Luke 22:1-6

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people. And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. They were glad and agreed to give him money. So he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the crowd.^[1]

According to Jesus’ own words, Satan has a job. It is to “steal, kill, and destroy.” He executes this job with determination, persistence, and precision. None of us are immune to his devices and having left our guard down any of us can be used by him. Dr. Luke tells us the chief priests and scribes, looking for some way to bring Jesus down, found a willing accomplice in Judas. Who better to use to perpetrate a betrayal than someone on the inside. The nature of Judas’ motivation is really immaterial because for the right price a willing accomplice can always be found. Now, of course, in this instance Judas’ betrayal was the fulfillment of prophecy, but the truth of how the betrayal came about cannot be overlooked.

Judas was one of the twelve, one of the disciples. He was on the inside, among those closest to Jesus. It is a savvy move of the enemy, who knows there is no greater betrayal than that which comes at the hands of a friend. The closer one becomes the more acute the pain, anger, frustration, and disappointment if betrayed because it sneaks up on you and catches you off guard; and it is only able to do so because around your friends you drop your guard. Yes, Jesus knew from where and from whom the betrayal would come because He was God and human, but you and I don’t have that luxury, and we want to believe the best about those we ‘let in.’ While discernment was not an issue for Jesus, it is always an issue for us. We want friends. We crave relationship, but perhaps we should be more discerning about whom it is we so readily call ‘friend.’

Dear Jesus, we confess our desire to have friends has caused us to make mistakes in judgment. We trust those we should not and look over those who are devoted and loyal to us. Freely we take responsibility for the lapses in judgment we have shown. Give us now stronger spirits of discernment that we might not be blindsided by those with questionable motives. Help us to focus all our trust and confidence in You, trusting that You will lead us in the way we should go, and we ask it all in the name of Jesus our Christ. Amen.

^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Lk 22:1–6.