There are, of course, plenty of examples of people who have acted solely in their own interest - some of them are currently in jail for business fraud.
Perhaps the ideal has been breaking down under the influence of television dramas and high-profile example. The level of trust in the police and the judiciary has declined. Advertising urges us to look after "number one". What's more, when folk have left the "God-option" and Christian values, looking after "number one" seems to be the only value left.
In Peace Child, Don Richardson describes the experience he and his wife Carol had in setting up missionary work among the Sawi people of Irian Jaya. Tribes hostile to one another camped close by - steel axe heads were vastly superior to stone axes for cutting down the sago palms.
As the Richardsons learnt the language and began to tell the story of Jesus, the natives listened intently. However, when they came to the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot, suddenly it was Judas who was the great hero. In Sawi culture, the ideal was to "fatten with friendship" a member of an enemy tribe. When he was completely trusting, they would gather around and kill him and have a cannibalistic feast.
One day fighting broke out between rival tribes and the Richardsons watched helplessly - with a sense of guilt that their presence had brought these tribes into closer proximity. How could they persuade these warring tribes to live in peace with one another? A baby was taken from one tribe, despite the distraught pleas of his mother. He was given to the other tribe, and a baby from the other tribe was received in return. It was a matter of honour that every care would be given to a "peace child" - nothing must ever be done to harm a "peace child". Only as they began to understand that Jesus was given as God's "peace child" could they grasp the significance of Jesus' life and death - and the horror of Judas' betrayal.
Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss - the sign of love. Some have suggested that Judas was trying to force Jesus to declare himself - to step forward and take control as a political Messiah. It is true that Jesus wasn't the kind of Messiah many people wanted - possibly including Judas. But Judas seems to have been the "unconverted" member of the twelve.
When Mary poured expensive perfume on Jesus' feet, we read, "But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 'Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages'. He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it" (Jn 12.4-6). And here he came to betray Jesus, having received payment of thirty silver coins (Mt. 26.14-16).
Mutual love was to be the very sign of discipleship (Jn 13.35). Our oneness in Christ would be a convincing sign to the world that Jesus had been sent by the Father (17.23). And here was Judas using the sign of love as the cue for those who wanted to get rid of Jesus.
Paul says, "Love must be sincere" (Rom. 12.9a) - literally "without hypocrisy". Today, much of what we call "love" is pure self-interest.
Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" (Jn 15.13). That was certainly Jesus' love. Though one would betray him and another deny him three times and the rest of them run away, "he showed them the full extent of his love" (13.1). That was written about the time of his last meal with them. And on the cross, he prayed for those who had worked together to put him there, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Lk. 23.34).
These days we talk so much about love. Are we in fact betrayed by cheap substitutes? And is there more of the Sawi culture in us than we dare to acknowledge? Could it be possible that we would betray even the Son of Man (Jesus) with a kiss?
And Jesus took all our betrayals and denials and forsakings with him to the cross. He died for our sins - not just because of our sins. He can take our loving and make it the means of his healing and redeeming grace.
| Prayer: Lord Jesus, betrayed by a kiss, denied by a friend, deserted by close followers, too often our love for you has been self-interest. Yet for love of us you gave your life. Release your love in us. Reach out to others through us. We yield our lives to you to be the instruments of your grace. We pray this in your name, Amen. |
The twelve
had heard,
had seen.
These were to carry
the message
of divine love
by life
and word
into the needy world.
Judas
kissed his Master
to betray him
to those
who schemed
his death.
Peter,
full
of self-confident
words of love,
denied
he knew him.
The others
fled
in fear.
Lord,
is there none
left
to love you?
No, not one,
as all alone
you carry
human guilt
to nail it
to the cross
to which
they nail you!
Divine Lover,
come now -
infuse
our living
with your loving!
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