Judas Leaves the Upper Room Into the NightBible World
13:30John 13:30
He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.
After Jesus gave the sop to Judas as the sign of the betrayer, Judas took it and left the supper table and room at once to carry out his betrayal with Christ's enemies. It was literal night outside, and also the spiritual and outer darkness into which he turned away from Christ. Jesus knew his secret purpose yet washed his feet, kept him at the table, and gave him every opportunity and a final appeal of love to repent, but he was not convicted to cast out Satan and only grew more determined in his plan. By going out from Christ's presence he made his final decision and crossed the boundary beyond repentance, giving himself fully to Satan's control and to the loss of hope and immortal life. His departure lifted the painful restraint of his presence so Christ could speak freely with the rest, and it warns believers to keep their faith in Christ as a personal Saviour genuine and unwavering lest they betray Him as Judas did.
Leaving Supper for Betrayal
After Jesus dipped the sop and gave it to Judas Iscariot the son of Simon as the sign pointing out the betrayer, and after Satan entered Judas and Jesus told him to do quickly what he was going to do, Judas received the sop and went out at once into the night. He left the Passover supper table and chamber immediately to carry out his betrayal. He went out into the streets of Jerusalem to find the council of Christ's enemies and complete the betrayal he had begun. The night was both literal night and a picture of outer and spiritual darkness into which he turned away from Christ.
Jesus knew Judas's thoughts and purpose and secret purpose and made that knowledge clear, giving convincing proof of divinity. Yet He washed Judas's soiled feet first and wiped them with the towel and did not refuse him a place at the table nor expose him. The disciples knew nothing of his purpose and esteemed Judas as a man of great capabilities, breadth of knowledge and valuable qualifications.
He left in anger after realizing Jesus knew his purpose. Washing his feet had not made him love Jesus, and learning that Jesus would not be made king only strengthened his resolve to betray Him. He chose to become a traitor after being met only with goodness, humility and love and no word of rebuke. He allowed himself to become a channel of darkness by bracing his soul against light he knew better than to deny, fighting away deep impressions of the Holy Spirit, giving up hope of temporal preferment, seeking to obliterate all he had heard, and listening to the enemy's presentation that Christ was not the Son of God but a pretence.
His departure lifted a painful restraint caused by the traitor's presence and relieved the others. The shadow lifted from the disciples and Jesus' face brightened, becoming cheerful and radiant with divinity. So He could freely express His feelings in the sacred last interview with His disciples.
Rejected Mercy, Final Choice
At that moment Judas was given a final call to turn back, every opening to be saved, a last opportunity and last appeal of love. He was surprised and alarmed when his secret purpose was laid bare, and when his soiled feet were washed first his heart thrilled with an impulse to confess on the spot. He did not repent or become ashamed and convicted and cast out Satan, but rejected mercy and became more determined and firmly set on his plan.
Even though he had twice agreed to betray Jesus, repentance remained possible until he left. By leaving Christ and the disciples he made his final decision, his case was decided, and he crossed the boundary beyond which he would not repent.
By going out he went from Christ's presence and the hope of immortal life into the darkness of his evil purpose where hope was gone. He went no longer favored by God but abandoned to do Satan's mission, giving himself fully to Satan's control of his heart and mind and to the consequences of his choice.
Warning and Instruction Today
The departure into the night stands as a warning against acting like Judas and betraying the Lord and Master. Believers must work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, and youth especially must live by this principle. Their religious influence must be kept genuine and their faith in Christ as a personal Saviour unwavering, so that they will never betray Christ as Judas did. This is an experience that all need to gain.
Even though Jesus knew what Judas would do and had washed his feet, He did not refuse him a place at the table when Judas left to carry out his part in the betrayal. Judas was included when Jesus washed the disciples' feet and shared the sacrament, and that inclusion teaches that people cannot judge who is worthy to take part in the ordinance. No one can read another person's heart or distinguish the tares from the wheat. The account therefore supports not excluding anyone from these services.
The placing of Judas among the disciples as he leaves shows Jesus' long patience with a perverse person. His example in bearing with Judas teaches His followers to bear patiently with false brethren.
