Day 4 – Wednesday: When Betrayal Sits at the Table
A Jacked Up Holy Week - An Eight Day Devotional
📖 Luke 22:3–4 (NET)
“Then Satan entered Judas, the one called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve. He went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers of the temple guard how he might betray Jesus.”
🍞 The Knife in the Back… from the Seat Next to You
There’s a unique pain that comes from being hurt by someone who knew the real you. Someone who ate at your table. Laughed at your jokes. Prayed with you. Shared secrets.
That’s what makes Wednesday of Holy Week so brutal. Judas wasn’t a stranger. He was one of the twelve. One of Jesus’ chosen.
And he sold Him out.
🤝 When Betrayal Doesn’t Look Like a Backstab
Judas didn’t yell. He didn’t storm off. He didn’t fight Jesus in the open. He slipped away and had a quiet conversation with the very people plotting Jesus’ death.
Betrayal isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s subtle. A passive-aggressive remark. A friend who disappears when you need them most. A spouse whose emotional distance becomes a chasm. A church that closes ranks instead of extending grace.
Sometimes, the one who kisses your cheek is also the one who turns you in.
💔 When Grace Still Shares the Bread
Here’s what gets me—Jesus knew. He knew exactly what Judas was doing, and He still washed his feet. Still broke bread with him. Still called him “friend.”
If you’ve been betrayed and wondered, “How could they?”—Jesus gets it. Not just the theory of it, but the full sting. And still, He chose love. Not denial. Not revenge. Not self-protection. Love.
That doesn’t mean we should ignore boundaries or stay in toxic situations. But it does mean we don’t have to let betrayal calcify our hearts.
Because when we carry betrayal to the cross, we’re not alone.
🙏 Reflection Questions:
Who has betrayed me—and what wounds am I still carrying from it?
How does Jesus’ response to Judas challenge or comfort me?
Where might I need to forgive—or at least begin to heal?
👉 Hit reply or share in the comments to share your answers to today's reflection questions!
I find it fascinating how Judas could sit there even knowing what he was about to do and still break bread