At His last meal with His disciples before departing “out of this world to the Father” (Jn. 13:1–3), the Lord Jesus tells them that the scripture will be fulfilled: “He that eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me” (v. 18; Ps. 41:9). He has lived with this prospect since choosing Judas as one of their number (Jn. 6:70–71), but now that it is about to happen, He is “troubled in spirit” (13:21). Soon He will taste the full sorrow of it in all its bitter reality.

When our Lord is occupied with the work of love, God’s glory, and our blessing, Judas is busy betraying Him (Mt. 26:14–16; Jn. 13:27). He knows where to find Him, for he has been with Him there before (18:1–2). Intruding on His last moments of communion with His own, he salutes Him mockingly, “Rabbi, Rabbi” (Mk. 14:45); proffers Him his best wishes, saying “Hail,” literally “rejoice”; and kisses Him profusely to identify Him to the armed men who accompany him (v. 44).

This act is one of the many things our Lord suffers from man that night and the following day that break His heart (Ps. 69:20). He is sensible to all its callousness, for His feelings are perfect, not diminished by sin like ours. He responds in the gentlest but most searching way, calculated to arrest the betrayer in his course even then: “My friend, for what purpose art thou come?” But it was to no avail.

If you have been betrayed, you may have the tiniest sense of what our Lord suffered, but He sympathizes with you completely and can comfort and strengthen your heart (Heb. 4:15–16). May this aspect of His sorrows draw from all our hearts love for Him, and guard us from faithlessness to Him or heartlessness to one another. A lifetime of pain and regret can be caused by just a moment’s sinful behavior.