Service February 21, 2021 German Church Atlanta
John 13: 21-30 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.” 22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” 25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.
And it was night. – The Night of Nights begins with a dark scene. Jesus now clearly expresses what he had already indicated several times: Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me. One of them will betray him. One of those who are just so familiar and relaxed with Jesus at dinner. They lie on cushions around the low dining table according to the custom of the time. In the circle of friends. And suddenly this from the mouth of Jesus! What an announcement! Discomfort spreads and uncertainty. Twelve pairs of eyes dodging each other before they meet. Twelve times the unspoken fearful question: Who for God's sake could this be? Who would be trusted with such a thing? And perhaps twelve times the unspoken disturbing answer of each one to himself: Could it be that ... yes, that I am meant? Peter thinks: Surely, it will not be he who is always on Jesus’s side and whom Jesus loves so much, for whatever reason. And Peter gives the disciples who sits next to Jesus a wink to ask quietly. And he does it the same way – in his own way very directly: "Lord, who is it? " And Jesus answers, "It is he to whom I dip the bread and give the bite. Indirect, but unambiguous. And then he gives the bite to Judah. He immediately has a diabolical inspiration. And also receives a divine commission from Jesus: “What you do, do soon!” Nobody at the table really knows what this is all about, and what this means: Should Judas, as treasurer, buy something for the upcoming festival? Or should he donate something for the poor? Does Judas know? He says nothing. Wordlessly, he leaves the room. He leaves Jesus and the disciples. Judas goes out into the night. And Jesus lets him go.
A dark story! This story causes me above all anxiety. And also some questions! Perhaps these questions will help me. Maybe they will take me further. First, the question of Judas: What kind of person is this? Why is he doing this? Is it really the greed for money which is repeatedly said about him? But there is nothing in the Gospel of John that Judas gets money for the betrayal! Is he hoping for a different outcome? The public interest in Jesus was great: there were followers and opponents. Does Judas want to help a little bit and provoke a miracle? Or is he a doubter? Is he changing camp because he is disappointed with Jesus? And no longer feels safe near him? After the bite, Satan went into him. What does that mean? Is Judas no longer master of his senses? Is he no longer responsible for what he is doing? But I also wonder why the other disciples are doing nothing to hold Judas back! Or at least this favorite disciple: Why does he not do anything? Jesus does not slow down Judas either. On the contrary, he urges haste: “what you do, do soon!” Does Judas have to become a traitor so that Jesus can go on his way, the way to the cross? And then hopefully on - the way to glory? Does the role played by Judas have more to do with guilt or more with fate? Ⅱ. My questions remain unanswered. And they mix strangely with the unspoken question of the other disciples: Could it be that ... yes, that Judas also means me? With the dark corners in my heart? Which I don't like to talk about, and which sometimes scare me? Are such dark, inhuman corners not human? As the Jewish poet Masha Kaléko writes: "Even the brother reveals, it's about you or him..." My questions remain
unanswered. But they do something with me. They make me think. Thoughtful also about myself. And they prevent me from condemning Judas completely. In general: I do not believe that it is my Christian task to judge Judas. My Christian task is to love: “Stay in my love! This is my commandment that you love one another as I love you.” Powerful farewell words from Jesus when Judas left. Stay in my love! A kind of summary of what is meant by faith. Faith is not just a pious feeling. Or something like self-assurance. But one question irritates me: Does Jesus have favorites? People he loves more than others? The disciple, who lays on his chest and loved Jesus, has not been mentioned once in the Gospel of John. But then we meet him again under the cross. Jesus entrusts his mother to him and vice versa. This disciple is again mentioned in the Easter story. Together with Peter he walks to the grave and sees that it is empty. Each time it is emphasized that Jesus loved him. But he has no name, he remains anonymous. And in all three other Gospels he is not mentioned at all. It remains a mystery. So, this question also remains unanswered: Does Jesus have favorites? People he loves more than others? And then I have a crazy idea: “Can't it be that I'm meant by it? Can it not be that Jesus loves me especially? That I care about him, even though sometimes I am so similar to Judas with my dark corners?” And have I not already experienced this love when I experienced forgiveness and in moments of hope? What would change if I generally lived with this perspective as being Jesus’s favorite? Doesn't that help me to love myself, like him? This is what unites us with Jesus! Stay in my love! This is my commandment that you love one another as I love you. Powerful farewell words from Jesus when Judas left.
Iii. Oh yes, Judas! What will become of him? Is he so desperate about himself afterwards that only the rope remains for him, as is told in the Gospel of Matthew? The Gospel of John, however, knows nothing of this. What will become of Judas? Is he lost? I am fascinated by the view of Judas, which in the Romanesque basilica of Vézelay [pronounced veßley] in France about 800 years ago an unknown artist carved into a stone pillar: On one side of Judah, he can be seen hanging dead on a tree with his eyes wide open. On the other hand, a shepherd lovingly carrying the dead man– now freed from his rope– on his shoulders. Who could be this shepherd, if not this one who seeks the lost? Who can forgive like the Crucified and Risen One, who does not let anyone hang? And where could he carry Judas, if not home? From the night into the light of life. Amen