Unfriending his Friend | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Unfriending his Friend | Previous Challenge Entry
By Rebecca Lunn
11/09/17
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Unfriending his friend

“Friend” was the last label Jesus tagged onto Judas that dark spring night. But that label disappeared as soon as Judas led a crowd of guards into the Garden of Gethsemane.

“Greetings, Rabbi!” signaled Judas as he gave Jesus a kiss on the cheek. Judas drew back in surprise. Blood glistened in tiny streaks all over Jesus’ face in the cool moonlight.

Looking Judas squarely in the eye, Jesus replied evenly, “My friend, do what you have come to do.” Regally, Jesus gave permission to execute his betrayal.

Jesus knew from the beginning Judas was a devil, yet he chose to befriend him anyway, along with eleven other prayer-picked men. This motley crew of twelve began as bickering followers. But at the end of three years, Jesus loved his twelve friends so much that he elevated their relationship with him from ‘servants’ to ‘friends.’

Jesus proved to be a friend par excellence in wowing his disciples over and over with his extravagant powers. Anytime they traveled with Jesus up to Jerusalem for religious festivals they would never miss a meal, and there was always money to give to the poor. Judas would know since he held the money bag. Once, in a large remote mountainside, Jesus took seven loaves and a few small fish and gave thanks. Serendipitously, the food was multiplied exponentially to feed not only the grumpy Twelve, but also four thousand men, women, and children who had been hungry for three days. Another time, a sudden freak storm swamped the fishing boat that panicked the seasoned fishermen-disciples. Jesus saved them from death when he stood up and commanded the howling winds and thrashing waves to calm down. The ensuing sudden hush freaked the disciples just as much as their near-death experience did.

But that was then and this is now. This spring festival was different from all the others for Jesus and for Judas: both friends would die tragically within days of each other.

For this Passover evening meal, Jesus was especially eager to spend the sacred time with just his twelve disciples face to face. This time, to make the annual meal extra special for his friends, Jesus decided to wash their feet in a servant’s basin before reclining to enjoy the food. As Jesus took time to tenderly wash and towel dry twelve pairs of calloused feet, Jesus already knew these feet would soon flee away and unfriend him. The Master gave a preemptive call to the group that one particular pair of feet would stay unclean: Judas’ feet.

Whistle-blowers are unpopular but it was important to Jesus to state the obvious.That is, obvious to Jesus and Judas but no one else. It was at the table that Jesus gave Judas time to reconsider his intentions of selling Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. The money was already in the bag, and the kiss was waiting.

Jesus made another solemn move. “Woe to that someone eating at this table waiting to betray me. It would have been better if he had never been born.” These were not flippant words said in jest to keep a light banter around the dinner table. These words were like the grave diagnosis from a family physician hoping against hope that there could be a slim chance of recovery dependent upon the patient’s cooperation. Jesus knew that if Judas changed his mind he could still be saved. Judas proved to be a false friend; he didn’t budge.

Urgent that Judas was being sorely tempted by Satan, Jesus sounded out a clarion call. “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.” Judas was sitting right next to Jesus at the table; Judas was certainly close enough to dip his hand into the bowl. “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Judas queried.

Jesus dipped the small piece of bread into the bowl and gave it to Judas Iscariot. Judas didn’t have to take it; he didn’t have to eat it. But when Judas took the piece of bread lovingly extended to him by an honored friend and ate it, Satan successfully entered into Judas.

“Yes, Judas, you have said so.” Jesus kept his composure throughout the night by singing a hymn with his disciples and heading off to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas, who knew the place, headed in the same direction—not to pray, but to betray.

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