The Triune God: The Son VI

He washed their feet to show us how to serve,
Sharing humble love with friends and foe both;
Where did Judas find the gall and nerve
To betray Jesus? He must have been loth!
Of it, Peter, rashly, was having none,
Till Jesus said, to stay with me, you must;
"Then wash my hands and head!" he told the Son,
Acceding just as fast, he showed his trust!
"The hour of my death is nearly at hand,"
Sad, said Jesus. "Soon you will not see me.
Woe to him who betrays the Son of Man;
He would be better not ever to be!"
When Jesus said this, Judas slipped away;
On his dread errand, the Son to betray!

After nearly 3 years living with the Son, Judas, one of the 12 apostles, for 30 pieces of silver, led the guards of Caiaphas, the high priest of Israel, to Jesus and the apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane, kissing Him on the cheek to show which one He was. What motivated him to do such a thing? Whatever it was, his actions afterward showed that he bitterly grieved over what he had done. He went to the priests and offered to return the silver. When they would not take it, he threw it at their feet and went and hanged himself, They used the money to buy a Potter's Field, in which to bury Judas and other poor. The question of whether Judas was saved to heaven has been debated without an answer. When we consider the words of Jesus about woe to the betrayer, it would seem impossible for Judas to be in heaven.

The incident of washing the apostles' feet occurred at the Last Supper on Thursday evening before the Friday of the Passover in 32 A. D. when Jesus was crucified. The Son told the apostles to wash one another's feet to show humility and to love one another. Many other important things were taught. Jesus introduced the Eucharist (the Lord's Supper) and told the apostles to do it in remembrance of Him. It is an important sacrament in the Christian church. "Eucharist" is Greek for "thanksgiving". We are to joyfully give thanks for salvation, for it is done in remembrance of Him who has forgiven our sins and restored our right to enter heaven. When you consider that if Jesus had not come to earth and died for us, we would still be headed for hell; plus, that Jesus was resurrected from the dead, giving us assurance that we, too, will be resurrected, we have good reasons to be joyful and thankful.

No matter what Judas' motive in betraying Jesus, he must have felt qualms when he looked down at this innocent Lamb of God as He washed Judas' feet. He did not commit suicide afterward out of fear of the other apostles coming after him for revenge or restitution, for Jesus had taught the very opposite---gentleness and turning the other cheek. He must have repented of his terrible sin. The other apostles ran off and hid themselves, for fear that their own lives would be forfeit. Peter went close enough to the trial at the home of the high priest, but when accosted as a Galilean, he denied knowing Jesus three times. John summoned enough courage to appear at the crucifiction scene; the others didn't show themselves until Sunday morning, when they learned of Jesus' resurrection. Jesus appeared to them in His new spiritual body several times for the next 40 days, after which He ascended back to heaven.