Jesus Betrayed

John 13:21-30

If you brought your bibles turn with me over to the gospel of John chapter 13, the gospel of John chapter 13, and I want us to begin reading verses 21-30 of the gospel of John chapter 13.

Who is someone is someone in history famous for being a betrayer?

John 13:21–30 NASB95

When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me.” The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking. There was reclining on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. So Simon Peter gestured to him, and said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking.” He, leaning back thus on Jesus’ bosom, said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus then answered, “That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.” So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, “Buy the things we have need of for the feast”; or else, that he should give something to the poor. So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night.

We have come to a place in the gospel of John called the upper room discourse. This is an extended teaching of Jesus recorded by John. The public ministry of Jesus is over. He and the disciples are now eating the last supper. On this night Jesus will be arrested, in the morning He will be condemned and crucified.

There are few passages of scripture that are both as tragic and triumphant as this one is. It is tragic when considered from the standpoint of Judas, who he was, what he did, what it meant toward the Lord Jesus, it was tragic.

This passage is triumphant when considered from the standpoint of our Savior. How He dealt with Judas until the very end, and what He was teaching the disciples at the same time.

It is important we understand that God’s plan was being worked out through all of this. God’s was at work saving sinners even while a sinner was at work betraying God.

There are three clear movements in this section. In verses 21-22, you have the Announcement of the Betrayer. “Truly truly, I say one of you will betray Me.”

In vs. 23-26, you have the identity of the betrayer, Christ identifies Judas. And in Vs. 27-30 you have the The Betrayal set in motion.

This is the beginning of the end of Jesus’ life on earth. What Judas does will lead to His arrest, the mock trials, His crucifixion, and praise God, the resurrection, and ascension of Christ.

The first thing I want to show you in this passage is the Announcement of the Betrayer Vs. 21-22, “When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me.” The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking.”

Jesus has just taught the disciples what it means to be a servant by washing their feet. He taught them, this is what their ministry should be. A ministry of love and service. He pronounced a blessing on the one who not only knows these things but the one who does them.

But He has to make a distinction and He points out in Vs. 18 that He is not speaking of all of them. Because not all of them are capable of this love and obedience, because there is a devil among them.

Notice Vs. 18 He says, “I’m not speaking of all of you, I know whom I have chosen.” He knew all of the twelve, but He knew only eleven were genuine and one wasn’t.

And with that statement He opens the door for this announcement. Vs. 21, ““Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me.”

The words, “Truly truly”, mean I want you to pay attention. This is important you need to listen to what I say, “One of you will betray me..” He doesn’t want them to miss this, because He is preparing them for what is about to happen.

And notice it was troubling to Christ. Vs. 21, “When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit., and testified.”

Why do you think Jesus was troubled?

What we see here is the disappointment He felt in this moment. He felt the pain of disloyalty. In a moment when He was facing the world He created coming against Him, one who was closest to Him betrays Him.

I think it is safe to say, Jesus was troubled for Judas. Jesus doesn’t take pleasure in any man being lost, it’s not His will that any should perish, and I believe what we see in this scene is Judas being given a last chance to choose a different path.

Notice Jesus exposes Judas but He does it quietly., because Judas is given a chance to repent and turn from the evil in his heart.

This bothered Jesus, He was burdened by it. The word “troubled” means to be agitated, He is agitated in His mind and His spirit.

This teaches us of the humanity of Jesus. Sometimes when we think of Christ we only think of His deity and we forget He was genuinely human. We forget He lived and felt the same way we feel today.

How did the disciples respond to what Jesus said?

The disciples became troubled as well. They became nervous and self-conscious over who the betrayer may be.

Look at Vs. 22 “The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss (doubting) to know of which one He was speaking.”

They had no idea there was a deserter among them and they began to look at one another in suspicion.

Two things stand out to me here.

1.Judas was a counterfeit disciple, an incredible deceiver. In public he acted perfect, moral, upright and decent. No one ever suspected him- at all. It was what Judas did in private that sealed his fate. He was a master manipulator behind the scenes.

2. The compassion of Christ. He doesn’t expose Judas by name. Jesus makes him aware that He knows his plan, and He is hoping this will cause him to fear the Lord and change his path but it doesn’t.

I think there is an important lesson for us in this story. None of the disciples were aware of Judas plot. He spent three and a half years with them. He saw everything they saw. He was there for the miracles Jesus performed yet he was not a true believer. What do we learn from that?

We have all experienced the heartbreak of someone we thought was coming to the Lord. You may have had family members you witnessed too and brought to church.

We have all had people who come to church and serve along side us, and it breaks our heart to see them turn away from the faith and we can’t help but feel like we did something wrong. Maybe if I were a better witness things would be different for those people.

The story of Judas teaches us that when a person betrays Christ it’s because they were never really saved in the first place!! And if Jesus wasn’t able to change the heart of Judas there is nothing we can do to change the heart of someone who rejects Christ.

Judas confession of Christ was never a genuine confession, It was never sincere. It is important we understand that Jesus really drew Judas to Him by His spirit. He revealed Himself to Judas as the Messiah, the very Son of God.

But Judas rebelled and rejected Christ, and was never converted. Therefore, he was an unregenerate person, a person not chosen by God. Not because He was rejected by God but because he rejected His offer of salvation.

