Monday 17th November
Read John 13:18-20
“‘I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfil this passage of Scripture: “He who shared my bread has turned against me.”
19 ‘I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. 20 Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.’” (NIVUK)
John moves between the example Jesus provides of servanthood and the betrayal with these bridging words. Yet those words are profound and theologically rich.
For the early church must have asked the question, why would Jesus be betrayed by those closest to Him? Surely the Messiah, a prophet, would know in advance and choose only those loyal to Him?
John tells us deliberately that Jesus made it clear, beforehand, that He would be betrayed. He chose His Twelve deliberately, with full knowledge of their hearts and an equally full knowledge that one of them would betray Him.
Despite that He still washed the feet of the one who would betray Him. Jesus was not blind-sided in any way – and loved all the disciples until the end.
