BETRAYAL AND DENIAL

This week in my sermon preparation I am studying the tail end of John 13 in the lead up to Easter at the end of March.

What I find interesting here is that within a dozen verses, Jesus addresses Judas' betrayal as well as Peter's denial. Jesus tells Judas, "What you are about to do, do quickly"(v.27). And to Peter He says, "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times" (v.38). 

How tragic! Jesus is facing His own impending death and yet His companions - His students - His friends - are proving to be less than supportive. In fact, they are adding to His grief and suffering long before the nails are driven through His flesh. 

In this passage, the betrayal and the denial have some commonalities:

• Both are done in secret - and yet Jesus knows.
• Both cause Jesus pain.
• Both entail a rejection of Jesus and a separation from Him. 

But there must be major differences as well. Clearly, the betrayal is the greater sin. Jesus does not announce at supper, "One of you is going to disown me". 

Also, the separation of betrayal becomes permanent (and deadly) while the separation of denial turns out to be temporary (by God's grace).

I am just starting to grapple with this, but it seems to me that at the core, the major difference between these two failings is that the betrayal revealed a truth: Judas had not been on board with Jesus for some time and now he was making it official. 

The denial, on the other hand, involved hiding a truth: Peter did know and love Jesus, but contradicted that reality out of fear. 

Have you ever wondered if Judas would have found forgiveness if he had not rashly taken his own life out of guilt and shame? 

I need to reflect more on this, but it seems to me that betrayal is on an entirely different level from denial. 

Peter's denial was a sin - and he later found forgiveness. 

Judas' betrayal was more than a sin. It was an abandonment of Jesus as the Christ.