04132022 – Betrayal
Tonight is all about BETRAYAL. The air is thick with it. DISLOYALTY, BAD FAITH. TREACHERY. DECEPTION. DOUBLE-DEALING. DUPLICITY. It is the ICKY SIDE of life and existence. Betrayal HAPPENS.
And it happens FROM those we LOVE and TRUST. And it happens TO THOSE we both love and trust.
The actual translation of the word “betray” is “to HAND OVER” or “to GIVE OVER.”
Judas will betray Jesus, but NOT IN THE WAY we might think!
John’s gospel is always a curiosity. Always.
Judas’s LAST APPEARANCE in the story before ACCOMPANYING THE SOLDIERS to arrest Jesus occurs during the final meal shared between Jesus and his disciples. Satan ENTERS into Judas.
IT IS DIABOLIC ACTIVITY. DEVILISH, SATANIC, EVIL, FIENDISH, DEMONIC, UNGODLY.
HE IS POSSESSED. DEMON POSSESSED. Ritualistically unclean. He exits, GOING OUT INTO THE NIGHT. His crossing over to the DARK SIDE is now COMPLETED.
The place to begin with is to mention AND To ACKNOWLEDGE the fact that John’s gospel is DIFFERENT. That’s “a given…”
Judas himself DOES NOT actually HAND Jesus OVER to the authorities.
In the SYNOPTIC Gospels, Judas identifies Jesus with a kiss.
In John’s Gospel, there is NO KISS, NO IDENTIFICATION at all of Jesus. That is, in spite of the fact that IT IS NIGHT and DARK OUTSIDE. The arresting authorities seem to know exactly who Jesus is, even in the DARK!
We know ONLY that “JUDAS was STANDING with them,” presumably with the Jewish POLICE representing the Chief Priests and the Pharisees and the ROMAN SOLDIERS.
You knew, who’s side he was on, by WHERE he stood, and WHO he stood WITH.
Jesus comes forward out of the garden, of HIS OWN ACCORD, and WILLINGLY GIVES HIMSELF UP to the authorities.
The “ARREST SCENE” is the last time we ever hear of Judas in John’s story.
There is NO RECOUNTING OF REMORSE or REPENTANCE to explain his actions. GREED is NEVER mentioned to justify his betrayal.
And there is NO ACT OF SUICIDE to ASSUAGE his GUILT.
When all is said and done, “the true nature” of Judas’s betrayal IS NOT in response to Jesus’ UNFAITHFULNESS or INABILITY to FULFILL PROMISES.
In fact, Jesus WILL BE faithful to the end and will come through on every single PROMISE he ever made.
At the heart of the BETRAYAL of Judas is HIS OWN “DISBELIEF.”
He DOES NOT accept that Jesus IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS, the Word made flesh, the very presence and essence of God right in front of him. It CAN’T BE! That would be IMPOSSIBLE! Jesus is NOT the God he really WANTS OR CAN ACCEPT. His God is Yahweh (period.)
The story of Judas in the Gospel of John calls attention to those times when being OFFENDED by or DISAPPOINTED in someone “is really” more about US than the OTHER.
Instead of questioning the appropriateness of OUR REACTION, or asking why OUR RESPONSE is allegations of DASHED HOPES, we ACCUSE, as if, OTHERS are obligated to fulfill OUR EXPECTATIONS.
This may be a bit hard for us to hear, that sometimes “feeling betrayed” has LESS TO DO WITH THE CONDUCT OF ANOTHER and MORE TO DO with OURSELVES.
That the impression of betrayal comes NOT from “a deliberate act” PERPETRATED AGAINST US, but that ‘WE’ have made the ‘OTHER’ something or “someone” THEY ARE NOT.
It was ALL ABOUT Judas’ EXPECTATIONS, NOT coming to FRUITION. He wanted MORE. He expected MORE. He expected differently. It was all about HIM.
And, then, it is WE who HAVE DONE THE BETRAYING by being UNFAITHFUL to another person’s TRUE SELF.
So, John’s narrative is NOT the norm. Far from it. It is NOT the story we have come to know and to expect.
WE WANT THE KISS ON THE SIDE OF THE CHEEK. We want “the physical sign of betrayal.”
We want Judas slinking off into the darkness, into the night. We want Judas to feel remorse and regret and to repent and be sorry. We want Judas to take responsibility for his own act of betrayal. We want him physically “handing Jesus over to the religious authorities.”
And instead, Jesus says, “I AM HE” and steps forward on his own volition.
Our story continues on…Amen.