Of Friends and Foes

The friend becomes the foe.  The one in the inner circle breaks the chain and steals a kiss.  How Christ must have grieved over Judas.

After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”  John 13:21
  
Even though He is God and knew what Judas was up to, it troubled Him. Down to His soul.  If you have ever been betrayed, know that Jesus understands completely where you are coming from.  He has felt the agony of betrayal.

You have heard it said, "With friends like these, who needs enemies?"  And yet, Jesus call Judas friend in the moment of his betrayal.

And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come for.”  Matthew 26:50  

Jesus saw Judas as a friend. He knew that His fight was not against the flesh and blood Judas, but against Satan.  Yet, there are different types of friends.  Close ones.  Ones you only see from time to time.  Childhood friends.  Jesus calls Judas a "hetairos", a person who attaches himself to another to see what he can gain for himself.  The wool is never pulled over the eyes of the Shepherd.  He knew full well what type of friend Judas really was.

We all could take a lesson from Jesus when it comes to friends. We need to realize that when our friends or someone we trust turns on us that it really isn't about us and them.  That Satan is in the midst making a mess.  We also need to understand that not every friend will be a lifelong supporter.  They will come and go in our lives. We need to let them go through forgiveness.  Some will even fulfill their purpose by turning on us.  Judas sure did. We may feel abandoned by those around us, but we are never truly forsaken.  Oh, What a Friend we have in Jesus!

To read the rest of the series on Jesus and Judas, click here.