25 Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he [John] said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”
13:25
Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast,
The disciples rested on their sides on pillows as they ate dinner. Since John relined on the right of Jesus, it was easy for him to lean back on Jesus to privately talk to Him.
he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?”
John probably whispered this question to the Lord because the true culprit would be listening.
13:26
Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.”
This was a morsel of bread dipped into a wine dish.
And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
Judas sat in close proximity to Jesus, probably on the left next to Him. The host giving food to a guest was a sign of friendship. It is ironic that Jesus’ signal of friendship was also a warning sign of his betrayal.
Judas replied to Jesus with “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” Jesus answered him with “You have said it” (Mt 26:25). Evidently giving the bread to Judas went unnoticed by others at the dinner.
13:27
Now after the piece of bread, Satan [adversary] entered him.
Satan’s entering into Judas may indicate that Judas was demon possessed. In any case, Satan used Judas as a device to do his will. Judas was now in a state of inveterate hardness toward Christ. Satan was now in full hold over his soul. This verse is the only reference to “Satan” in this gospel.
Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”
Jesus now made clear to Judas that his posturing as a disciple was phony. Jesus was in full control of the situation. His words signaled to Judas that He knew fully what he was about to do.
Judas had reached a completely hardened stage at this point. Jesus recognized the spiritual deadness in Judas’ heart and his implacability that it produced. Judas’ negative volition now was so entrenched that he would not go back on his treachery.
PRINCIPLE:
Example alone is not sufficient for some people to come to Christ.
APPLICATION:
Men without God need more than an example if they are going to come to Christ. Jesus was the highest possible example, yet Judas rejected everything He represented. Unless people respond to the convicting work of the Spirit, no one can come to Christ.
Judas could not have been simply a naive person; he was driven by the devil. When people with negative volition operate in that sphere long enough, they often find themselves trapped in their own decisions. Did the handling of the treasury for the apostles cause Judas to become sold out to money? Did materialism become his god? Evidently so.
