thought they had him down, dead and done, but God in his wonderous glory raised him and through it all he overcome.

Until next time, Love & Peace!

NBJ 2024/ Rev, N Brown Johnson/ 2025