Not I Rabbi?
Today's Gospel Matthew 26:14-25
One of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you prepared to give me if I hand him over to you?’ They paid him thirty silver pieces, and from that moment he looked for an opportunity to betray him.
Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus to say, ‘Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the passover?’ ‘Go to so-and-so in the city’ he replied ‘and say to him, “The Master says: My time is near. It is at your house that I am keeping Passover with my disciples.”’ The disciples did what Jesus told them and prepared the Passover.
When evening came he was at table with the twelve disciples. And while they were eating he said ‘I tell you solemnly, one of you is about to betray me’ They were greatly distressed and started asking him in turn, ‘Not I, Lord, surely?’ He answered, ‘Someone who has dipped his hand into the dish with me, will betray me. The Son of Man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will, but alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! Better for that man if he had never been born!’ Judas, who was to betray him; asked in his turn, ‘Not I, Rabbi, surely?’ ‘They are your own words’ answered Jesus.
We all like to feel we are righteous and upright before God. How eager we are to say “Not I Rabbi surely?” when enraptured in prayer or in conversation with our brothers. But these are our own words and we do betray God often. With each envious thought and in our opininons the calling and ministry of others. Opinions that often are not simple critiques but carry with them feelings of distrust and malice.
Jesus was never maliscious even toward Judas, his betrayer. He simply bade him to do what he was going to do quickly (John 13:27). This is not to say that one should not follow Matt 18 regarding the offenses of another. Yet as Jesus rebukes Peter (John 13:38) he is niether malicious nor condemning. He is only speaking the truth. And the truth about us is we are all prone to deny Christ and betray our loyalty to Him through the influences of the flesh the world and the devil.
Not I Rabbi? I'm not so sure....
One of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you prepared to give me if I hand him over to you?’ They paid him thirty silver pieces, and from that moment he looked for an opportunity to betray him.
Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus to say, ‘Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the passover?’ ‘Go to so-and-so in the city’ he replied ‘and say to him, “The Master says: My time is near. It is at your house that I am keeping Passover with my disciples.”’ The disciples did what Jesus told them and prepared the Passover.
When evening came he was at table with the twelve disciples. And while they were eating he said ‘I tell you solemnly, one of you is about to betray me’ They were greatly distressed and started asking him in turn, ‘Not I, Lord, surely?’ He answered, ‘Someone who has dipped his hand into the dish with me, will betray me. The Son of Man is going to his fate, as the scriptures say he will, but alas for that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! Better for that man if he had never been born!’ Judas, who was to betray him; asked in his turn, ‘Not I, Rabbi, surely?’ ‘They are your own words’ answered Jesus.
We all like to feel we are righteous and upright before God. How eager we are to say “Not I Rabbi surely?” when enraptured in prayer or in conversation with our brothers. But these are our own words and we do betray God often. With each envious thought and in our opininons the calling and ministry of others. Opinions that often are not simple critiques but carry with them feelings of distrust and malice.
Jesus was never maliscious even toward Judas, his betrayer. He simply bade him to do what he was going to do quickly (John 13:27). This is not to say that one should not follow Matt 18 regarding the offenses of another. Yet as Jesus rebukes Peter (John 13:38) he is niether malicious nor condemning. He is only speaking the truth. And the truth about us is we are all prone to deny Christ and betray our loyalty to Him through the influences of the flesh the world and the devil.
Not I Rabbi? I'm not so sure....
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posted by Joe S. 
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4/08/2009 08:34:00 AM
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