Mark 14:43-47: a reflection

43Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came—and with him a multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. 44Now he who betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, “Whomever I will kiss, that is he. Seize him, and lead him away safely.” 45When he had come, immediately he came to him and said, “Rabbi! Rabbi!” and kissed him. 46They laid their hands on him and seized him. 47But a certain one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

In the garden, Judas leads an armed crowd to arrest Jesus, and he has given them a sign for identifying him: the one I kiss is the man; seize him. And so Judas approaches Jesus, greets him warmly, Rabbi!, and kisses him, using a gesture of affection and friendship as the very signal of betrayal. There is something peculiarly painful in this: Jesus is handed over to his enemies not by a stranger but by one of his own twelve, with a kiss, the form of love turned into the instrument of treachery.

Notice the particular wound here: betrayal by an intimate, with a sign of love. It is one thing to be attacked by an open enemy; it is another to be betrayed by a friend, one who had shared your table and your trust, and to have the very gesture of affection, a kiss, used against you. This is among the deepest of human wounds, the betrayal of trust by someone close, love's form used for treachery's ends.

And Jesus endured it. If you have known the pain of betrayal by someone close, a friend, a family member, someone you trusted, who used your trust or your affection against you, know that Jesus understands that wound. He was betrayed by one of his own, with a kiss. He is not a Savior distant from our deepest hurts, but one who has felt the sting of betrayal by an intimate. When you are wounded by the betrayal of someone close, bring that pain to the One who was betrayed with a kiss. He understands it, he has borne it, and he meets you in it with a compassion born of his own experience of that very wound.

Lord Jesus, you were betrayed in the garden not by a stranger but by one of your own twelve, with a kiss, the form of love turned into the instrument of treachery. When I know the pain of betrayal by someone close, a friend, a family member, someone I trusted, who used my trust or affection against me, thank you that you understand that wound. You felt the sting of betrayal by an intimate; you are not distant from my deepest hurts, but have borne them yourself. When I am wounded by such betrayal, help me bring the pain to you, who were betrayed with a kiss. Meet me in it with the compassion of one who has known that very wound, and help me, in time, to forgive as you forgave. Thank you that you understand.