Seeker

During the last meal that Jesus shared with his friends, Jesus declared that one of them would betray him. John's gospel (John 13: 21 - 30) tells us that "the disciples looked at one other, uncertain of whom he was speaking". Did they look around the room to identify who was most likely to be so disloyal? Did each look into their own hearts and wonder, could it be me? Eventually, one of them asked, "Lord, who is it?" Jesus did not name any of them, but said, "It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." I can imagine each of the disciples with bated breath watching as Jesus dipped the bread, dreading to see to whom he would give it. At the head of this post is a detail of a painting of The Last Supper.  Plautilla Nelli was a 16th century nun in Florence and a painter of religious art. This image is from her enormous oil painting 'The Last Supper'. This detail  shows the moment when Jesus h...

When the opposition to a leader gets stronger, team members are forced to consider their position. Will I stay loyal to this leader, no matter what happens? Do I think my leader is making wise choices or finally 'lost the plot'. Does the way my leader and friend is going actually further our cause or hinder it? The gospels are mostly silent on why Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus, which leaves room for speculative interpretation. Judas may, in his own mind, have had the best of intentions for his action. Like so may other religious and political figures, perhaps he did what he thought was 'the right thing to do' and only later was appalled by the dreadful consequences of his action. Whatever the reason, Judas Iscariot decided to assist the religious authorities to arrest Jesus by night. They promised him 30 pieces of silver in payment - and yes, he did collect it. At the Last Supper, Jesus knew who was planning to betray him in that way and lovingly treated him with spec...

There's a tradition in some places in Poland to throw a figure of Judas Iscariot from the top of a church steeple and then to throw sticks and stones at it while dragging it through the streets. What is left is drowned in a pond or stream. In other places, on this Wednesday of Holy Week, an effigy of Judas is burned or hanged. How do such traditions start and continue? Is it because there's something in all of us that wants a scapegoat, someone to blame for the evil of which we are all capable? Someone to take responsibility for getting things wrong, as any of us can, even from the best of intentions. We want to say 'it is him', 'it is her', 'it is them'. We are reluctant to search our hearts and ask, 'is it I?'  It is at the Last Supper that Jesus foretells his betrayal by his friend Judas. Jesus had already washed his feet, along with those of his other disciples. Jesus is sharing a meal with his close companions. He shares bread with ...

Wednesday of Holy Week has a focus on one of Jesus' hand-picked friends and companions, Judas called Iscariot, one of the 12 Apostles. Before his arrest, at Jesus' last supper with friends, Jesus handed to Judas a dipped crust of bread, a sign of special honour. Judas, "...after receiving the piece of bread...immediately went out. And it was night." John 13:30 NRSV   His purpose was to hand Jesus over to the religious authorities. Jesus handed him grace and favour and I am sure looked at him with love. Judas responded with betrayal. Since then, in many languages, the word 'Judas' has become synonymous with 'betrayer'. To be betrayed by an enemy is hard enough. To be betrayed by a friend is particularly painful. "It is not enemies who taunt me -    I could bear that:   It is not adversaries who deal insolently with me -   I could hide from them.   But it is you, my equal, my companion,   my familiar friend,  with whom I kept pl...

Judas agrees to betray Jesus In the gospel accounts of the last days leading up to Jesus' crucifixion there are at least 2 stories of betrayal: Peter's and Judas Iscariot's. Simon Peter betrayed Jesus by denying him 3 times after Jesus' arrest. Today I'm thinking about Judas - whose name has become a bi-word for betrayal.  Judas conspired with the religious authorities to hand Jesus over to them. They were plotting to kill Jesus. Did Judas know that? Or was he deceived into thinking he was protecting Jesus? I would love to know more about what was in Judas' mind - what led him to do what he did. The gospels give us enough hints to build a variety of theories, which I won't discuss here. I wonder if he was an idealist who had come to feel betrayed by Jesus, because Jesus didn't conform to Judas' idea of how the Messiah should be? Judas was one of 'the Twelve' - the inner circle of disciples hand-picked by Jesus. Judas was present at ...