How Jesus Treated Judas

Jesus showed us what it looks like to love your enemies.

Image from Canva.

The other eleven apostles had no idea that Judas was the one who would betray Jesus.

The Lord had spoken of it before His betrayal (John 6:70-71), but the others never knew that Judas would be the traitor. Even during the “Last Supper,” when Jesus demonstrates that He knows Judas is the traitor, the other apostles miss that Judas will be the one to betray the Lord (John 13:23-30)

I came across a Facebook post recently, which gave me the idea for this article.

Screen capture from Facebook.

Even though Jesus knew what Judas would choose to do, He treated Judas so that the other apostles never knew Judas would betray Jesus. He did not treat Judas differently than His other apostles.

How often do we treat people differently over something as simple as them saying something we don’t like? Or we go on a “rant” on social media over something as insignificant as subpar service at a restaurant?

The Lord knew Judas would betray Him - and the Lord still treated him with the same love and care as the other eleven apostles.

But doesn’t how Jesus loves His enemies also come back to all of us?

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. (Romans 5:8-10)

Paul reminded the Christians in Rome that they had once been the “enemies” of God. And God demonstrated His love toward His enemies by Jesus Christ - God’s own Son (John 3:16) - dying for us.

When we look at Jesus, we don’t just see someone who merely taught His followers to love their enemies (Matthew 5:43-48). He demonstrated to the fullest extent what it means to love your enemies.

Even loving His close friend who betrayed Him.