No Greater Love - Your Daily Forward Devotional

No Greater Love

April 26

Read John 18:1-11 (ESV)

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground. So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

Reflect

Why was Jesus willing to “drink the cup” that the Father had given Him? Why didn’t He use His power to fight back?

In Psalm 41:9, King David penned these words when a “friend” betrayed him: “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.” In other words, this fake friend kicked him while was down. But, like many psalms of David, this psalm has a deeper, prophetic meaning. Remember that King David is a “type” of Christ. That means that David was a prophetic symbol that foreshadowed or pointed ahead to Christ. We saw the fulfillment of this prophecy in John 13:26 when Jesus was having His last supper with His disciples. He identified the one who would betray Him by saying: “’It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.’ After Jesus dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot and then He told him, ‘What you are going to do, do quickly’” (John 13:27).

Matthew’s Gospel account told us that Judas went to the chief priest and asked what they’d give him if he handed Jesus over to them. They were willing to pay 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16). Amazingly, that is the exact price the prophet Zechariah had written about in Zechariah 11:13: “Then the LORD said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter.”

In Matthew 27:3-10, Judas was actually filled with remorse and attempted to return the money to the chief priests and the elders. But they wouldn’t accept it. So Judas threw the silver into the temple and then hanged himself. The chief priests wouldn’t put blood money in the Lord’s treasury, so they took it and bought the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners.

My point is that all of these events, right down to the last-minute details, were ordained by God long before they came to pass. That is why John wrote in verse 4, that Jesus knew everything that would happen to him. The major theme of John’s Gospel is the deity of Christ thus, he emphasized that Jesus was omniscient. He knew what the Father knew. Isn’t it amazing though, that Jesus knew all of these horrible details about His future rejection by His own people, betrayal by a close companion, and excruciating death but He still came to earth! He still taught the Truth even though many people wouldn't accept it. He still validated His Words with miracles and ministered to people who would reject Him, betray Him, deny Him, and crucify Him. Why was He willing to suffer like that?

Because He loves us. Yes, He knew that many would reject Him. But He also knew that many would be saved by His work on the cross. He loved us and gave Himself up for us (Galatians 2:20, Ephesians 5:2)! Remember in John 10:11 when Jesus said that He was the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep? He protects and works on behalf of those He loves; those who belong to Him. We see this in action in today’s passage when Jesus ensured the protection of the disciples. He stepped forward to take the heat and commanded that the soldiers let the disciples go. Only He would pay the price for our sins. And no one would make Him do it either. He wasn’t just a pawn. He said, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father” (John 10:18).

Friends, Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to Him. And yet, He willingly laid down His life out of love for us. I don’t know anyone who loves anyone more than that.

Respond

Jesus, thank You for loving me so much that while I was still a sinner, You died for me (Romans 5:8). There is no greater love one earth than the love that You have lavished on me. Now I can be called a child of God (1 John 3:1)! Amen.

Reveal: Have you ever been betrayed by a close friend? How might responding in grace and forgiveness reveal the love of Christ to the person who betrayed you or to others aware of the situation?

~ Pastor Nat Crawford