CHAYYEI YESHUA

A Devotional Commentary on the Weekly Besora Reading

Scott Nassau

John 18:1-27 - Confronting our own Weakness

For the last two thousand years Judas' name has been synonymous with a "greedy traitor." He is the epitome of the villain. In fact, the image of Judas has often become a caricature used to misrepresent the Jewish people. While it is important not to absolve Judas of his guilt, it might be necessary to rethink our misconceptions.

When the throng of people asked for Yeshua, he simply replied "I AM." At the sound of these words the whole cohort fell on their backs. The crowd understood the implication of Yeshua's words. In his narrative Yochanan repeatedly uses the words "I AM," to show Yeshua's self-revelation of his divine nature, the Messiah of Israel (4:26; 6:20, 35; 8:12, 18, 24, 28 58; 9:9; 10:7, 11, 14; 11:25; 13:19; 14:6; 15:1). In the Tanakh this particular phrase, "I AM," is a clear allusion to God's self-disclosure as the God of Israel. When Moses asked God to reveal the Divine Name, God replied from the burning bush, "I AM who I AM" (Exodus 3:14). God demonstrates God's own eternality and expresses God's own exclusive relationship with the nation of Israel (Deuteronomy 32:9; Isaiah 45:18; 46:4). So Yeshua's response to the question is not only an affirmation that he is Yeshua of Nazareth, but also that he is the God of Israel. Despite the cohort of Roman soldiers Yeshua demonstrated that it was he, not the soldiers, who was in control of the situation. After Kefa's misguided attempt to save Yeshua, Yeshua expresses his willingness to surrender (John 18:11). Ultimately it was not Judas' betrayal that delivered Yeshua into the hands' of the Romans, but Yeshua's own participation in the divine plan of the Father.

We are often quick to condemn Yehuda (Judas) for his treachery and Kefa for his denial of the Messiah, but we fail to recognize how our daily actions mirror theirs. Although it is impossible to understand all the motives underlying Yehuda's betrayal of the Messiah, we can often follow a similar path. We, like Yehuda, can easily begin pursuing a bag of silver rather than faithfully serving the LORD. I know that I am often more concerned with my present comfort than I am about my commitment to the Messiah. When anything else takes priority over my relationship with God I am guilty of the same duplicity as Yehuda. I also find myself in danger of committing the same mistake as Kefa. When someone asks me if I am one of Yeshua's disciples I am often tempted of denying my relationship, because of the social pressure. I, like both Kefa and Yehuda, fail to remember the Divine nature and position of the Messiah I serve. When David heard of the man who stole his neighbor's sheep, David was quick to condemn the man (2 Samuel 12).  Nathan simply replied "You are the man." Rather than reading this passage with condemnation for both Yehuda and Kefa we must recognize that we are just like them. Their failures remind us of our own weaknesses.