Jesus Is Betrayed Holy Thursday – The

After Jesus washed the feet of the Apostles, they all took their seats at the table. Jesus looked at them lovingly. “I’ve looked forward to sharing this Passover meal with you!” he said. “This is the last time I shall eat it with you in this way.” The Apostles did not understand what Jesus meant by that. As the meal went on, the Apostles began to notice a look of sadness on Jesus’ face. Very sadly, Jesus said, “One of you sitting here is going to betray me.” The Apostles stopped eating and looked at Him in shock and disbelief. Jesus said, “I’m telling you the truth. One of you sharing this family meal will give me away to my enemies.” First, the Apostles looked at one another. Then, they began to whisper to each other and each anxiously asked Jesus, “It’s not me, is it, Lord?” Peter nudged John who was near Jesus. Peter mouthed to John, “Ask him which one of us is it?” So John whispered to Jesus, “Which one is it, Lord?” Quietly, so that one else could hear, Jesus told John, “It is the one I shall give this bread to.” Then, Jesus dipped a piece of bread into the sauce and handed it to Judas Iscariot, as a sign of friendship. Judas took the bread, but refused the love and forgiveness that Jesus was offering him. He got up from the table and walked towards the door. “Be quick about what you are doing,” Jesus told him. Judas was in charge of the money, so the other Apostles just thought Jesus was telling him to take some money to the poor. Only John understood the pain in Jesus’ face and guessed why Judas looked so bitter and angry when he left the room.

[Remember, Judas had left the dinner when Mary perfumed Jesus’ feet and wiped it with her hair. He realized that Jesus didn’t care about wealth. Jesus wasn’t going to fight for his throne or win power and success for him or his followers. Judas had gone to the house of the High Priest to speak to the chief priests and the temple guards. They paid Judas thirty pieces of silver to tell them where they could find Jesus when he was not surrounded by crowds of people. They needed to find Jesus at a time when he was alone, so they could arrest him without a crowd around him.]