Revealing the Traitor - John 13:18-30

Judas isn’t the guy we spend a lot of time talking about in church. There’s a reason why no parent, Christian or non-Christian alike ever names their child Judas. The primary reason is because his life represents such darkness. How can a man that spent years following Jesus Christ around betray him?

It doesn’t make a lot of sense to us does it? His actions certainly speak to the coldness, the deadness, the darkness of his heart. He betrayed him with a kiss and thirty pieces of silver.

How could someone do that? To turn your back on the man who you watched teach and perform miracles upon miracles.

The passage should serve as a stern warning to all of us, because the reality is, you can talk about Jesus, even talk to Jesus, but never really know Jesus.

And we learn three things from this passage: first, there’s an eternal chasm between knowing about Jesus and truly knowing Jesus (vv. 18-22). Secondly, we see the reality of spiritual warfare (vv. 23-27). And lastly, we see an opportunity squandered (28-30).

And of course, Jesus understood who Judas was and what he was going to do. He knew what was going to happen. He knew that this was phase one of operation redemption.

Which honestly, makes it all the more amazing that Jesus washed the disciples feet before diving into his upper room discourse.

He even washed Judas’ feet right before outing him as the traitor! It’s shocking, but it demonstrates the humility of Christ. Again, he was willing to wash even the feet of the man that was going to turn him over to those that were going to kill him.

Which again, makes his words in verse 14 all the more powerful: “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.”

It speaks to the humility of Christ, but it also reveals the evil in Judas’ heart. Not even the Son of God washing his feet, demonstrating incredible humility towards him personally could soften his heart.

Which helps us understand why Jesus pivoted from talking about serving one another to talking about the man that was going to betray him.

He says in verse 17, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” Because, of course, Judas probably understood what Jesus was saying, but he had no intention in doing them.

Eternal difference between knowing about Jesus and truly knowing him (vv. 18-22).

Judas certainly knew Jesus. He knew his family, he knew how he took his coffee, what his favorite brand of sandals were, that he thought sherbert was an abomination to ice cream, how could he not? That’s the sort of stuff you learn after being around someone for three years.

Jesus initiates everything when he says in verse 18: “I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’” Which explains the symbolic gesture in verse 26. Jesus actually hands Judas a morsel of bread.

Again, consider the setting. Jesus had just washed their feet, they’re sitting together to eat, it was a time of great fellowship and then Jesus said, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’” He’s quoting from Psalm 41:9, which is a Psalm of David.

And David said, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me,’ because when his son Absolam attempted to usurp the throne, one of David’s top political advisors Ahithophel had defected to Absolam. He was going to be an advisor to Absolam rather than David.

That’s why David said, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me,’ which is another way of simply saying, someone that I shared meals with, someone that I thought was my friend, has turned against me. In the same manner that a horse will suddenly kick and strike someone, so has Ahithophel suddenly struck me.

Doesn't that mirror what Jesus is experiencing? Just as David was betrayed by Ahithophel, Jesus was betrayed by Judas, one of his closest allies, a disciple! On top of that, Judas was a man who witnessed miracles, and followed him even when others had abandoned Jesus, Judas stuck around and is now going to betray him.

But Jesus even in the midst of this great pain remained in complete and total control. Look at what he says in verses 19-20, “I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

I am very subtly telling you that someone is going to betray me now, in order to confirm to you that “I am he.” We know those little words because they’ve appeared so frequently in the gospel of John. Our English Bibles supply the word, “he.” But he’s really saying, “I am.”

In other words, Jesus is telling them that everything he’s revealing to them will prove to them that he is “Yahweh.” That he is the Son of God, the Savior of sinners, the one who is going to redeem the world. And if you receive Jesus, then you receive God himself.

But again, everything he was saying in verses 18-20 was veiled. It wasn’t crystal clear. He was quoting Scripture and saying all of that because he was hinting at the fact that someone would betray him, but he hadn’t revealed who it was.

But he makes it crystal clear in verses 21-22. “After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke.”

Imagine the shock! One of the men who were supposed to be his most loyal, devout followers, was going to betray him. John even records that the disciples paused and looked around the room at one another. The gospel of Matthew tells us that the disciples went around the room asking, Is it I, Lord?

But notice something that’s rather interesting about this passage: Jesus doesn’t immediately out Judas as the betrayer. Jesus didn’t drop that bomb and immediately say, “it’s Judas!” He gives the other disciples a moment to self-reflect.

He says one of you will betray me and then just lets it sit. He’s going to leave it there for a moment. Because the reality is, we all have the potential not only to sin heinously, but to abandon a faith that we claim to deeply hold. We all know people who were “on fire for the Lord,” and perhaps had incredible evangelistic zeal, and talked about Jesus all the time, until one day it just stopped.

