Jesus had stopped talking for a moment, and closed his eyes and breathed deeply. Then He looked at them. His expression was intense. "Truly, truly, I say to you," His voice gravely with emotion, like He wished He could change this part of story. "One of you will betray me."
There were a couple gasps among the group that had become so close knit around Jesus, followed by "Who?", and "What do you mean?" At His announcement, old rivalries were born anew. Everyone looked suspiciously at his neighbor, and whispered about the guy across the room from him.
Peter studied Jesus. He's waiting. Waiting to tell us! John was sitting beside Jesus. Peter lifted his chin and raised his eyebrows. John raised his right eyebrow in question. Peter motioned towards Jesus while mouthing, "Ask Him who!"
John nodded, and leaned close to whisper to Jesus. Peter couldn't hear them, but Jesus had picked up a piece of bread, and was holding it like it was the answer to their questions.
I can't take this any longer! Peter stood up fast, knocking his seat down behind him. "Is it I, Lord?" Jesus smiled slightly at him. Immediately, everyone started asking the question at once, even Judas, who had been acting angry and distant all night, said, "Is it I, Lord?"
"So you have said." Peter's heart stopped at Jesus' words. Who was He talking to now?
Quietly, Jesus said, "He has dipped bread into the dish with me, and I will give him this morsel of dipped bread." Everyone looked confused, but Peter watched as Jesus dipped that piece of bread, and gave it to Judas. John caught his eye, having seen the exchange, also.
However, Jesus was focused on Judas. "What you are going to do, do quickly." Judas stared at Him, his dark eyes blazing. Then with a nod, he stood up and walked out the door.
James, who was sitting on Peter's left, leaned close to him. "Why is Judas leaving?" Peter shook his head. Could Judas be...? Ridiculous! "I'm sure Jesus asked him to pick up some supplies, or maybe there's someone in need. A poor, starving man, maybe." James' face didn't look convinced, but he started to nod. "Yeah, he's in charge of the money, so that makes sense."
But as Peter stared at the empty doorway, he wondered if it did...
Based on Matthew 26:20-25 and John 13:21-30
This is the heartbreaking moment where Judas Iscariot leaves to betray Jesus...and nobody realizes it.
When Jesus said, "One of you will betray me," their immediate and understandable response was, "Who?" Jesus told them it was whoever he gave the morsel of bread that he had dipped. Then Jesus gives it right to Judas, and tells him to go do it quickly. No one at the table knew why Jesus said this. John 13:29, says that because Judas had the money bag, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy supplies for the feast or give something to the poor.
They totally missed it! Jesus said it plain and simple: whoever I give the morsel of bread that I dipped. He gave it. Judas took it. They missed it.
Ultimately, this was part of God's all-knowing plan to usher in salvation for us through Jesus' death on the cross.
However, the point is that they missed it! How many times do we see that in the Bible. Jesus told them about dying and being resurrected in three days, and they didn't understand. He told them about Judas. He told a whole congregation that He was the Savior by saying all these prophesies are fulfilled in me.
"Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it." Hebrews 2:1
How many times do we say, "God loves you," but we say it so flippantly, so causally. How many times to we hear that we are forgiven, but not really believe it? How many times do we ask God a question, and ignore the answer? How many people know of Jesus, but still don't believe He is the Savior? How many people believe God is an angry ogre Who is waiting to take us out with lightning bolt darts?
How much do we miss of God in the day to day? Think of your Bibles. Most of us have 2 or even three. Between my husband and I, we have accumulated 17 Bibles in the coarse of our lives. In 1455, that used to be just a dream. We have access to the Bible. God's Word! He breathed that out for us, so that we could hear Him. Learn from Him. Know Him. Unfortunately, it's all to easy to glaze over, and not even remember what we read after we are done.
This is that heartbreaking moment in history, were we have access to God any time, any place, and we don't even realize it.
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with a bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you." Psalm 32:8-9
God is saying, "I have given you it all. My Word. My love. My forgiveness and grace. The ability to talk with me directly! I will lead you throughout life. Don't you understand? Why are you so stubborn? Why do you stray away from Me? Why do you ignore Me?"
"Let me hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly." Psalm 85:8
Is your heart's cry to hear what God speaks? To not miss anything? To remember what He says, and understand it? Is that your heart? Don't continue to miss it. Hear the things He says to you. Be the person who is so sold out on God that you don't miss out on Him.
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