A Judas Kiss

Betrayal.

It’s like ripping off a Band-Aid too quickly.

It’s like walking on shards of glass.

Whatever it looks like or feels like for you, betrayal really sucks and can weigh a person down for a long time.

What hurts the most about being betrayed is that it almost always comes from someone who we love and trust. Our family, friends and significant others are common culprits of this breach of trust.

When we make ourselves vulnerable and start to rely on people, a recipe for betrayal is almost inevitably written. This is not to say that we should never foster any type of relationship, however, there are always risks when we open ourselves to people and companionship, but understanding who you are in Christ will soften the blow of disappointment if it happens to you.

Jesus knew the word betrayal all too well. He spent His time on Earth with twelve disciples. These twelve men were not just people that followed Him around, rather they were some of His closest companions of faith and followed this new ministry and life that Jesus offered. There are three pivotal moments prior to the crucifixion of Jesus that emphasis His own moments of being betrayed.

First, Jesus tells Peter that he will deny Jesus to the authorities three times before the rooster crows. Lo and behold, this is made complete before the call of the bird as Jesus had predicted to Peter. As we read later at the end of Matthew 26, Peter weeps when he comes to the realization of Jesus’ prediction.

Second, as Jesus is praying in the garden of Gethsemane, He asks His disciples to stay awake with Him as He goes off to pray. This moment in scripture is pivotal for Jesus. He is about to complete His mission here on Earth. Jesus knows He is about to encounter a great deal of suffering and prays to the Father about the His feelings of anguish that He will soon be in. Even during this intense time of stress and turmoil, Jesus’ closest companions had fallen asleep on Him twice. Thus, Jesus is left to pray alone.

Finally, we come to a more well-known moment of betrayal in the Bible and this involves one of the disciples, Judas Iscariot. Judas’ kiss of betrayal led the authorities to Jesus. It’s interesting to note that although Jesus predicts this moment, He still refers to Judas as “friend.” Let’s take a look at the scripture below,

48 “Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” 49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.

50 Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”

Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him,” (Matthew 26:48-50).

"Do what you came for, friend."

How many of us respond to our betrayers as ‘friend?” Even in Jesus’ moments of loneliness, disappointment and betrayal, we can still be called a friend in the eyes of Christ.

In the face of betrayal, it can make us bitter, cynical, angry, and resentful not just to the person who has betrayed us, but it can also create walls for people that actually want to invest time in our lives. Don’t let the wrongdoing of one person be the measuring stick for your relationships. Instead, let’s be the face of Christ when we are faced with betrayal and demonstrate His forgiveness, much like He forgives us time and time again.

And so, we leave you with this Word,

“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger,” (James 1:19).