Jesus has just dropped a shocking statement at the Passover table:
“Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
— Matthew 26:21
And the room immediately changes.
Matthew tells us the disciples become deeply distressed and begin asking Jesus one by one:
“Is it I, Lord?”
— Matthew 26:22
Then Judas speaks.
His question sounds almost identical.
Almost.
“Is it I, Rabbi?”
— Matthew 26:25
It's easy to skip right past, but notice that difference...
The others say:
“Lord.”
Judas says:
“Rabbi.”
Teacher.
It's one word.
But one word can make ALL the difference.
It was one word that Matthew felt needed preservation.
And later that same night, when Judas walks into Gethsemane to betray Jesus...
he uses the same title again:
“Greetings, Rabbi!”
— Matthew 26:49
Then he kisses Him.
I don't think we should pretend we can know everything happening inside Judas's heart simply from this title alone.
But Matthew's wording gives us something worth thinking about.
Judas had spent years learning from Jesus.
He had heard His teaching.
Watched His miracles.
Walked alongside His ministry.
Shared the table with Him.
He could recognize Jesus as a remarkable teacher...
while refusing to submit to Him as Lord.
And maybe that's not just Judas's problem.
We can see in our world, today that it's entirely possible to
admire Jesus without surrendering to Him.
Quote Him.
Learn from Him.
Appreciate His wisdom.
Even build parts of our lives around what He taught...
while still reserving the right to decide which parts to obey.
The vast majority tend to be quite comfortable with
Jesus the Teacher.
Love your neighbor.
Forgive.
Care for the poor.
Treat people with compassion.
But Jesus' desire was never to be just a respected voice in our lives.
He called us to follow Him.
To obey Him.
To belong to Him.
Because there is an enormous difference between asking:
“What can Jesus teach me?”
and declaring:
“Jesus is Lord.”
Judas was close enough to sit at His table.
Close enough to hear His voice.
Close enough to call Him Rabbi.
But closeness wasn't the issue.
Surrender was.
And perhaps that's the question Matthew leaves sitting for us at the table:
Is Jesus merely someone I learn from...
or is He the Lord I follow?
Praise be to God.
— Drew
P.S. Learning what Jesus taught matters.
But the goal has never been information alone.
Everything I write is meant to help us understand His Word more deeply—and place our lives under the Lord who spoke it.
Forward this to someone
who needs it today!
And reply with any thoughts or questions,
I respond to every one!
Join other believers discovering not just what they believe—but why it’s true.
|
