Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Monday, March 17, 2014 Read John 13:21-30 Already in the foot-washing John has developed the contrast between the love of Jesus and the tragedy of the betrayer. Now Jesus begins to speak to the disciples as if they had never heard about such a thing. They are shocked to hear Jesus statement. If they had heard Jesus words just a few minutes ago in the foot-washing why are they surprised now? It is these “discrepancies” that leads scholars to say that two stories have been brought together. I think there is value in that observation, though such a “discovery” can only help us if we do not get hung up on trying to decide what is “accurate” what is not. The words John uses at this point sound very much like the discussion that emerges in Mark’s account of the meal. Jesus makes a statement that one of those present will betray him and the group, in bewilderment, begins to wonder who it might be. The story reveals that all of them are very aware that it just might be them. The similarity between John and Mark likely means that an older tradition rests behind both – we have noticed that phenomenon before. John does provide us with some pieces of information that we need to discuss. First of all, John tells us of a “disciple who Jesus loved” who is reclining next to Jesus. We have heard of a “disciple who Jesus loved” once before – Lazarus. Is Lazarus at the table? John doesn’t say. Or, is this another disciple? Tradition has identified this disciple as John, the son of Zebedee, but it important to note that John doesn’t say that either. This “disciple who Jesus loved” will reappear later in the story. For now we will simply need to let his identity be wrapped in mystery. John also makes more specific the identity of Judas – he is the one who Jesus takes bread and dips it in the dish and gives to Judas (now identified by John as the son of Simon Iscariot). John tells us that after Judas took the bread Satan entered into him. Was Satan in the bread? Haven’t we already been told that Satan had put it into the heart of Judas to betray him? Again these small “discrepancies” point to the possibility that more than one story is being woven together. The story also reinforces the concept that powers greater that just Judas’ will are involved. They mystery deepens. Once Judas has received the bread Jesus tells him to go and do quickly what he has set out to do. The disciples misunderstand thinking perhaps Jesus has sent Judas to buy what would be needed to celebrate the Passover later – a certain statement that the disciples do not understand the present meal as the Passover. Such a thought would never have entered their minds within Mark’s storyline – in that storyline they were celebrating Passover at that very moment. Did Judas understand what Jesus was telling him? That is a mystery we cannot solve either. In a final word John tells us that when Judas left “it was night.” That is not so much an attempt to tell us what time of day it was as to point out that Judas was now entering the darkness. The words are symbolic – we should not miss John’s great storytelling ability and technique. Judas was now entering the darkness from which he will tragically never emerge.