Scripture Verses
Matthew 26:17-30
17On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?"
18He replied, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.' " 19So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover.
20When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21And while they were eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me."
22They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, "Surely not I, Lord?"
23Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."
25Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?"
Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you."[a]
26While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."
27Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28This is my blood of the[b] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom."
30When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Devotion
It is tempting when reading through well-known Bible passages to gloss over the familiar words, not pausing to ask God for any further meaning. Somehow, we think we have gleaned everything we can and move on. The Lord’s Supper is one such passage for me. I am sure I have read these words countless times, but when it came time to write this devotion, I had to stop and pray, asking for God to reveal something new. As He never disappoints our hunger for more of His Word, He led me to rest on three verses below.
“And while they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” They were all very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?” Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me” (Matt. 26:21-23 NIV).
While we all know that Judas is the one who betrayed Jesus to the chief priests, it occurred to me that anyone of those sitting at that table probably dipped his hand into the same bowl as Jesus. The Message translates verse 23 as, “The one who hands me over is someone I eat with daily, one who passes me food at the table.” They had all been with him for his entire 3-year ministry; they had spent massive amounts of time together, learning together, laughing together, mourning together. The fact that it was Judas is second to the knowledge that it could have been anyone of them. Or you or me, for that matter. While I am tempted to look down my nose at Judas for the ultimate betrayal, Christ reminds me that I am not so very different. We have all dipped our hands together in the same bowl; the depravity found in Judas is the same depravity found in me. Our need for God’s grace through Jesus’ death on Calvary is the same. Glory be to Christ alone, without whose sacrifice we would be utterly lost.
Prayer
Gracious and Heavenly Father, thank you for your atoning sacrifice on the cross. Help us to remember that it is you and you alone that redeems us from our sin, and nothing else. Please continue to work in us, purifying us for your purposes. In Jesus name, Amen.
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