¹⁸ “I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’

Most incredibly ironic, “didn’t see that coming” plot twist ever written, is this story of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. So mind-boggling, the disciples were at a complete loss as to whom Jesus was referring (vs. 22). The word that probably most aptly describes this is treachery. The dictionary definition of treachery seems almost defined by this story: “Violation of allegiance or of faith and confidence”, “harmful things that are done usually secretly to a friend, or your own country”, “Betrayal of trust.”

Judas, more fully disclosed as the story progresses but whom any one familiar with Christianity well knows, fulfills the role to which Jesus refers, that of duplicity. Indeed, when the vast majority of people abandoned Christ as His teachings began to command total commitment, Judas stayed with those whose view was expressed by Peter, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life” (John 6:68). Yet even then Jesus warned, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” (John 6:70).

So we see that despite the outward show of loyalty to Christ, Judas did not fool the Master of the Universe who became flesh and “dwelt among us.” From the earliest times of Jesus’ separating out those who were devoted to Him from those who were committed to their own well-being, the two-faced conniver was not “hidden from His sight.” Little did he realize that, “all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Heb 4:13).

Jesus knew full well, and now was warning His closest followers in the Upper Room on the night before His death, that one of them would betray Him. Make no mistake, this did not catch Him by surprise. He knew of it, it was prophesied in Scripture, as He quoted Psalm 41:9 to them. The worst possible sin we can imagine against Jesus, to betray Him from within the close intimate circle, was all part of the plan. The difference between God’s foreknowledge and God’s sovereign plan runs fairly thin at this point. Jesus says, “I know the ones I have chosen,” and that included Judas (see again John 6:70). The gospel that records, “that whoever believes in Him” also speaks of God’s choosing. Lest we bog down in theological controversy, we rest in the universally accepted truth, as we see here in the Upper Room story of betrayal, that nothing is beyond God’s control, nothing can thwart His plan. Not even evil.

Lord, thank You that You not only know about my trials at hand, but You also continue to be in absolute control of what happens to me, no matter what it is.