Good meals require good preparation. Jesus planned ahead for this private meal with the 12 disciples. He had ‘booked’ the room. His mention of ‘my appointed time’ (v 18) suggests that he was also conscious of working to his Father’s plan. Preparing this Passover meal would take up most of what we often call Maundy Thursday.  

Then Jesus set about preparing his disciples. They were in for some big shocks in the next 72 hours. He had already broken the news to them that he would soon be executed (eg verse 2), and now he revealed something else that would shock them: ‘One of you will betray me’ (v 21). They were stunned. They had no suspicions concerning Judas. He was there reclining in the room with them, with 30 silver coins in his pocket (vs 14,15), and protesting, like the others, ‘Not me, surely?’    

We cannot be certain why Judas turned against Jesus. Perhaps Judas himself did not fully know. Jesus here teaches his disciples two things about God and evil. First, God’s good purpose will be carried out, ‘as it is written’ (v 24a). Secondly, human beings can act wickedly (v 24b). Both are true, even if we can’t reconcile them. Jesus held on to both at the same time.   

Thank you, Lord, that I can read your Word and hear your truth in peace and freedom. I pray today for those who cannot.

We know nothing about the man who provided the place of hospitality for Jesus and his disciples to celebrate the Passover. He may never have known the significance of their gathering. Most of the disciples didn’t either, at least not fully. Judas had clearly managed to hide what he had been doing from his fellow disciples. So they ate and drank together in apparent peace. Judas, however, could not hide his intentions from Jesus and he soon knew that Christ was fully aware of them. The public announcement that one of them would betray Jesus was clearly a party-stopper. 

It feels unnerving that each of the disciples asked Jesus if it could be him. Could they all be capable of betrayal? Though eleven of them had no such intention, they lacked sufficient confidence in their own righteousness to be able to rule it out. In true humility, they were able to recognise their ability to sin. Only Judas asked the question hypocritically, for he knew the answer and Jesus confirmed it. Christ’s reference to one who ‘has dipped his hand into the bowl with me’ (v 23) indicates the closeness of their relationship and the depth of the betrayal. 

Many of us are able to hide our sins and failings from others, even those who are very close to us. Which of us is a truly open book to our friends and family? Which of us has no thoughts or attitudes which we would want sometimes to conceal from others? Many people are very skilled at hiding and live with all kinds of deceit and pretence. Judas found he could not hide from Jesus and nor can we. God sees our hearts and knows our motivations. May we live at peace in that reality. 

‘Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.’¹

¹ Ps 139:23,24