Thursday, March 11, 2010

A V8, anyone?

It's denser than osmium. It's denser than solid hydrogen. It's denser than whatever may be at the core of the most ginormous black hole. It's... the disciples on a bad day! And I am just such a disciple. I so often can't perceive the obvious. (Or odvious, as Peter mispronounces for my amusement :-)

John 13:
1- Jesus, having loved his own... loved them to the end
So
4- He riseth from supper and
5-began to wash the disciples' feet

Jesus get's a basin and a towel and kneels down, much to Peter's horror!!! >:-0
Jesus was the Master, Rabbi, Healer, Recipient of God's audible praise- shining with glory...
He was not a washer of feet. He was esteemed, a powerful rabbi, probably the next king of Israel.

Peter: Lord, are you going to wash my feet?
Jesus: Don't worry. You'll understand later. (Peter never waits for later. Neither do I.)
Peter: You will NEVER wash MY feet!
Jesus: If I don't wash you, you will have no part with me.
Peter, now alarmed, speaks forcefully and without understanding. Just like me.
Peter: Then Lord, not just my feet, but my hands and my head...
Jesus surely must have smiled... even laughed..
Jesus: Peter, if you have bathed you need only to wash your feet to be completely clean.

Now comes the first clue... "Ye are not all clean." He said this of the one among them who would betray Jesus. Subtle clue, I'll give them that.

At diner, Jesus confides to those gathered there that 'He knows who He chose', and one of them will betray Him. (Clue 2)

Alarm!!! Look across the table. Is it him? Or him? Or...me?!!! They never suspected Judas. He, evidently didn't wear the traditional black keffiyeh with the skull and crossbones, typical of the middle eastern bad guy.

Peter, unable to stand the suspense tells John, who is reclining next to Jesus, "Ask Him who it is." I guess Peter felt he'd said enough for one day. I can just imagine the exaggerated enunciation that accompanied the stage whisper, and the gesturing finger- pointing to Jesus...

When John asks the question, Jesus ANSWERS (third clue): "He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it."

Jesus then dips a sop and hands it to Judas. The idea had already entered Judas's mind. He thought his trip to make a deal with the authorities had been completely secret. Imagine how his heart raced as Jesus looks him in the face and yanks the cloak off his scheme. 'Does He really know?' He takes the sop and Satan himself enters into him.

Jesus tells him, "Do it quickly."

The disciples don't get that clue either, forgetting immediately what Jesus had said. They figured that giving a sop was the new signal for Judas to go to the grocery store or give alms to the poor.

Were they really THAT dense? It's a comfort to me. I regularly can't perceive something that is plainly before me. I gather all known facts and deftly arrive at an unrelated conclusion.

Judas was the only one with a clue. The very Lord whom he planned to betray had only ever loved him, chosen him, befriended him, and tonight, washed his feet. He'd already agreed to betray his friend for a price. He thought it was a secret. I can only imagine the shock as Jesus exposed him.

Do it quickly. He took the sop. Satan entered his heart. He immediately went out.
Verse 30 says, "and it was night."
What a miserable verse.

3 comments:

  1. Amazing honest refelection of how our Lord already knows when we've chosent to betray him by submitting to our sin. miserable in deed it was night...definitely the contrast of who we are supposed to be- Light

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good spiritual blog...nice posts.
    Hi. I came across your blog through another blog I follow and have signed up as a follower. When you’re free, please do visit me and let me know what you think of my blog and leave a comment. If you like, do follow as well. I am always open to great new people and interesting websites. Look forward to hearing from you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. it is amazing to see how Jesus loves us inspite our flaws; awesome post.

    ReplyDelete