Reflecting on John 13:18-30“As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.” (John 13:27)
The disciples did not know what Jesus was talking about, but Judas did.
Judas had already gone to the religious leaders, and made the plan to betray Jesus.
But perhaps his conscience was still holding back, and he was hesitant.
Maybe Jesus would change, and become the kind of Messiah he could follow.
Then Jesus extends this sign of companionship, and it is the last straw.
The word ‘companion’ comes from the Latin, ‘to break bread with’.
It is an act of humble, gracious love, an affirmation of love and loyalty.
Judas understood this act as typical Jesus, and it was Satan’s clincher in Judas.
Judas was not looking for kindness for the enemy, he wanted justice and victory.
He wanted life to be better for himself and his people, and Jesus was not the way.
Do we see the Jesus way of humility, grace and compassion as the right and good way?
Or do we see it as weakness, and prefer to be more forceful and firm with sinners?
Jesus remains gracious to all sinners, and wants to be their companion too.
Satan is tempting us to reject kindness to some sinners, to not break bread with them.
Is our refusal to break bread with some sinners an act of betrayal like Judas’s?
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, You invite all people to break bread with You at Your table. Help me to see that the same hand that invites me, invites them. If they do not deserve mercy, do I? Help me to see that rejecting them is a betrayal of Who You are.