After Jesus gave the sop to Judas as the sign of the betrayer, Judas took it and left the supper table and room at once to carry out his betrayal with Christ's enemies.
It was literal night outside, and also the spiritual and outer darkness into which he turned away from Christ.
Jesus knew his secret purpose yet washed his feet, kept him at the table, and gave him every opportunity and a final appeal of love to repent, but he was not convicted to cast out Satan and only grew more determined in his plan.
By going out from Christ's presence he made his final decision and crossed the boundary beyond repentance, giving himself fully to Satan's control and to the loss of hope and immortal life.
His departure lifted the painful restraint of his presence so Christ could speak freely with the rest, and it warns believers to keep their faith in Christ as a personal Saviour genuine and unwavering lest they betray Him as Judas did.
Leaving Supper for Betrayal
After Jesus dipped the sop and gave it to Judas Iscariot the son of Simon as the sign pointing out the betrayer, and after Satan entered Judas and Jesus told him to do quickly what he was going to do, Judas received the sop and went out at once into the night. He left the Passover supper table and chamber immediately to carry out his betrayal. He went out into the streets of Jerusalem to find the council of Christ's enemies and complete the betrayal he had begun. The night was both literal night and a picture of outer and spiritual darkness into which he turned away from Christ.
Jesus knew Judas's thoughts and purpose and secret purpose and made that knowledge clear, giving convincing proof of divinity. Yet He washed Judas's soiled feet first and wiped them with the towel and did not refuse him a place at the table nor expose him. The disciples knew nothing of his purpose and esteemed Judas as a man of great capabilities, breadth of knowledge and valuable qualifications.
He left in anger after realizing Jesus knew his purpose. Washing his feet had not made him love Jesus, and learning that Jesus would not be made king only strengthened his resolve to betray Him. He chose to become a traitor after being met only with goodness, humility and love and no word of rebuke. He allowed himself to become a channel of darkness by bracing his soul against light he knew better than to deny, fighting away deep impressions of the Holy Spirit, giving up hope of temporal preferment, seeking to obliterate all he had heard, and listening to the enemy's presentation that Christ was not the Son of God but a pretence.
His departure lifted a painful restraint caused by the traitor's presence and relieved the others. The shadow lifted from the disciples and Jesus' face brightened, becoming cheerful and radiant with divinity. So He could freely express His feelings in the sacred last interview with His disciples.
Rejected Mercy, Final Choice
At that moment Judas was given a final call to turn back, every opening to be saved, a last opportunity and last appeal of love. He was surprised and alarmed when his secret purpose was laid bare, and when his soiled feet were washed first his heart thrilled with an impulse to confess on the spot. He did not repent or become ashamed and convicted and cast out Satan, but rejected mercy and became more determined and firmly set on his plan.
Even though he had twice agreed to betray Jesus, repentance remained possible until he left. By leaving Christ and the disciples he made his final decision, his case was decided, and he crossed the boundary beyond which he would not repent.
By going out he went from Christ's presence and the hope of immortal life into the darkness of his evil purpose where hope was gone. He went no longer favored by God but abandoned to do Satan's mission, giving himself fully to Satan's control of his heart and mind and to the consequences of his choice.
Warning and Instruction Today
The departure into the night stands as a warning against acting like Judas and betraying the Lord and Master. Believers must work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, and youth especially must live by this principle. Their religious influence must be kept genuine and their faith in Christ as a personal Saviour unwavering, so that they will never betray Christ as Judas did. This is an experience that all need to gain.
Even though Jesus knew what Judas would do and had washed his feet, He did not refuse him a place at the table when Judas left to carry out his part in the betrayal. Judas was included when Jesus washed the disciples' feet and shared the sacrament, and that inclusion teaches that people cannot judge who is worthy to take part in the ordinance. No one can read another person's heart or distinguish the tares from the wheat. The account therefore supports not excluding anyone from these services.
The placing of Judas among the disciples as he leaves shows Jesus' long patience with a perverse person. His example in bearing with Judas teaches His followers to bear patiently with false brethren.