Is It I?

²³He answered and said, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. ²⁴The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”
²⁵Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?”  He said to him, “You have said it.” - Matthew 26:23-25

Betrayal is an ugly thing.

Is it I? Am I the one? These are the words we read in both Gospels of Matthew and in Mark 14:18-20. But could it be a question we pose to ourselves?

I began to reflect on the spirit of betrayal that was in the midst of that dinner.

Today is traditionally known in the Christian faith as Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday. It signifies when Jesus ate with His disciples for the Last Supper. As I was reading the passages from Matthew and Mark, I began to reflect on the spirit of betrayal that was in the midst of that dinner. I think the significance of what was happening at that meal is unsettling.

Consider the fact that Jesus knew that He was breaking bread with a traitor. That traitor, Judas, knew he was planning to turn Jesus over to the Pharisees who sought to kill Him.

Judas essentially “left the building” and went his own way, away from God.

If you notice when Jesus tells them that one of them is going to betray Him, eleven of the disciples began to ask Jesus: “Lord is it I?” Judas, however, refers to Jesus as “Rabbi or Teacher is it I”. For Judas, he had already detached himself from Jesus as Lord. Judas essentially “left the building” and went his own way, away from God.

Some of us do the same thing with God in areas of our life. Areas that we don’t want to refer to Him as “Lord” over. I know there are areas in my life that I need to surrender to Him as “Lord”, and not go my own way.

Despite what Jesus knew about Judas and his plan with the Pharisees, who wanted Him to be killed, our Lord, and Savior, still broke bread with an enemy. He still washed Judas’ feet along with His disciples.

Friends, that’s the grace of God.

Is it I? Yes. Is it you? Yes. It’s ALL OF US.

What the Lord did for Judas in cleansing his feet, He does for us today. Jesus will cleanse our hearts if we let Him. And if we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Be Encouraged!
Stephanie