Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus found His disciples, Peter, James and John” asleep while He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, and after allowing them to continue sleeping for a while said, “Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that does betray me. And while he yet spoke, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast”, and in chapter twenty-six and verse forty-nine of his book, Matthew writes how Judas, “came to Jesus … and kissed him” where we read:
And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.
The verse reads, “And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master;” Matthew began words, “and forthwith” which means “straightaway and immediately” “he came” or “Judas approached and came forth” “to Jesus” which refers to “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate whose name means Jehovah is Salvation”, “Hail, master” which means “be well, God speed, greetings and joy my great one, honorable sir and Rabbi which was a term used by the Jews to address their teachers”. Matthew shared how Judas immediately approached Jesus and “greeted” Him as “my great one or honorable Sir” who was his “Rabbi or teacher”.
The verse goes on to say, “and kissed him.” Matthew continued with the words, “and kissed him” or “kissed Jesus earnestly, fondly again and again and tenderly”. Matthew shared how Judas “kissed” Jesus fondly over and over again.
When we meditate upon Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Judas gave Jesus an extended, affectionate and passionate “kiss”. He appeared to be “greeting Jesus” with honor as His “teacher” but was actually only identifying Him for the “religious leaders” and the multitude with them. Jesus knew what Judas was doing, and He allowed him to “betray” Him because this would be a step toward the “salvation” of mankind. People have “sinned”, (“All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23), and every person needs to be “saved” from the penalty of sin which is death. (See Romans 6:23). Judas “betrayed” Jesus with an “affectionate kiss”, and anyone who refuses to receive Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” join in Judas' betrayal of Jesus as well. Let all who read these words carefully consider this “betrayal” of Judas and be certain they never align with him.
Next time Matthew shares how Jesus asked Judas, “Friend, why are you come?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
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Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
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