This can be difficult and painful for us when the people in our life respond this way to Jesus. We experience a little of the betrayal Jesus felt. But understand that if Jesus was unable to convert Judas there is very little you and I can do for someone who rejects Christ.

The next thing I want you to see is; The Betrayer Identified Vs. 23-26.

“There was reclining on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. So Simon Peter gestured to him, and said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking.” He, leaning back thus on Jesus’ bosom, said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus then answered, “That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.” So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.”

This picture sounds very strange to us, “A disciple reclining on Jesus bosom.” Let me explain what is going on here. All of them are laying at a table, eating the meal on their left elbow. This was their custom, and what this is saying is, John was the one lying in front of Jesus with his head at Jesus chest level. Notice in Vs. 25 John leaned his head back to ask Jesus the question.

Looking at Vs. 23-24, What did Peter do?

Peter prompts John, who out of humility speaks of himself in the third person. He is the disciple whom Jesus loved. And Peter wants him to find out who Jesus is talking about.

How did Jesus answer John in Vs. 26?

What we see here is the compassion of Christ. He is still trying to reach Judas. He doesn’t name Judas as the betrayer, at least not out loud. Why? Because He doesn’t want the other disciples to know. He is still giving Judas a chance to repent.

Think about this scene

Jesus must of made sure Judas was sitting near His side because He is close enough to dip the bread and hand it to him quietly. Jesus wanted him close so he would be in a position to change his mind. This is something God does in the life of a sinner He is drawing to Him. He puts them in a position to hear and consider the seriousness of their sin in the hope they will turn from it, repent, and be converted.

Notice Jesus was giving special attention to Judas at the meal. By giving him the piece of bread it was a sign of affection and actually turned any suspicion away from Judas. All of this shows us Jesus giving Judas a chance to change directions.

Jesus identified Judas but only to John, and even John couldn’t grasp what was happening.

Remember the disciples had no idea of the seriousness of the situation. They didn’t know Jesus was about to be arrested and crucified. Handing Judas the bread was a sign of affection and took all suspicion away from Judas.

This whole scene is a tragedy. It is a picture of Christ appealing to a man who is about to sell his soul, to turn from his sin and be forgiven.

This is a picture of a last chance being given to a sinner. There would be no more opportunity given to Judas.

Jesus was doing all He could do, trying to appeal to Him, and the choice was his. It was up to Judas to either turn toward Christ or to the world, and we know the choice he made.

What do we learn from this, well we never stop appealing to the lost. We never stop offering compassion and mercy. There are times we want to give up on the ones we love. They continue to reject what we have to say and doesn’t feel like we make any progress with our witness, but notice Jesus doesn’t give up and neither should we. As long as their is breath in their lungs they can call out to Christ and be saved.

The final thing I want you to see is, The Betrayal is set in motion Vs. 27-30.

“After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, “Buy the things we have need of for the feast”; or else, that he should give something to the poor. So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night.”

What happened to Judas when he took the bread?

There is a warning here for everyone who claims to be a follower of Christ. Judas was a disciple. He was man that ate and acted as a close friend, yet he became possessed by evil. Satan entered into him.

As Judas sat there, listening to the appeal of Christ, he hardened his heart and he choose the opposite of what Jesus had to offer.

He made the decision to give himself over to the work of Satan, and act on his sin. to go along an do what he had planned in his heart. I think the warning from Christ is clear to us; to act on our sin and do what we know Christ would not want us to do is of the devil.

Notice Jesus commands Judas to go. Go do what you are going to do!!

That teaches us once a person has made the decision to reject Christ, Jesus is done playing around with them. He wants the fake believer removed from His presence.

Also, notice the deception of the disciples. It wasn’t just Jesus betrayed!! Judas has hid his sin so well the other disciples don’t even know what is going on.

This teaches us the seriousness of having hidden sin in our life!! It is building your life on a false foundation. It is setting yourself up for failure.

That is why it is so important we confess our sin that we cry our in sincerity to be saved and forgiven.

This passage should serve as a warning to us not to build our relationship with God, or one another on deception, but on truth, humility, and sincerity of heart.

Notice the final phrase in Vs. 30 “So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night.”

There are two final things I want you to see about the betrayer.

He was separated “immediately.” That word “immediately” means it was final and over.

He went out “and it was night.” That is an important phrase because it tells us that Judas was no longer walking in the light of Christ. He was walking in darkness, he was walking in the evil of his own choice.

John 3:19–21 ““This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. “But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.””

Conclusion

This passage challenges us to evaluate ourselves because we cannot rely on our position or association with Christ to save us. We must know Him intimately and love Him deeply turning away from our sin, in repentance and faith.

Judas knew Christ but he was never saved, that tells us we need a real relationship with Jesus, one that does not betray.

From Judas standpoint his life was a tragedy because he had it all given to him yet he chose to throw it all away.

How would you feel if you were betrayed by a friend you trusted?

How as Christians do we betray Jesus today?

What can we do to live a life of faith that doesn't betray the trust of Jesus? We can go to war against the enemy of our soul. We can fight to overcome the sin in our life. We can take seriously our commitment to God. We can guard our heart and devote every aspect of life to the Lord.