Betrayal

And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now his betrayer had given them a signal, saying, "Whomever I kiss, he is the one, seize him and lead him away safely." As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to him and said to him, "Rabbi, Rabbi!" and kissed him. Then they laid their hands on him and took him. And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But the scriptures must be fulfilled."

Then they all forsook him and fled. Now a certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.

- Mark 14:43-52

Today's scene is the great betrayal of Christ, the moment he has prepared himself for by praying in Gethsemane all the night, while his closest apostles slept. Jesus knew what was coming, and has announced to his apostles, "The hour has come; behold the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand."

And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now his betrayer had given them a signal, saying, "Whomever I kiss, he is the one, seize him and lead him away safely." My study bible notes, "The fact that a signal, the kiss, is needed here is a commentary on the kind of people who make up the mob that has come to take Jesus. Had the chief priests, the scribes and the elders come, they would have recognized him. Even most of the common people would recognize him. But these are armed Jewish servants, usually confined in the temple area to maintain order under the authority of the chief priests. According to John 18:3, a band of Roman soldiers collaborated with them." In the historical liturgy of John Chrysostom, each Eucharist includes a prayer not to give Jesus a kiss as did Judas, but rather to confess as did the thief: Lord, remember me in Your kingdom. So important is the understanding of repentance and forgiveness to the basic structure of Christian theology that the kiss of Judas - and his failure to return for repentance and forgiveness - is forever remembered in this context, in contrast to the confession of others in the events surrounding the Crucifixion. As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to him and said to him, "Rabbi, Rabbi!" and kissed him. This powerful sign of betrayal could not be a more potent symbol of evil and its hypocrisy, its nature of lies.

Then they laid their hands on him and took him. And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. In Matthew 26:52, we are told that Jesus healed the ear of the servant, and condemned the violence on the part of his defenders, saying that "all who take the sword will perish by the sword." Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. But the scriptures must be fulfilled."

Then they all forsook him and fled. Now a certain young man followed him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked. My study bible notes, "There is some conjecture that this young man who fled naked is the Apostle John. Another tradition holds the young man is Mark himself. The latter view would explain why the incident is mentioned by him, but with no name given -- a traditional way of taking about oneself."

In this scene, we have the image of betrayal, forever given to us in the collective memory of the Church. The apostle, Judas, betrays his master with a kiss. Even Jesus is heard to point out the methods used for his arrest: "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me." It is almost as if we can hear his disgust at the weakness and low, servile character of those who carry this out. They treat him as a man of violence, while he has been openly teaching in the temple. Already we have the sense that the Jesus that we know, the man that he has shown himself to be, is being vilified. First his character is assassinated in order to condemn him. He is treated as if he himself is a brute, who uses stealthy violence against others. But clearly, the chief priests and scribes and others with whom he has been disputing in the temple do not show themselves in this act. They could not "win" confrontation with him openly; so their work is done in secret, with underhanded means, and with violence.

Have you been in a position in your life where your character was brutalized by those who wish to take something away from you? Who wish first to assassinate your character so that they may in some way take you out of a scene, away from the ground upon which you stand openly and honestly? Again, our Lord has been there. Have you been treated to brutality and insults? We will see how far this goes as Jesus is taken for trial. Has your life been harmed by those who betray you for gain? Even possibly by those you love? Our Lord has been there. He accepts his fate, because, we are told, he says, "The scriptures must be filled." This is a clear understanding on Jesus' part of the role he is playing, and why. It is not to fulfill a prophecy, but rather because he understands the truth of the prophecy, the reality of the Father at work in this scene. He is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, and it is his choice to submit to this time of deepest darkness, a malignant kiss, the brutality of those who could not make this confrontation openly in the temple in front of the crowds. Our Lord teaches us what it is to accept life in what it offers us, and to walk through it in the ways we are taught through prayer. That is, there is purpose and redemption in what he is doing. And so, with his example, whatever the world will hold for us as we struggle to do the right thing, to live a good life, openly and in truth, becomes also our opportunity for transcendence and change. When you are faced with adversity - even this sort of betrayal by one whom you have loved in any way - consider Our Lord. Pray. Find a way through the situation within the context of love and truth. Ask for God's will in how you are to handle it, and to respond. At moments of deepest darkness, and disappointment, the Father is there, Christ is there with us, where he has already been. Don't let the worldly values of power, of manipulation and lies, turn you from the truth which you can find in prayer. See yourself as the Lord sees you; act as you are taught to act. In times of crisis, we have been told, we have the Comforter, the Holy Spirit with us.