We all know someone we thought was going to be first in line to walk through the pearly gates is the person that walks away from the faith altogether. I’m sure many of you have experienced this firsthand, but that’s what made it so shocking when Joshua Harris became an apostate.

He was the pastor of a megachurch, preached to thousands of people on Sundays and at conferences, wrote books that, for better or worse, had an influence upon a generation, but that guy walked away from the Christian faith that he boldly proclaimed to have.

God forbid, his story becomes yours or mine!

But doesn’t that in a nutshell describe Judas? A man who was so intimate with Jesus eventually turned his back on him. Knowing about Jesus and actually knowing him, trusting him, having your faith in him may seem like a small pedantic nuance but it’s the difference between heaven and hell.

Here’s where things get tremendously scary for those of us here this morning: receiving spiritual privileges doesn't mean that you’re a partaker of spiritual blessing. Sitting under the preaching of the word, attending Bible studies, singing praises to the Lord, they’re all wonderful things aren’t they and I want to encourage all of you to take full advantage of them, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you're a Christian.

Judas would have definitely been tapped to lead a small group and taught Bible studies and after his lessons you would have walked out and said, “wow, that was really good.” For years he pretended to know Jesus, but didn’t really know him.

Secondly, we see the reality of spiritual warfare (vv. 23-27).

It’s rather funny that John records this private exchange between himself and Peter for us. Can’t you just imagine Peter making eye contact with John and trying to subtly motion him to get more information out of Jesus. They really wanted to get to the bottom of exactly who Jesus was referring to! Which of them was actually going to betray him!

John, of course, refers to himself as the one “whom Jesus loved.” And for the record, John isn’t saying that Jesus loved him more than everyone else. I think he’s making more of a theological statement: that Jesus had set his saving love upon him in the same way that all believers are loved.

And so, it’s important that we understand what’s going on here. They’re sitting on small couches at a u-shaped table that would be essentially on the ground. And so they’d be sitting on their hips leaning, and John is leaning towards Jesus.

It should be a shock to no one that Peter is in the background sort of urging John to get more details out of Jesus! So, John asks Jesus directly, “Lord, who is it?”

And so were told in verse 26, Jesus dips the bread and gives it to Judas. Jesus announces his traitor in a very low key manner. He doesn’t stand up and make a grand presentation as to who his betrayer is, rather, it’s a quiet gesture. He quietly hands a morsel of bread to him.

But it’s what we’re told in verse 27, that’s shocking: “Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”

John tells us that Satan entered Judas at that point. Which in one sense shouldn’t be that shocking because Judas had finally made up his mind that he was going to indeed betray Jesus. He was going to turn him over to the enemies.

And no doubt, betraying Jesus was something that had been bouncing around in Judas’ mind for some time. He didn’t come up with it at that exact moment, he had been mulling it over for a while. He had probably already informed the Pharisees that he was going to do it. And all of this, makes Judas one of the greatest hypocrites of all time.

He followed Jesus, professed faith in him, remained with Jesus even after Jesus had turned other followers away! That happened in John 6. Jesus looked at his disciples and specifically asked, “will you leave too?” And Peter famously said, “Lord, to whom shall we go?”

That was Judas’ golden opportunity! He could have said at that exact moment, “you know Jesus I’m not into this, I’m out too.” But he didn’t do that. He stuck around pretending to be a genuine disciple of Jesus.

And to make things even worse, Judas knew that Jesus could read people’s thoughts. Throughout the gospel of John alone, Jesus frequently reads the thoughts of those around him.

So, Judas is harboring greed, selfish ambition, and hatred for Jesus in his heart, and knows that Jesus knows. He was harboring, keeping, maintaining, this dark, evil, secret.

And no doubt, Judas’ own sin is well in play. He’s responsible for his own actions, but again, what do we read in verse 27? “Satan entered into him.”

No doubt, the devil had been working on him as well. Because from Satan’s perspective, it makes perfect sense to turn one of Jesus’ closest followers against him.

But what is incredibly important for all of us to remember is that the devil is at work in a real way within our world.

It’s important to note that as the church adopts therapeutic language we simultaneously diminish the reality of spiritual warfare. What does the Apostle Paul say in Ephesians 6?

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

And look, I’m not the type of person to look for Satan under every rock, but to dismiss Satan’s work in the world is naive. To out of hand reject demonic forces, the devil himself, and spiritual warfare is to deny the plain testimony of Scripture.

Evil is out there. Demonic forces are real. And Satan is still prowling around like a lion looking to kill, steal, and destroy.

You want to know how the devil “entered into” Judas? He rejected Christ and became hostile toward the gospel message.

This is purely anecdotal, but we live in a world that constantly promotes secular humanism and denies the very existence of God. So why has there been such a dramatic rise in satanic imagery? I don’t think it’s coincidental.

