But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. (Luke 22:21)

The Betrayal

Twelve men had been chosen to become the apostles of Jesus. They had spent many hours over the previous few years learning from the Son of God, seeing His miracles firsthand, and receiving the power to perform miracles themselves. These twelve men were chosen to carry the message of Christ to the whole world. Peter, James, and John enjoyed a closer relationship with Jesus as they were often chosen for more personal experiences with Jesus. Thomas was a deep thinker who understood more of what Jesus was saying than the others. Judas was the apostle everyone trusted, given the responsibility of watching over the money bag. Twelve men chosen personally by Jesus.

Judas was a good man. He was a disciple of Jesus and one who loved the Lord very much. Jesus knew that one of His apostles would be targeted by Satan to bring about His death. Peter was a likely target as the devil sought to sift him like wheat. It was Judas who made the fatal decision to gain some pocket change for information that the chief priests, scribes, and elders wanted so they could have Jesus killed. Jesus and the twelve were staying in Bethany as they waited for the Passover feast to begin. While staying in the house of Simon the leper, a woman anointed Jesus with very costly fragrant oil. The twelve were indignant at the perceived waste and sharply criticized the woman. Judas openly criticized her because he was a thief who had been stealing money from the purse.

Shortly after the woman anointed Jesus with the costly oil, Judas went to the chief priests and agreed to betray Jesus to them for a sum of money. They counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. For the next few days, Judas sought an opportunity to inform the chief priests of Jesus’ whereabouts. His opportunity came on Thursday night, when Jesus celebrated the Passover with the twelve in an upper room in Jerusalem. No one knew where the prepared room was until the final moments. Only Peter and John would know where the upper room was prepared. All the preparations were made, and the thirteen men gathered in the room for one of the most solemn feasts of the year.

The Passover meal commemorated the final feast of the Hebrews before God delivered them from bondage. It was a deeply moving gathering as the disciples sang psalms, read from the scriptures, and reflected upon the grace of God. Two disciples sat close by Jesus. John was nearest, but Judas was within arm’s length of Jesus. By the time of Passover, Judas had already agreed to betray Jesus to the Jewish leaders, and the thirty pieces of silver were in his pocket. Jesus knew what Judas would do that night, and He was troubled in His spirit. Before revealing the betrayer among them, Jesus takes some water and a towel, and washes the feet of the twelve men – including the feet of Judas.

After washing their feet, Jesus tells the twelve that one of them will betray Him. Jesus shocks the apostles by saying the betrayer is the one whose hand is on the table with Him. Judas knew Jesus was speaking of him and what he had done. The eleven discussed among themselves who would do such a thing to betray Jesus, unaware that the betrayer was Judas. Jesus tells the eleven that the betrayer is the one who will dip his hand into the dish with Jesus. John asked Jesus who the betrayer was. Jesus told John that it was the one He would give a piece of bread to when He had dipped it. Taking a piece of bread, Jesus dipped it and gave it to Judas, telling him to go and do what he must do quickly. Judas leaves the upper room to carry out his terrible deed, thirty pieces of silver rattling in his purse. Jesus will die in less than 24 hours. Judas will kill himself, remorseful for what he had done to Jesus.