By Traci Rhoades
There’s an old expression, “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” It’s attributed to Michael Corleone, youngest son of Vito Corleone, in “The Godfather II.”
The conceptual roots of this expression are often traced back much further, to the fifth century, and Sun Tzu’s book, “The Art of War.” Or perhaps there’s a tie to Niccolo Machiavelli’s “The Prince,” written in the late 1400s.
We could have a friendly debate over what Jesus would think about the idea. Where does the idea of an enemy fit in with the second greatest commandment, “love your neighbor as yourself,” (Matthew 22:39) and perhaps more importantly, did Jesus consider Judas an enemy?
According to church tradition, the Wednesday of Holy Week is known as Spy Wednesday. It’s the day Judas goes to the chief priests and strikes up a deal, Jesus the Christ for 30 pieces of silver.
The literal translation in Matthew 26:14-25 explains that Judas “handed over” Jesus. As John the Baptist was handed over. As Jesus prophesied the disciples would be handed over to the authorities.
One of Jesus’s closest companions betrayed him. It wasn’t enough for the Son of God to experience physical pain and suffering, he knew relational suffering too; abandonment, profound misunderstanding, and betrayal.
The author of Hebrews picked up on this idea, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)
Who was this man Jesus chose as an apostle - one of the Twelve? Judas’s given last name, Iscariot, has layers of interpretation. Most commonly, it signifies where Judas is from, a town likely located in southern Judea, although its exact location is debated. If the location is accurate, it makes Judas the only Judean among the disciples.
Others suggest Iscariot is a variation of the term for “hired assassin,” or taken from the gospel of John, a transcription of the root phrase “He who was going to betray him.” In some Eastern Christian traditions, there are stories of Jesus meeting Judas as a child. He was treasurer among the disciples, and according to John, he stole from what was put into the lomoney bags (John 12:6). An interesting selection for the one who would betray Jesus.
Christians have long wrestled with the identity of Judas.
With all this in mind, we turn to Maundy Thursday, the beginning of the Easter Triduum (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday), so named because of the new commandment Jesus gave to his followers at the beginning of the Last Supper: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” (John 13:34)
Yes, the same John who wrote about Judas stealing from the money bag, places Judas at the table where Jesus commanded his followers to love another, as he had loved them. For three years, these men (and women) had traveled with Jesus; shared meals and witnessed miracles.
Keep your enemies closer, indeed.
See Jesus rise from the table. He removes his outer garment, wraps a towel around his waist, and kneels before each apostle. It’s before Simon Peter he declares this is not a bath, but a spiritual cleansing.
We read from John 13 in Eugene Peterson’s The Message: “My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you’re clean. But not every one of you.”
And still, Jesus knelt.
He washed the feet of the one who would deny him, the ones who would scatter in fear, and the one who would betray him with a kiss. No one was excluded from his love, not even Judas.
Perhaps this is where the wisdom of the world bends under the weight of the gospel. “Keep your enemies closer” may be a strategy for survival, but Jesus offers something far more radical: love your enemies, serve them, and do not withhold yourself, even when it costs you.
For Jesus, it cost him everything in the flesh, and in that surrender, eternity broke open, making a way for salvation.
—————
Traci Rhoades is a faith writer who advocates for an integrated life rooted in Christ. Her family of three loves living near the beach towns of Lake Michigan.
There’s an old expression, “keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” It’s attributed to Michael Corleone, youngest son of Vito Corleone, in “The Godfather II.”
The conceptual roots of this expression are often traced back much further, to the fifth century, and Sun Tzu’s book, “The Art of War.” Or perhaps there’s a tie to Niccolo Machiavelli’s “The Prince,” written in the late 1400s.
We could have a friendly debate over what Jesus would think about the idea. Where does the idea of an enemy fit in with the second greatest commandment, “love your neighbor as yourself,” (Matthew 22:39) and perhaps more importantly, did Jesus consider Judas an enemy?
According to church tradition, the Wednesday of Holy Week is known as Spy Wednesday. It’s the day Judas goes to the chief priests and strikes up a deal, Jesus the Christ for 30 pieces of silver.
The literal translation in Matthew 26:14-25 explains that Judas “handed over” Jesus. As John the Baptist was handed over. As Jesus prophesied the disciples would be handed over to the authorities.
One of Jesus’s closest companions betrayed him. It wasn’t enough for the Son of God to experience physical pain and suffering, he knew relational suffering too; abandonment, profound misunderstanding, and betrayal.
The author of Hebrews picked up on this idea, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)
Who was this man Jesus chose as an apostle - one of the Twelve? Judas’s given last name, Iscariot, has layers of interpretation. Most commonly, it signifies where Judas is from, a town likely located in southern Judea, although its exact location is debated. If the location is accurate, it makes Judas the only Judean among the disciples.
Others suggest Iscariot is a variation of the term for “hired assassin,” or taken from the gospel of John, a transcription of the root phrase “He who was going to betray him.” In some Eastern Christian traditions, there are stories of Jesus meeting Judas as a child. He was treasurer among the disciples, and according to John, he stole from what was put into the lomoney bags (John 12:6). An interesting selection for the one who would betray Jesus.
Christians have long wrestled with the identity of Judas.
With all this in mind, we turn to Maundy Thursday, the beginning of the Easter Triduum (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday), so named because of the new commandment Jesus gave to his followers at the beginning of the Last Supper: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” (John 13:34)
Yes, the same John who wrote about Judas stealing from the money bag, places Judas at the table where Jesus commanded his followers to love another, as he had loved them. For three years, these men (and women) had traveled with Jesus; shared meals and witnessed miracles.
Keep your enemies closer, indeed.
See Jesus rise from the table. He removes his outer garment, wraps a towel around his waist, and kneels before each apostle. It’s before Simon Peter he declares this is not a bath, but a spiritual cleansing.
We read from John 13 in Eugene Peterson’s The Message: “My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you’re clean. But not every one of you.”
And still, Jesus knelt.
He washed the feet of the one who would deny him, the ones who would scatter in fear, and the one who would betray him with a kiss. No one was excluded from his love, not even Judas.
Perhaps this is where the wisdom of the world bends under the weight of the gospel. “Keep your enemies closer” may be a strategy for survival, but Jesus offers something far more radical: love your enemies, serve them, and do not withhold yourself, even when it costs you.
For Jesus, it cost him everything in the flesh, and in that surrender, eternity broke open, making a way for salvation.
—————
Traci Rhoades is a faith writer who advocates for an integrated life rooted in Christ. Her family of three loves living near the beach towns of Lake Michigan.
