Judas Leaves the Upper Room Into the NightBible World
13:28John 13:28
Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.
This verse belongs to Jesus' final Passover meal with His disciples, when He revealed that Judas would betray Him. In its immediate setting the disciples looked at one another doubting of whom He spoke when He said one of them would betray Him, and even after He dipped the sop and gave it to Judas Iscariot and Satan entered into him and He told him to act quickly, they still did not understand as Judas immediately went out into the night. No one at the table knew for what intent He spoke to Judas or understood that He was telling Judas to go out to betray Him. Jesus alone read Judas's secret purpose to betray Him, while the other disciples could not read his heart or distinguish him from the rest.
Judas himself knew that Jesus had exposed his purpose and was alarmed, yet he did not repent but became more determined to carry out his betrayal. The other disciples were relieved when he left, and Jesus' face brightened as the shadow lifted from them. Jesus' dealings with Judas showed mercy by including him in loving service and giving him a final appeal and opportunity to repent with convincing proof that He knew his thoughts and plans. When Judas rejected it his course was decided and Satan took control of his heart and mind.
Though He knew Judas would betray Him and would leave that table to act his part in betraying Him, Jesus gave him no rebuke and did not expose him, but continued to treat him with goodness, humility and love as through all their association. He washed the feet of Judas first of all, which thrilled his heart with an impulse to confess then and there, and He did not refuse him a place at the table to partake of the sacrament. Judas had let himself become a channel of darkness by bracing his soul against light he knew better, fighting away from Jesus under Satan's claim that He was not the Son of God, giving up hope of temporal preferment and seeking to blot out what he had heard despite deep impressions of the Holy Spirit until he became traitor and betrayer. Yet to the other disciples he did not appear villainous but was numbered among the apostles as a false believer esteemed as a man of great capability with breadth of knowledge whose qualifications would have been valuable if sanctified to God's service.
Because human beings cannot read the secrets of the soul and cannot tell who is worthy and who is not, the presence of one considered unworthy is no reason to defer or refuse the ordinance of feet-washing preceding the Lord's supper, and it is not left to man to say who shall come to it. Judas's experience shows Christ's long patience with perverse human nature and teaches His followers to bear patiently with false brethren rather than hastily reject them. As part of the account of Judas betraying his Master, the verse calls youth and all believers to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, keeping religious influence genuine and faith in Christ as a personal Saviour unwavering, so they will never betray Christ as Judas did.
This verse belongs to Jesus' final Passover meal with His disciples, when He revealed that Judas would betray Him. In its immediate setting the disciples looked at one another doubting of whom He spoke when He said one of them would betray Him, and even after He dipped the sop and gave it to Judas Iscariot and Satan entered into him and He told him to act quickly, they still did not understand as Judas immediately went out into the night. No one at the table knew for what intent He spoke to Judas or understood that He was telling Judas to go out to betray Him. Jesus alone read Judas's secret purpose to betray Him, while the other disciples could not read his heart or distinguish him from the rest.
Judas himself knew that Jesus had exposed his purpose and was alarmed, yet he did not repent but became more determined to carry out his betrayal. The other disciples were relieved when he left, and Jesus' face brightened as the shadow lifted from them. Jesus' dealings with Judas showed mercy by including him in loving service and giving him a final appeal and opportunity to repent with convincing proof that He knew his thoughts and plans. When Judas rejected it his course was decided and Satan took control of his heart and mind.
Though He knew Judas would betray Him and would leave that table to act his part in betraying Him, Jesus gave him no rebuke and did not expose him, but continued to treat him with goodness, humility and love as through all their association. He washed the feet of Judas first of all, which thrilled his heart with an impulse to confess then and there, and He did not refuse him a place at the table to partake of the sacrament. Judas had let himself become a channel of darkness by bracing his soul against light he knew better, fighting away from Jesus under Satan's claim that He was not the Son of God, giving up hope of temporal preferment and seeking to blot out what he had heard despite deep impressions of the Holy Spirit until he became traitor and betrayer. Yet to the other disciples he did not appear villainous but was numbered among the apostles as a false believer esteemed as a man of great capability with breadth of knowledge whose qualifications would have been valuable if sanctified to God's service.
Because human beings cannot read the secrets of the soul and cannot tell who is worthy and who is not, the presence of one considered unworthy is no reason to defer or refuse the ordinance of feet-washing preceding the Lord's supper, and it is not left to man to say who shall come to it. Judas's experience shows Christ's long patience with perverse human nature and teaches His followers to bear patiently with false brethren rather than hastily reject them. As part of the account of Judas betraying his Master, the verse calls youth and all believers to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, keeping religious influence genuine and faith in Christ as a personal Saviour unwavering, so they will never betray Christ as Judas did.