Seeds for 02/12/2024 - Matthew 26:47-50
Scripture: While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”
Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested Him.
Observation: There are two juxtapositions here, one bitter and one sweet.
The bitter one is of course the kiss of greeting from Judas to Jesus.
A kiss on the cheek was a gesture of welcome and hospitality. Judas makes it into a mark for execution. It was a greeting shared between friends signifying intimacy and trust. Judas’ use of the kiss of greeting distances him from Jesus relationally, and has the ripple effect of initiating the relational distance that Jesus predicted on the part of all the disciples. His arrest creates an untenable situation as the disciples want to remain faithful but fear too much for their lives to follow through. Hence, Judas’ betrayal is the first domino that tips to initiate a chain reaction resulting in their abandonment of Jesus.
The bitter juxtaposition arrests our attention. The sweet juxtaposition slips in subtly at the end.
Jesus says, “Do what you came for, friend.” Who is Jesus addressing? There seem to be two possibilities: Judas or one of the soldiers sent to arrest Him. On the one hand, Judas has already given Jesus away, positively identifying Him for the guards with the prearranged sign. So maybe Jesus has turned His attention to the man stepping forward to arrest Him. On the other hand, Jesus says “friend”—singular, and the second half of the verse narrates “men”—plural—stepping forward to apprehend Him.
Either way, Jesus extends friendship to the very ones whose actions lead to His suffering and death. Truly, He is a “friend of sinners.” The connection is right before our eyes, isn’t it? Jesus’ suffering and death are the means by which He will reconcile us to God the Father, turning rejection of relationship into restoration of relationship. Here in the midst of His betrayal, Jesus is making the first move, showing that God’s grace is greater than our sin.
Paul says it this way: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Application:
What else might the Holy Spirit be speaking with you about in the text today?
Prayer: Lord, how deep is your love and how wide is your grace, that you would befriend those contributing directly to your arrest, suffering, and death. Allow me to see myself there, that I may know your deep love and wide grace for me. Amen.
“But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” (Matthew 13:23)
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