Day Twenty Six: Betrayal And Glory
When Jesus washes the feet of his disciples, he already takes on a position of shame, and with betrayal added into the mix, that shame only increases. What must the apostles of Jesus be thinking when he says, “One of you will betray me”?
They joined Jesus for freedom, not servitude. To rule not to be reigned over. For grandeur, not vulgarity. For victory, not for disappointment. Where is the glory in betrayal?
To paraphrase the late great preacher Dr. E.K. Bailey: Where is the glory in having a pure teacher clean the dirty feet of his followers? Where is the glory in the coming together of filthy flesh with the divine? Where is the glory when the sacred intersects with the secular? Where is the glory when the vertical meets the horizontal? Where is the glory when righteousness is betrayed by wretchedness?
At this Passover meal, the disciples did not understand who Jesus could be speaking about.
The usual arrangement of a Passover meal at this time was to have a series of couches arranged in a U around the table. The most important person reclined in the center, at what we might consider the bottom of the U.
The place of honor was to the left of this person, and the second place was to his right. We know that John was to Jesus’ right because of verse 23 and that Peter was too far to whisper to Jesus (John 13:24). We also know that it seems Judas Iscariot was close enough to receive a piece of food from Jesus (John 13:26). For this reason, some scholars have argued that Judas likely was given that place of honor, perhaps as a final subtle appeal by Jesus.
Despite the proximity, Judas saw no glory as he identified with the crowds of John 12:43 who “loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.”
In this way, Judas is a parable and a warning; too often, we read this story as “insiders,” thinking it depicts someone else. But Judas should be more disturbing than Pilate or Caiaphas or any member of the Sanhedrin. He saw the light and understood it, but chose the darkness anyway.
As D.L. Bartlet once said: “Judas is the reminder that every day is judgment day and that on any day some faithful follower, like Judas—or like you and me—might turn tail on the light and stumble out into darkness, caught up in evil or caught up by evil’s prince.”
With the disciples, we might ask, “Why, Lord? Why would you wash the feet of someone you knew would betray you? And why should we ‘do likewise’ for potential traitors like this? Washing feet? Scrubbing toilets? Changing bedpans? Cleaning dishes? Wiping drool?”
It is because here is the glory. The King of the universe lays down his rights for the care of those who are his enemies (Romans 5:10), “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
Even though we betrayed his kingdom, denying him, and suppressing the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18), he still came for us and appealed to love us.
They joined Jesus for freedom, not servitude. To rule not to be reigned over. For grandeur, not vulgarity. For victory, not for disappointment. Where is the glory in betrayal?
To paraphrase the late great preacher Dr. E.K. Bailey: Where is the glory in having a pure teacher clean the dirty feet of his followers? Where is the glory in the coming together of filthy flesh with the divine? Where is the glory when the sacred intersects with the secular? Where is the glory when the vertical meets the horizontal? Where is the glory when righteousness is betrayed by wretchedness?
At this Passover meal, the disciples did not understand who Jesus could be speaking about.
The usual arrangement of a Passover meal at this time was to have a series of couches arranged in a U around the table. The most important person reclined in the center, at what we might consider the bottom of the U.
The place of honor was to the left of this person, and the second place was to his right. We know that John was to Jesus’ right because of verse 23 and that Peter was too far to whisper to Jesus (John 13:24). We also know that it seems Judas Iscariot was close enough to receive a piece of food from Jesus (John 13:26). For this reason, some scholars have argued that Judas likely was given that place of honor, perhaps as a final subtle appeal by Jesus.
Despite the proximity, Judas saw no glory as he identified with the crowds of John 12:43 who “loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.”
In this way, Judas is a parable and a warning; too often, we read this story as “insiders,” thinking it depicts someone else. But Judas should be more disturbing than Pilate or Caiaphas or any member of the Sanhedrin. He saw the light and understood it, but chose the darkness anyway.
As D.L. Bartlet once said: “Judas is the reminder that every day is judgment day and that on any day some faithful follower, like Judas—or like you and me—might turn tail on the light and stumble out into darkness, caught up in evil or caught up by evil’s prince.”
With the disciples, we might ask, “Why, Lord? Why would you wash the feet of someone you knew would betray you? And why should we ‘do likewise’ for potential traitors like this? Washing feet? Scrubbing toilets? Changing bedpans? Cleaning dishes? Wiping drool?”
It is because here is the glory. The King of the universe lays down his rights for the care of those who are his enemies (Romans 5:10), “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
Even though we betrayed his kingdom, denying him, and suppressing the truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18), he still came for us and appealed to love us.
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