Thoughts on the Gospel of John (129) - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2024

Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, What you do, do quickly. But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, Buy those things we need for the feast, or that he should give something to the poor. Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.
John 13:27–30

Thoughts on the Gospel of John (129)
This must have been a real shock for Judas. The Lord knows exactly what he is going to do! But Judas doesn’t take this last opportunity to return from his fatal pathway. After Jesus has revealed His betrayer using a piece of bread, Satan takes complete possession of Judas.

In the downward course of Judas, we can distinguish three stages:

First, there was his greed, which he did not restrain and which made him become a thief (ch. 12:6).

Then Satan aroused in him the thought of obtaining compensation for missing out on the 300 denarii for which Mary’s ointment could have been sold. So he negotiated 30 pieces of silver with the chief priests for betraying his Lord (Matthew 26:15).

At last Satan enters him. Thus, the chief of the demons gains personal control over Judas, who becomes the helpless tool of his plans. For Judas there is now no turning back; therefore, the Lord says to him, “What you do, do quickly.”

This doesn’t mean – as the others thought – that Judas should buy something for the Passover, but that he is to sell his Lord and Master into the hands of His enemies. Nor is Judas to give something to the poor, but the Son of God, who was rich, is here to become “poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). At the cross of Christ, the worst sin of a human being and the infinite love of God meet together.

Today’s reading: Deuteronomy 1:29-46 · Matthew 19:23-30