I think there’s something here: Do you want to know how to increase sin in your life and invite demonic forces, and perhaps the devil himself into your life? Don’t merely deny Christ, actively resist him. Fight against him. Hate him. If you do that, you’re tilling the ground for evil.

But here’s also the flipside of that: Satan’s influence is limited, he is bound by the power of the gospel.

And lastly, we see an opportunity squandered (vv. 28-30).

Turning our attention back to our passage, the exchange between Jesus and Judas isn’t fully understood by the other disciples. Look at verse 28.

“28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.”

The irony is that the disciples thought that Judas was leaving in order to do something good! He’s going to get food or distribute money to the poor! He’s up to something good.

Jesus had very subtly revealed Judas as his betrayer. Everyone is still clueless about what’s going on, or what Jesus is talking about with Judas.

And in a way, I sort of appreciate the disciples' naivety. They didn’t realize that Judas was an evil, thieving, traitor this whole time. They’re assuming the best in Judas.

Because the reality is, Judas had it all. He was involved in the greatest Christian ministry to ever exist. He was right there with Jesus Christ - he had what so many of us wished we had.

But he didn’t value any of it. He didn’t care about Christ. He had no love for Jesus Christ. Jesus was a tool by which Judas pursued selfish ambition and lined his pockets. Judas loved himself. Jesus was a means to an end.

A few years ago, ESPN did a documentary called "The Best That Never Was," and it was about a guy named Marcus Dupree. Supposedly, he was one of the greatest high school football players of all time. Basically, every college football program in the country was recruiting him to play for them. He played at Oklahoma and made an immediate impact his freshman season. And that’s where he peaked. It never really got better than that.

He didn’t take things seriously. He didn’t even manage his own fitness well. Things got so bad that his coach, Barry Switzer called him “lazy.”

Dupree was a physical specimen, had all the physical tools to succeed at both the college and professional level, but never reached his full potential. That’s why ESPN made a documentary about him. He was the epitome of athletic talent that was given everything and squandered it.

And throughout the documentary you’re thinking to yourself, what could have been! He could have been one of the greatest professional football players ever! He had everything, but didn’t take advantage of it.

Is that true for Judas as well? He walked with Jesus! He had the opportunity of a lifetime! And he wasted it. He blew it.

Judas beheld the face of our Lord! How many of us long to be in the physical presence of our Savior? We’re even told we’re more blessed for not seeing yet believing, but to be with Christ! What could possibly be better?

Judas is a constant reminder of wasted opportunity and squandered potential.

Judas even recognized that reality to some degree. It’s why he committed suicide. He was tortured with regret.

Which is something that we all deal with. We’re all haunted by our regrets in life. Who hasn’t woken up in the middle of the night haunted by some grievous sin you committed in your past?

Jesus taught that hell is a place of eternal conscious torment, but I think it’s fair to say it’s also a place full of regret. Because what’s more tortuous than spending eternity reflecting on what you could and should have done for the Lord?

Don’t be like Judas! Don’t waste what you’ve been given. Don’t look back on your life with regret. Strive to reach your full potential for the Lord! Be like Paul and pour yourself out as a drink offering to the Lord.

What could possibly be greater than that?

Isn’t the greatest joy any of us can experience is the joy of living for the Lord? But on the other hand, the greatest regret you can experience is rejecting the Lord - not living for Him. Don’t be someone that looks back on your life regretting how little you did for the Lord. Don’t let that be you! Learn from the example of Judas!

Judas is the ultimate negative example. He’s the epitome of what not to do.

And there’s a lot we can learn from this passage like the difference between knowing about Jesus and truly knowing Jesus, the reality of spiritual warfare, and a squandered opportunity.

But really there’s an even greater lesson that we can all take away from this passage: That is, sinfulness of man, evil, demonic forces, and Satan himself can never thwart the will of God.

This should comfort you, especially when it seems like all you see is sadness, evil, and injustice all around you. When nothing appears to be going right, remember, the Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice! The Lord isn’t a cosmic Prince Harry. He hasn't abdicated his throne. He still sits on it.

Just think about it: When Judas walked out of the upper room to betray Jesus, Satan was doing a happy dance somewhere. Satan certainly thought his plan was in motion, when in fact, it was God’s plan that was in motion.

Because here’s the reality: God’s plan of redemption was and continues to be in motion. As mysterious and confusing as it seems to our feeble minds, God works all things together for our good. Somehow he’s able to take sin, evil, and the work of Satan himself and accomplish his plan of redemption through it.

Because you can trust that God remains in control and he’s going to set everything straight and save his people.

You see, the Christian can experience peace even in the midst of chaos, uncertainty, injustice and evil.

The Lord of heaven and earth sovereignly governs all things that come to pass and he will glorify his name.

Amen. Let’s pray together.