Judas’ Last Chance

John 13:18-30

John 13 is a beautiful and uplifting portion of scripture. It is a chapter overflowing with Christ’s love and His glory. The setting is the upper room where Jesus celebrates His last Passover with His disciples. John begins this chapter with a statement of Jesus’ love for His own (John 13:1b), “having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” Then Jesus demonstrates His love through humble service as He washes the dirty feet of the disciples. Later in the chapter Jesus will command His disciples to (John 13:34), “love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”

The story reveals the glory of Christ as well. John reminds us of His glory writing (John 13:3), “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God.” Later in the chapter Jesus says (John 13:31-32), “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately.” It’s a marvelous chapter displaying the love of Christ and the glory of Christ.

However, intertwined through the heart of this text is the ugly story of Judas Iscariot and how he allowed himself to be taken captive by the devil to betray the Lord of glory who loved him. Judas’ betrayal is like the black velvet against which the diamond of Christ’s love and glory shines all the brighter.

The context of our story is very important. I would, therefore, like to read the entire chapter of John 13. As I do, listen for how John reveals the brightness of the love and glory of Christ against the dark sin and betrayal of Judas.

1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. 2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” 8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”

12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’19 Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. 20 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”

21 When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” 22 Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. 23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. 25 Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. 29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.

31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. 33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.” 37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” 38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.

So within this setting of divine love and glory is a story of sin and betrayal. It pains us to watch someone who loved another so deeply, so completely, have His love spurned and to be handed over to vicious enemies who didn’t just want to take Him captive, but were so hateful they had determined to mock Him, to brutalize Him and kill Him as the worst of all criminals. It is almost unimaginable that someone who had for years walked with Jesus, the embodiment of divine love and glory, would reject and betray Him.

1. Context of Judas’ betrayal (John 13:1-17)

John immediately let’s us know in chapter 13 what is going to happen on that significant evening (John 13:2), “And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s [son], to betray Him.”

Judas had allowed the devil an entrance into his heart. He became blinded by the deceitfulness of sin. Now lest we begin to think we are so much better than Judas let me remind you that the Bible teaches that all of us are born into this world as sinners; spiritually blind, dead in the sin of our father Adam. Only the work of the Holy Spirit can open our blind eyes so we can see the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Surely, Judas saw something of the glory of God while in the presence of Christ. Think of what Judas had witnessed in his three years of close association with Jesus! He had heard Jesus’ teaching, both in public and in private. He had witnessed most of Jesus’ miracles. He had seen Jesus’ grace and love toward the ungrateful and unlovely. He had never seen any hint of sin in Jesus, whether in public or in private. He lived with the Light of the World. But, instead of welcoming that light, he allowed Satan to deceive him and blind him further. How did that happen? In Judas’ case it most certainly came through the deceitfulness of riches and greed.

Remember back in chapter 12, at the banquet in Bethany that was held in honor of Jesus when He raised Lazarus from the dead, Mary expressed her love and appreciation by taking her most prized and valuable possession and anointed Jesus in an act of faith and worship. Judas Iscariot observed this action and his response gave us an insight into his character.

(John 12:4-6) 4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s [son], who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

When did Judas became a thief? We might say he was always a thief because, like all of us, he was born a sinner. But at some point Judas gave himself over to that sinful nature. Scripture repeatedly declares that I am responsible for my sin, even for the sin I inherited from Adam, and that I must repent of it. We are sinners by nature and by choice. That choice to give in to greed certainly opened the door for Satan to further tempt and deceive Judas.

Luke records how Judas agreed to betray Jesus for money:

(Luke 22:1-6) 1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people. 3 Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. 4 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.

Judas had put out the welcome mat for Satan by giving in to the sin of greed and hardening his heart to the glory and love of Christ. Judas was not an unwitting or unwilling accomplice of Satan. He is responsible for his own sin that lead to opening his heart to the devil. Satan appears to enter Judas more than once as Judas fulfills his dastardly deed of betrayal.

The devil was able to do this because Judas was not a true believer. When washing the disciples’ feet in John 13, Jesus makes it clear that Judas had refused to be spiritually washed by Jesus. Jesus answered Peter saying (John 13:10), “He who is bathed needs only to wash [his] feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” Then John comments in verse 11, “For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”” Back in chapter 6 Jesus reveals that He knows one of the twelve is not a believer. He said (John 6:64), “But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.” Again in John 6 Jesus spoke about Judas Iscariot saying, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?”

Judas had never truly believed in Jesus and so he betrayed Him.

