The Betrayal

Hebrews 12:1-3; John 13:21-32

     In his semi-autobiographical book, Blue Like Jazz, Donald Miller relates a story about setting up a confessional booth in the middle of Reed College, a liberal arts college in Portland Oregon that was not particularly welcoming of organized religious groups. Donald and his friends thought they would try it as an experiment. They constructed the booth in the middle of an annual campus event and put a sign on the outside that read, “CONFESS YOUR SINS.”  But instead of hearing students’ confessions, Donald and his friends decided to upend the experience. When the first student pulled the curtain, came in and sat down, Donald informed him that actually he and his Christian friends were the ones who would be doing the confessing. “What? You’re going to confess to me??” the guy said. Yes. They felt like the followers of Jesus, through the centuries, had not always done a good job of representing who Jesus was and they wanted to confess that to anyone who would come in and listen. Donald admitted his own shortcomings in following Jesus - like lashing out at people when he felt threatened or persecuted; not doing much to help the poor or the sick really. He confessed having his own agenda when talking about God and his faith rather than just sticking to what Jesus might have said or done. He went on and named several other things. 

As you might imagine, that completely disarmed Jake, the young man who had come in with his own suspicions and cynicism.

“It's all right, man,” Jake said, very tenderly (recognizing sincerity when he heard it).  His eyes were starting to water.

[Donald said] “I am sorry for all of that.”

“I forgive you,” Jake said.  And he meant it.  “It's really cool what you guys are doing,” he said.  “A lot of people need to hear this.”

When Jake left the booth, someone else was ready to come in. It went on like that for a couple of hours.[1]

     Confess Your Sins! (Can you imagine the kind of change, the kind of openness, the kind of “spiritual undoing” this might create if people outside the church were invited to hear the confessions of people inside the church and if forgiveness was offered? What an opportunity for healing! What an opportunity to do something about all that church trauma religious folks have heaped upon folks through the years.

     Nadia Bolz Weber titles one of the chapters in her book, Accidental Saints, Judas Will Now Take Your Confession. That’s the image I hope we’ll take with us into a look at one of the most complex characters in the gospel of John, Judas:

–stingy, tight with the apostles’ treasury;

–accused of stealing from it.

     When Mary poured out the extravagant amount of expensive perfume, it incensed Judas enough that he grumbled about how much it cost and “the poor sure could have used that money.” John made a record of Judas’ reaction, and then added, “He said this not because he cared two cents for the poor but because he was a thief!” [2]

     The lectionary doesn’t give Judas a lot of real estate, so we don’t talk about this tragic character often. What a contrast Judas is compared to John or Peter, or my goodness in comparison to Mary who poured out her love for Jesus because she knew his days among them were numbered. Judas' betrayal is so grievous because it’s painted against a backdrop of so much love. Mary’s demonstration of extravagant love was a gift Jesus took with him into Jerusalem. It may have been what inspired him to take up a cloth and wash basin and go around to each disciple, washing his feet before their Passover meal together. John and Peter love Jesus so much. At the last supper they’re trying to be as physically close to him as possible, hanging on his every word.[3]

     Karoline Lewis, Johannine scholar from Luther Seminary, says Judas' betrayal of Jesus wasn’t what happened in the garden. Jesus had already given himself over to what was going to happen. That was no surprise. Judas’ betrayal happens when he walks away from Jesus’ extraordinary love. That’s what betrayal looks like in the gospel of John. Judas walks out of the last meal the Twelve and Jesus will ever share together to cut a deal with the Chief Priest.[4]

     Judas is described by John as, “The one who ate bread at [the Lord’s] table [and then] turned on his heel against [him].”[5] In ancient Hebrew culture, “raising your heel against someone” was an obscene gesture, as if to trample someone underfoot. It is a clear-cut contrast to John, the disciple who has internalized Jesus’ love, who identifies as one loved by Jesus. The only disciple present at the crucifixion… The reckless love of God defines him.

     There was no Easter for Judas, no resurrection. He didn’t get to stick his fingers in Jesus’ scars. Nadia Bolz Weber wrote, How is it that Judas who betrayed Jesus once and was filled with remorse, became the villain, and Peter, who denied Jesus three times and wept bitterly, became the rock on which the church was built?  Is there really that much difference between them?  Is there that much difference in them and… us?[6]

     Peter allowed himself to be restored to his community of disciples. He allowed himself to be forgiven. Judas didn’t give himself that chance. “Judas carried with him, into that field [of blood] the burden of not experiencing God’s grace because he was removed from the community in which he could hear it.”[7]

     In several points in the gospels, Jesus says that his disciples have the authority to proclaim forgiveness in his name. Forgiveness is something we have the power, the authority, to offer to one another in Jesus’ name. In isolation it’s next to impossible to know that extravagant love and reckless, prodigal grace that flows from the heart of God.[8] Saints and sinners, we all need one another… to hold the basin and towel; to pray in the garden; to anoint one another in the best perfume; to weep in each others’ arms at the foot of the cross. To confess our sins and offer forgiveness to one another.

      When we are tempted to walk away… When we have made a mess of our lives… heaped the hurt on our neighbor… not gotten the following part right… God, help us.  Help us to move beyond the ritual of confession into something more honest.  May God give us the grace to forgive ourselves and one another. And finally, May the community of saints internalize the wondrous love of Jesus in such a way that it defines us all the way to the cross.

[1]Miller, Donald Blue Like Jazz

[2] Peterson, Eugene The Message John 12: 1-10

[3] Sermon Brainwave podcast, 5th Sunday of Lent, Working Preacher

[4] ibid.

[5] Peterson, Eugene The Message

[6] Weber, Nadia Bolz Accidental Saints, “Judas will now take your confession” 

[7] ibid.

[8] ibid.