THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

John: Believing On The Christ, The Son Of God, For Eternal Life

Part XXXVI: Trusting In Christ For His Extensive Prediction Of His Betrayal By Judas

(John 13:18-30)

I. Introduction

A. Jesus claimed that no man would take His life from Him, but that He Himself would lay it down and take it up again in obedience to the command He had received from God the Father, John 10:17-18.

B. One of the evidences that Jesus gave His life is seen in His John 13:18-30 extensive anticipation of His coming betrayal at the hands of Judas Iscariot, and we view that passage for insight and edification:

II. Trusting In Christ For His Extensive Prediction Of His Betrayal By Judas, John 13:18-30.

A. After directing His disciples in John 13:1-16 to meet the needs of one another in humble ministry through His example of washing their feet, explaining that His disciples would be happy in serving this way (John 13:17), Jesus said that He did not speak of all of them present, for He had chosen one as a disciple to fulfill the Psalm 41:9 prediction that one who ate bread with Him as if he were His friend would turn against Him, John 13:18.

B. In citing this verse, Jesus omitted the phrase, "in whom I trusted," for unlike David who wrote the verse, Jesus knew in advance that Judas would betray Him, so He did not trust him, Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Psa. 41:9. [Significantly, after Ahithophel betrayed David, he went out and hanged himself (2 Sam. 16:20-17:3, 23), and Judas also hanged himself after he betrayed Jesus, Matt. 27:3-5; B. K. C., N. T., p. 320-321.]

C. However, Jesus told His disciples that He was predicting the betrayal before it occurred so that when it occurred, the disciples would know that He was indeed the One sent by the Father, John 13:19; Ibid., p. 321.

D. Applying the theme of the Father's sending Jesus, Christ said that those who received whomever He sent into the world not only received Him, but also the Father Who had initially sent Jesus into the world, John 13:20.

E. Returning to the theme of the imminent betrayal, Jesus became "stirred, disturbed, agitated, troubled" (tarasso, Arndt & Gingrich, A Grk.-Eng. Lex. of the N. T., 1967, p. 812-813) in spirit, and candidly stated that, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me," John 13:21 KJV.

F. This clear prediction of the event shocked the disciples, and they began to look at one another, "uncertain" of whom He spoke, John 13:22 ESV. Simon Peter motioned to John who was leaning back against Jesus at the table to ask Him about whom He was speaking, so John asked, "Lord, who is it?" (John 13:23-25 ESV)

G. To fulfill Psalm 41:9, Jesus replied, "It is the one to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it," John 13:26a ESV (NIV reads "piece of bread"). The demonstrative pronoun "this" does not occur in the Greek text here, but the noun rendered "morsel" (ESV) or "piece" (NIV) (psumion, Ibid., p. 903) has the definite article, translated as "the morsel," the morsel He was about to use (U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966, p. 384), so it is properly rendered in English as "this" morsel or piece (ESV, NIV). Jesus then dipped the morsel and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, and at that moment, Satan entered into Judas, John 13:26b-27a.

H. Jesus then directed Judas, "What you are going to do, do quickly," John 13:27b ESV. This fascinating charge indicates that Judas had possibly planned to betray Jesus at a later time, one that would not fit the Father's timing for Jesus to be put on the cross when He was to be there, so even the timing of Jesus' betrayal was outlined by Christ Himself, showing He was sovereignly overseeing the events leading up to His crucifixion!

I. The other disciples did not understand why Jesus had said this to Judas, and some thought that since Judas was the disciple who held the moneybag, Jesus was simply directing him to perform a typical function like buying something for the Passover feast or making a donation to the poor, John 13:28-29.

J. Nevertheless, after receiving the morsel from Jesus, in fulfillment of Psalm 41:9, Judas immediately went out to betray Jesus, and it was night, John 13:30. John's Gospel at times uses the theme of light symbolically (cf. John 1:4-5), and with Judas' departure into the darkness of the night, he also departed from the Light, going out into the darkness of sin, death and the eventual eternal damnation, Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 321.

Lesson: Jesus clearly predicted that Judas would betray Him and sovereignly directed him to carry out his evil to fit God's timing for Jesus to go to the cross. Jesus thus did not have His life taken from Him, but He gave it.

Application: (1) May we hold that Jesus gave His life on the cross as the true Messiah and Son of God, and so trust in Him for salvation, John 20:31. (2) May we learn from Judas' betrayal to trust that God is sovereign over even great evils performed in great spiritual darkness, fulfilling His perfect will in spite of the sin in men. (3) May we realize that not everyone who looks like a believer (such as Judas) is one, and so relate wisely with all men!