2. Prophecy of the betrayal (John 13:18-20)

After Jesus finished washing the disciples’ feet and exhorting them to follow His example, Jesus again spoke about Judas:

(John 13:18-20) 18 “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’ 19 “Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am [He]. 20 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”

Jesus knew that they wouldn’t understand what is going on at the moment, but wanted them to have this in their memory banks so when they review all that had happened they would see how it all fulfilled the Scriptures. God is sovereign over all that happened that night. But God’s sovereignty does not take away man’s responsibility for his sin.

3. Indicating the betrayer (John 13:21-29)

Think about how it felt that night as one of the eleven. You are reclining at the table with Jesus. As He begins to speak; you can see the pain on His face like what you saw when Jesus wept at the tomb of His friend Lazarus. John 13:21 tells us, “When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.””

I’ve tried to imagine what was going on in the minds of the disciples as they looked around at each other. John 13:22 says, “Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke.” They are each looking at the others wondering, “Could it be you?” But, what they ponder after they have made the rounds is, “Could it be me?” Matthew 26:22 records that, “…they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, “Lord, is it I?”” It had to have been a heart-searching moment. “Lord, am I capable of betraying You?”

One thing that becomes very obvious from this group assessment of each other is that Judas has done a very good job of disguising his unbelief, of keeping his heart of betrayal hidden from view. This uncertainty prompts Peter to want to know more:

(John 13:23-24), 23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. 25 Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?”

It seems that John is sitting right next to Jesus, closer than Peter, so he gestures to John to as Jesus who He is talking about. I’m sure Peter wanted his name so that he could prevent this betrayer from harming his Lord. If he knew who it was, likely Peter would have shouted something like, “It’s Judas! Grab him, boys!” But Jesus does not give his name. Instead,

(John 13:26) 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped [it].” And having dipped the bread, He gave [it] to Judas Iscariot, [the son] of Simon.

In first century Middle Eastern culture, if you were to take a piece of bread and dip it in your food and give it to another person, that was a pledge of loyalty and friendship. Jesus is showing Judas grace. It is like Jesus is extending the gospel to Judas one more time.

But rather than seeing this piece of bread as an offer of grace, Judas sees it as a confirmation of his evil plan. Once again Judas closes the door of divine love and grace to open the door to the evil of Satan (John 13:27), “Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.””

So Jesus sends Judas to the betrayal. And again, the disciples are confused, (John 13:28-29), “But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. 29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy [those things] we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor.” Judas had hidden well his deceitfulness from all but Jesus, who knew his heart.

4. Consequence of the betrayal (John 13:30)

Finally Judas (John 13:30), “Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.” Judas abandoned the light and gave himself over to complete darkness. It was night forever for Judas. He would never see another sunrise, and has never seen light since. He is in outer darkness forever. Eternal night fell on Judas.

You may be consoling yourself that you did not betray Jesus, as Judas did. But listen, if you have not received Him as God’s only cure for your sins, then you have rejected Him. According to the Bible, you are lost and living in darkness. As our Lord urged Judas to repent and believe, He is urging you to do the same.

John records this dark story for us not so that we could blame Judas, but so that we would examine our own hearts. Apart from God’s grace we are all like Judas. Judas shows us:

The hideous nature of sin. It is forsaking the glory of God betraying the love of God.
Hypocrites can fool other people, but cannot fool God. He knows your heart.
The bitter end of those who reject Christ.
There is a point of no return, a point in time after which it is forever too late to repent and be saved. No man knows that time, but it is a deadline you do not want to ignore. That is why the scripture says (2 Cor. 6:2), “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

How does God keep us from falling into the trap of the devil like Judas did? Although all the disciples would forsake Jesus and even deny Him, only Judas betrayed Jesus and was lost forever.

How does God keep believers from ending up like Judas? First, Jesus has given us His word to remind us of Himself, His purpose and His gospel (John 13:19), “Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He.” The word of Christ is a powerful resource for us to resist the temptations of sin. Spend much time in the word of God.

Second, Jesus has given us His example of being a servant and a messenger that we are to practice with one another (John 13:14), “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” Can you imagine the difference it would make in your life and in our church if we washed each other’s feet like we identied last week? –Forgiving one another, cleansing each other with the word of God, refreshing one another with humble service?

Third, Jesus rose from the dead and gave His Holy Spirit who enables us to understand these things, (John 13:7), “Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.””

Fourth, Jesus has placed us in a loving family of believers (John 13:35) “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jesus has placed us within a body. He calls it church. We are brothers and sisters who, we will learn next week, are to love each other just as Jesus has loved us.

Jesus gives one last chance to Judas. He gives you another chance today. Will you come to the light of Jesus? Or will you walk out into the darkness?