The Night Judas Made Jesus Sad!

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal - John 13

18 “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’ 19 “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. 20 Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.” 21 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.

We don't often talk very much about Judas' betrayal. Jesus had just washed the disciples' feet as an example for them and to show them how much he loved them.  Then he tells them that one of them will turn aganist him and betray him.  What I noticed for the first time, or maybe I missed it, is when the text says Jesus was, "troubled in spirit".  We often get the sense that Jesus knew who was going to betray him and quickly dismissed Judas to go and get it done quickly.  While Jesus does that, first he was sad and troubled.  It shows me that Jesus loved Judas.  It still hurt Jesus that a friend would betray him.  

When the disciples asked Jesus who it was, he dipped the bread into the wine and gave it to Judas.  When Judas took the bread, Satan entered him.  He now was a man possessed.  He was under the control of Satan.   Then, Jesus says, "What you are going to do, do it quickly."  And later that night Judas did betray him for 30 pieces of silver.  After Judas had taken the bread he went out.  And it ominously says, "it was night".  It was the night Jesus was betrayed. It was the night Judas went over to the dark side.  It was a night even the disciples would betray Jesus.    

Things would get even darker for Jesus on Friday, when darkness covered the whole land.  If it made Jesus sad when his friend betrayed him with a kiss, I wonder how he feels when I betray him.  Though I might not betray him in the way Judas did, I know I still do it. But I have never thought it would make him "troubled in spirit".  It bothers Jesus when I betray him, for selfish reasons or pride.  When we betray Jesus we go out into the night.  Fortunately Jesus died for all of our sin, including betrayal.  We don't have to hide out at night in our sin, but we can bring it into the light, the light of Christ.  Don't hide in the darkness come back to the Light!