LEARNING DAILY

John 13:18, I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’

Jesus had finished washing the feet of the disciples. In verse 10, He makes the difference between washing only one’s feet and being completely clean; washing the feet is like “spot-cleaning”. Being completely washed is a deeper cleansing, being washed clean within, being washed spiritually. Jesus told the disciples that they were washed clean, but not all of them. One was already in the process of betraying Him. Jesus is telling them He knew who His betrayer was, and He had not made a mistake when He added him to be part of the twelve disciples.

 Scripture does not explain how Judas began to follow Jesus. He was one who simply followed Jesus willingly. I would imagine there are people who go to church for various reasons today – perhaps the willingness to help around the church to feel good about themselves or to be seen as a good Christian person. Judas was “associated with Jesus, following Him closely, without giving Him his heart” (MacArthur). It is important to understand the difference! MacArthur continues, “Judas was not attracted to Jesus on a spiritual level…it was a desire for selfish greed.” There have always been those people who attend church to be seen, to show they are “good” and “honest people. The thought is this will be transferred to how they conduct their businesses, etc.; yet they never give their heart to follow Jesus.

The role Judas was to fulfill had been chosen, “ordained before the foundation of the world and even prophesied in the Old Testament” (MacArthur). In John 13:18 Jesus quoted Psalm 41:9. God had spoken about the events by which His Son would die. Judas carried out God’s plan, by free will. He had lived and walked with Jesus long enough to know the truth, but he either ignored or resisted it. He opened himself to follow Satan’s temptations, influence, and complete control; “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve” (Luke 22:3). Why?

Jesus did not fulfill the expectations and ambitions of Judas; his expectations were not always spiritually motivated. His worldliness, his desire to see political and economic benefits by following Jesus did not happen. Judas became angry that Jesus allowed Mary to anoint Him with expensive perfume. He had already been taking money from the money the disciples had and wanted more. He wanted all the benefits that would come from following the One who would overthrow the Romans and establish His earthly kingdom. Judas became disillusioned with Jesus when Jesus did not lead a revolt against Rome. Thinking only of himself, Judas had gone to the chief priest and sold Jesus to His enemies for thirty pieces of silver.

When Judas realized Pilate had handed Jesus over to be crucified, he was greatly disturbed at what he had done. Did he think Jesus would be beaten and moved to become the leader against Rome that he wanted Him to be? It was too late, and the chief priest and the elders were not sympathetic to him. Acts 1:18 describes what happened to Judas, “Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out.”

Judas is an example of one who wasted the opportunity and the privilege he had to follow Jesus and make a true difference in the spiritual lives of others. His love of money got in the way of his judgment. Perhaps Judas teaches us to guard against the little things, the small failings and disappointments that can lead to larger misunderstandings in our spiritual life. Yet, the story of Judas demonstrates that how much Jesus loves even those who would betray Him.  Jesus knows the heart of each person; His grace desires each person to come to Him, to be saved and changed by Him. At the same time, Jesus knows who have been washed spiritually clean and those who have just had their feet washed!