What Jesus Did! 'Treachery Lurks Below the Surface' — John 6:70-71

Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Then Jesus said, "I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil." He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would later betray him.
— John 6:70-71 NLT

Key Thought

We know the story before we read it. Lurking in the shadows was the traitor. Treachery was afoot. Scripture doesn't explicitly tell us why Judas betrayed Jesus, but at least part of the motivation may have been just the money.  [1] The Holy Spirit tells us that Judas did betray Jesus - and already, Jesus knew that Judas would betray him. Quite remarkably, Jesus did the heart of his ministry and offered his deepest and most genuine service to his disciples knowing all the while that one of them would hand him over to be tortured and crucified. I don't know about you, but that is a bittersweet comfort to me. Bitter, because I hate that the Lord Jesus, who created all that is in our world, had to face such a heartbreaking breach of trust. Sweet, because I know he knows what betrayal and suffering are like - not just as God, but also as a brokenhearted friend who has been betrayed for inexplicable reasons. Sounds like my world. Sounds even more like my Savior!

[1] Matthew 26:14-15; John 12:6, 13:27-30.

Today's Prayer

Holy God, Creator and Sustainer of all that is, thank you. Thank you for not being a god who is far off. Thank you for living in my world and bearing the brunt of its brokenness. Please bless me with confidence as I approach you and may I always remember that you know the deepest pains of my heart from experience and not just from omniscience. Thank you for revealing yourself in Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • John 13:1-5
  • Matthew 26:16
  • John 13:21-30

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

1 Related Resource by Heartlight

Take Me Into Your Heart
Devo: A Year with Jesus
"Dear Child of God, Don't miss the heartbreak of the events described in the Scripture below. Despite all I had said and had done, people turned away...."

Illustration

Illustration of John 6:70-71 NLT — Then Jesus said, "I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil." He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would later betray him.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'Holy and Blameless' (1 Th. 2:5-12)
"Dear Father, Keep all your preachers from using words of flattery, any cloak of greed, or from seeking glory for themselves, even though they have..."
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Evening Thought: Joel 2:8
"Locusts always keep their rank, and although their number is legion, they do not crowd upon each other, so as to throw their columns into confusion......"
Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'A Great Mission, A Junior Partner'
"Meanwhile, the word of God continued to spread, and there were many new believers. When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission to Jerusalem,...."
Passion for Praise
A daily passage of Scripture emphasizing praise to our God.
'Thank God!' (Ro. 7:23-25)
"Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our..."

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

More What Jesus Did!