Meals are for fellowship, many times only friends are invited. Meals have meaning. The Passover Meal was no exception. There were 13 people at the Passover Meal… Jesus and the twelve Apostles. But one was not a friend. He was an enemy. A thief. A traitor. Who? Judas Iscariot.
Do you know who your enemies are… who is working to harm or destroy you? Jesus did. He knew from eternity past. The same way Jesus knew the hearts of the Pharisees and others, he knew was was in Judas’ heart from before the day he called him to be an Apostle. Jesus gave Judas every opportunity to be saved. Jesus trusted Judas with the ministry’s money. Jesus empowered him to perform cast out demons. Jesus loved Judas even though he was evil. Judas betrayed Jesus to fulfill Scripture.
What would you do if you knew who your enemies were? Would you kick them out of the organization, set a trap for them, or give them a dead end job to force them out? Jesus did none of those things, but instead he loved him… allowing him to carry out what was in his heart (“What you do, do quickly“). Jesus did reveal Judas’ intent to others as found in Matthew 26:20-25…
When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?” Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.”
Judas was the only one of the twelve to refer to Jesus as Rabbi rather than Lord… for Judas Jesus wasn’t Lord. Even though he saw all the miracles (Raising the dead, casting out demons, feeding thousands, walking on water, calming the storm, etc!).
Have you ever been betrayed? Do you love your betrayer? Are you willing to commit your betrayer into the hands of God? Do you turn the other cheek even though they seek to destroy you? Jesus’ example here is a perfect example of trusting God’s sovereignty and providence in the events of life. So to your betrayer, love them… give them water to drink… feed them… clothe them… trusting God for the future.