A Lesson from Judas the Betrayer: Spoiler of the Lord’s Supper – Wednesday of Holy Week (Spy Wednesday) Cycle A

On Spy Wednesday of Holy Week, what is a lesson to us? Is anything in us and among us troubling the Lord?

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Wednesday of Holy Week is the day to commemorate the day that Judas secretly “sold” Jesus to the chief priests for 30 silver coins (Matthew 26:14-16//Mark 14:10-11//Luke 22:3-6). Unlike the Synoptic Gospels, John’s Gospel narrative on Jesus’ Passion gives no account of this, though John describes that Jesus spoke about Judas’ betrayal figuratively before he spoke of Peter’s denial of him, as reflected in yesterday’s Gospel reading (John 13:10-11, 18-30). Because Judas arranged to arrest Jesus with the chief priests secretly on Wednesday of the week of Jesus’ death, as well as his last entry into Jerusalem, Wednesday of Holy Week is also called Spy Wednesday, in addition to Holy Wednesday.

Today’s Scripture readings (Isaiah 50:4-9a; Matthew 26:14-25) recall the first and Gospel readings on Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion (Isaiah 50:4-7; Matthew 16:14-27:66). Today, once again, we read from the 3^rd servant song of Isaiah in Isaiah 50 and the first portion from the Palm Sunday’s Gospel reading.

Compared to yesterday’s Gospel reading (John 13:21-33, 36-38) on how Jesus figuratively spoke of Judas’ impending betrayal and commanded him to do quickly during Last Supper (Lord’s Supper, as Jesus hosted this supper), today’s Gospel reading (Matthew 26:14-25) tells what Judas did secretly on the day before the Supper (vv. 14-16) and how Jesus spoke about Judas without mentioning his name and how the disciples reacted to this (vv. 20-25). In between these, the reading describes how the preparation for the supper was done (vv. 17-19). There is no account on Judas’ activity on Spy Wednesday and the preparation for Last Supper in John’s Gospel, though these are found in Matthew’s Gospel, as well as, in Mark’s and Luke’s Gospels.

Though it is not Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday), which is the last day of Lent, as its evening is the beginning of Paschal Triduum, the Gospel readings of yesterday and today, in addition to Palm Sunday’s Passion Gospel narrative, contain description of Lord’s Supper. The Gospel reading for tomorrow, Maundy Thursday, the day to commemorate Lord’s Supper, actually does not have any narrative of the supper per se but only the story of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet (John 13:1-15), which is also reflected on Maundy Thursday.

During Holy Week, we read on Lord’s Supper as a part of Palm Sunday Passion Gospel narrative, in addition to the Gospel readings on Holy Tuesday and Spy Wednesday on how Jesus broke out the his foreknowledge of the betrayer, without naming Judas, at the supper. Actually, the part of the institution of the Eucharist at the supper is read on the feast of Corporis et Sanguinis Christi (The Body and Blood of Christ) on Cycle B from Mark 14:12-16, 22-26.

We spend two days during Holy Week – Holy Tuesday and Spy Wednesday – to reflect on how Jesus spoke of his betrayer and how the disciples reacted to it at the Supper, as these are the two days to read the Gospel accounts on the Supper per se during Holy Week. It indicates that Holy Week rather focuses on how Jesus spoke about the betrayal of Judas to his disciples and their reaction at the Supper, rather than Jesus’ institution of the Holy Eucharist, while the Gospel reading focuses on his foot washing service to his disciples on the day to commemorate the Supper. Perhaps, Holy Week is the concluding period of Lent and Paschal Triduum, to focus on the Lord’s Passion and how our sins led to his suffering. The betrayal of Judas, which troubled (ἐταράχθη (etarachthe)) Jesus with the Spirit (John 13:21, cf. John 12:27) , represents our sinfulness. So, Judas, whose betrayal troubled Jesus at the Supper, is not just Judas, but he represents us in our sinfulness. And this spoiled the Supper, given not only it troubled Jesus but how the disciples reacted to its surprise announcement by Jesus at the Supper.

Supper is meant to be a good time. Jesus hosted the Supper on the evening of the day after the day Judas secretly “sold” him to the chief priests for 30 silver coins. The Supper was also Passover Sedar at the sundown on the first day of the seven-day Festival of Unleavened Bread (Matthew 26:17, 20, cf. Exodus 20:1-18; Leviticus 23:5-8). And, it was believed to have been held in the Upper Room (Cenacle) of the house of the mother of Mark, Mary. The Room was also where the disciples were hiding after Jesus’ death and where the risen Christ appeared to them (Mark 16:14//Luke 24:36-43//John 20:19-23). And, it was where Jesus “dropped the bomb”, suddenly announcing that someone among the twelve disciples eating with him would betray him at the Supper, as he was troubled with this matter.

Jesus had known about this (John 6:70; 13:17-18). He was in control, as he know it is in the prophecy (Psalm 41:10 (9); Isaiah 52:12-53:13) and as he was even commanding the betrayer (John 13:27). So, he could have stopped Judas, kept him from executing his plan of betrayal. Yet, he let Judas go ahead with his plan to offer him to the evil hands of the persecutors during Last Supper.

He was troubled, nevertheless. And, the trouble in the Spirit of Jesus at the supper returns to him with far more intensity as he prayed in the dark garden of Gethsemane, adjacent to Mt. Olive, after the Supper (Matthew 26:36-46//Mark 14:32-42//Luke 22:39-46).

The Scripture description of Judas on Spy Wednesday (Matthew 22:14-16) gives an impression that Judas betrayed Jesus out of his own greed, as he asked the chief priests, what they are willing to give him for his offer of Jesus to them, knowing that they were dying to catch and get rid of Jesus. Judas wanted to take advantage of the situation – pocketing some money for himself out of the situation, in which Jesus’ life was in danger, while the chief priests wanted to kill Jesus.

Does it make us scream, “That’s outrageous!” about the act of Judas? Whether it is the case with us or not, we must examine ourselves if we have something like this inside ourselves – disposition to make profits for ourselves out of others’ troubles – even a person in trouble is one we are close to. 

This is not just a story of Judas, the nasty greedy guy in the Bible. Any of us can be this Judas, if we let Satan take hold of us!

Though troubled, Jesus remained in control though troubled, because he knew he came to this world as his Father’s servant, as described in Isaiah’s four servant songs (Isaiah 42:1-4 or 1-9; 49:1-7 or 1-13; 50:4-9 or 4-11; 52:13-53:12. As in Isaiah 50:8-9, Jesus found confidence in the one whom he serves and who sent him in remaining in control over the situation. That is why he continued to be in control, even amidst tortures, as we can see him on later on the night before his death and on the day of his death – from his arrest to death.

In reflecting ourselves in light of today’s Scripture readings, let us examine where “Judas” is in ourselves and ask God to help us overcome evil in us. And, let us ask God to help us grow in faith through the Holy Spirit so that we can be as strong as Jesus, His beloved servant, who finds his source of strengths in Him.