Jesus Betrayed by Judas Iscariot
“Jesus became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me’ . . . ‘That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.’ So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore, Jesus said to him, ‘What you do, do quickly.’”—John 13:21, 26-27.
“Who has not felt the bitter sting of betrayal? If there was one thing a cowboy’s life on the open range depended upon, it was the certainty that his
friends on the trail were looking out for him. That cowboy riding by his side would have his back when a stamped erupted or a snake suddenly struck. Someone would be there if danger threatened from any direction. He was not alone. There were perils on the open range and no cowboy would leave another in harm’s way. Yet that is exactly what happened to Jesus. One who had walked with Him for three years, shared in His ministry, listened to His teaching, and had seen His miracles now will turn on Him as His enemies close in. The name of Judas Iscariot will always be associated with that of a traitor; the one who betrayed Jesus and handed Him over to His enemies for a handful of silver coins”—Searching Heart & Scripture” page 120.
Betrayal is something we all deal with. Someway, sometime we will be betrayed and to make it worse, the betrayal usually comes from a friend. And when it happens we immediately experience some strong emotions. First, it hurts; it hurts deeply because you feel like you have been stabbed in the back. Second, we may feel angry and want to get even; get back at them someway. But no matter how betrayed we may feel or how much it hurts God tells us “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good”—Romans 12:21.
What are some Biblical ways we can deal with betrayal?
Tell Jesus about it. Go ahead and get it off your chest. He certainly understands the pain and hurt and he knows how you feel. Hebrews 4:15-16 tells us that He is able to “sympathize with our weaknesses.” “He has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” “Therefore,” the writer of Hebrews tells us, we can “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Forgive the one who betrayed you. I know! That is hard to do. That is the opposite of what we want to do, but by the Spirit and will of God, we can do it. The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 12:17, 18 “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone . . . If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” Then he says, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him as drink, for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head” Romans 12:20.
Leave it with Jesus. That’s right. Take all that hurt and anger and disappointment and leave it at the foot of the cross. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” Matthew 11:28-29.
Let God’s peace comfort you. Here then is the final step. Seek God’s peace and allow His healing peace to overshadow you. “The peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 4:7.