Commentary from Papa JoeMac:
#17 - Betrayal - Matthew 26: 17-45, John 16: 19 – 32, John 17:1 - 23“Joe, you need to come home.” With that simple statement, my life was changed. I was at work when the phone rang and my father-in-law told me he had caught my wife with my best friend. I hung up the phone – dazed. My mind was racing with thoughts of my children – ages 1.5 and 3 years. Where were they when this betrayal occurred? I thought about my wife. How could she do this? I thought about the guy she was committing adultery with – one of my best friends – how could he have betrayed me? The 20 minute drive home was the longest drive of my life. By the time I arrived at my home, I was a total emotional wreck.
I was angry. Thoughts of revenge against my wife and friend surfaced. My heart was ripped out by its roots. I was so hurt that I could not cry. All I could do was moan. I trusted God. I was one of His children. I was a Christian. I prayed. I read His Word. I worked hard for my family. I felt betrayed by my wife, my friend – and God. God has brought me a long way since that night 36 years ago. He healed my heart. He helped me raise my two children (I got full custody at the divorce). He was with me all along and it was I, not Him, who ‘shunned’ the Creator of the Universe because I blamed Him. He remained faithful to me. It was I who was not faithful to Him during my ‘dark period’.
What are historical betrayals? Caesar’s betrayal? Watergate? Hitler? Samson? Enron? King David’s betrayal of Uriah? Have you been betrayed? How did you react? Have you been healed?
My heart breaks when I think of the betrayal of Jesus and His words – “By the time the cock crows, you will have denied 3 times that you even know Me.” The very men that Jesus had taken into His inner circle had made bold statements that they would die for Him! Less than 12 hours later, they all fled. Are we any different? When faced with persecution, opportunity, tough times, etc. do we become the betrayer? Jesus knew what had to happen for Him to be glorified but in His human form, Jesus felt every degree of pain and anguish that would result from His being betrayed. How much greater was the betrayal of Jesus than any other historical event we can think of! Jesus was facing events that we cannot fathom – He would be crucified; He would be separated from God the Father; and He would take on the sins of the world. In addition to all these things, He would be betrayed by His disciples! Judas was the ‘betrayer’ – but I believe what hurt Jesus the most was the betrayal by Peter. The brave and bold Peter – when asked by people if he was with Jesus – denied 3 times that he even knew Jesus! By the time the rooster crowed welcoming the morning, Peter had betrayed the Lord 3 times.
I cannot imagine the pain and suffering that Jesus went through for me – for you. I cannot imagine the pain and suffering Peter went through after having denied Jesus. When Jesus was led from one leader to another during His ‘trial’, He came into a courtyard, and there, not 20 feet away, was Peter. I cannot imagine the pain that both Jesus and Peter felt when their eyes met that night. Jesus – hurt because He had been denied by His friend. Peter – hurt because he fully understood that his talk of dying for Jesus had been cheap boasting. The air must have been heavier that night than any other in history. The birds must have stopped singing. The crickets must have stopped chirping. I can imagine the deafening silence that night as Jesus and Peter made eye contact.
Has something like this happened to you? Have you been in the house, in a shop, in a restaurant, and overheard one of your friends betray you with gossip? Has your spouse betrayed a wedding vow? Have you betrayed someone by not following through on a promise? When we are betrayed, have we forgiven those who betrayed us? When we have betrayed, have we asked forgiveness from those we betrayed? How do we handle these issues? How did Jesus handle this issue?
Jesus prayed for those who betrayed Him. What do we do? Do we seek revenge against those who betray us? The entire 17th chapter of the book of John is Jesus’ prayer. He prayed for all who would follow Him. He prayed for you, me, and others that we know. He prayed that we would be protected against the evil one. Have you accepted that protection? Have you tried to take things into your own hands when betrayed by others? Have you let bitterness rule your life because you were betrayed? “By the time the rooster crows you will have denied 3 times that you even know Me.” Is Jesus speaking those words to you? Have you felt the heart tugs from God but denied Him? Have you denied His existence? Have you denied the living Christ in favor of some dead ‘prophet’? Jesus prayed for you. I encourage you to read and meditate on John 17 and let the Holy Spirit minister to you. “By the time” you finished that chapter, your life could be changed forever!
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