I was doing the dishes the other night. Nancy will usually make supper and I will usually clean up after we've eaten. It's taken a number of years for me to be trained to help out like that. Actually, I have helped out a lot, but secretly never really enjoyed it (don't tell!). Now, I take a bit of pride in making sure I leave it nice and clean for the next day. How's that for vanity?Anyway, one of the things I've discovered in washing dishes is that a person needs to be careful about putting their hands into the water without knowing what is in there. I usually take particular note of the things that are sharp - things that can do harm to my delicate fingers. It has happened - on occasion - when I've cut a finger with a knife, or a sharp edge on a utensil or on the edge of an opened tin can (the worst). I try to pay attention because there is nothing more annoying than slicing a cut into your finger and trying to stop the bleeding.
That happened the other night. I'm not even certain I know what I cut my finger on, but there is the paper cut as proof (and here's a hint that doesn't cost you anything - if you are trying to keep your hands clean by using hand sanitizer, stay away from the area where you have a paper cut - man, does that sting!).Today's devotion talks about a dynamic in the passion narrative that cuts like a knife: the betrayal of Judas. Judas' actions against Jesus slices though the community that Jesus had invited to walk together. He gave Jesus up. Rather than try and speculate on his rationale (ultimately, who can really know?), I'd rather focus on the interesting piece of the story that we sometimes miss: Did someone have to give up Jesus and betray Him in order for Jesus to go to the cross for the sins of humankind? Could there have been another way? The short answer to that is perhaps there might have been another way, but ultimately, someone needed to do it. Judas fulfilled that role by selling the knowledge of Jesus' whereabouts for thirty pieces of silver.
John's report of this interchange that Jesus had with Judas is more interesting than Matthew and Mark. Read all three of them here to see the difference. All three name Judas as the one who makes plans to betray Jesus, but only John's Gospel tells us that it was Judas who made a big deal over the use of oil to anoint Jesus. Here is what was reported:
4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.John's Gospel alone gives us Judas' motive: he was greedy. He was the keeper of the money bag and used to skim off the fund for himself. It does seem obvious that he was concerned for spending money on wasting oil when it could have been used for food for the poor. yet, there is no indication that Judas was all that concerned for the poor. Had he been, why not turn the thirty pieces of silver over to the poor people? No doubt they could have used it. Instead he threw it away. Greed turned to betrayal turned to remorse turned to despair.
I don't believe Judas had a choice. He was doomed. He betrayed Jesus - yes, it needed to be done bu someone and that someone was Judas. It really doesn't matter that much because Jesus glorified God and gave us the best gift ever - eternal life.
That is the gift that cuts through death like a knife!
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