Day 36 - Holy Week: Betrayal in Motion

Matthew 26:14 - 26:25

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

The Last Supper

17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

18 He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.

20 When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21 And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

22 They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?”

23 Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24 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.”

25 Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?”

Jesus answered, “You have said so.”

There were many people who hated Jesus. The religious leaders, the Roman soldiers, the crowds. That would have been hard for any human to bear.

But betrayal from within your closest friends, that is often a wound we struggle to recover from, let alone love to the end.

Jesus was betrayed by Judas, one of His inner circle. A man He had poured so much time into and a man He genuinely loved. Yet Jesus remained faithful and obedient to His purpose.

Jesus is not unaware of the pain we experience in relationships. Are you struggling with hurt or pain from a relationship? Take it to Jesus who understands and ask Him to bring healing.