“Friend, do what you came for.”

“Friend, do what you came for.”

 

 

Judas Iscariot, after having made prior arrangements with the chief priests and elders and coordinating a signal, approached Jesus and greeted Him saying, "Rabbi," and kissed Him.  At that moment, Jesus said to Judas, "Friend, do what you came for," and then they seized Jesus (Matthew 26:47-50, Korean Modern Bible).  As I reflect on this passage, several thoughts come to mind:

 

(1)    I believe that Judas' kiss of Jesus is the exact opposite of what is described in Psalms 2:12: "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry and you perish in the way, for His wrath is quickly kindled.  Blessed are all who take refuge in Him."  The psalmist, when advising to kiss the Son—the anointed King (v. 2), the Messiah, who is God's Son (v. 12), meant to show honor and submission to Christ as a sign of reverence (Chokmah).  However, Judas, in his disobedience, used the kiss as a sign of betrayal against Jesus instead of as a sign of submission. 

 

(2)    As I reflect on Jesus calling Judas "Friend," I am reminded of what Jesus said in John 15:13: "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends" (Korean Modern Bible).  I believe that Jesus laid down His life even for Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.  This aligns with Matthew 5:44, where Jesus says, "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Korean New Translation).

 

(3)    In Matthew 26:50 (Korean Modern Bible), Jesus said to Judas, "Do what you came for, friend," knowing that what Judas intended to do was betray Him (v 46).  Even though Jesus knew that His beloved disciple, Judas, would betray Him, He still said to him, "Do what you came for" with love.  This brings to mind Genesis 24:42 (Korean Modern Bible): "I prayed this prayer at the well today: 'Lord, the God of my master Abraham, if you will, please grant success to the journey I am on.'"  This refers to the servant of Abraham (v 2) obeying Abraham's command to go to Mesopotamia and choose a wife for Isaac, praying by the well outside the town where Nahor lived (vv 10-11).  As he prayed, "If it is your will, please let this work out," his prayer was answered. However, Judas’s intent was to betray Jesus, and this was part of God's plan (Ref.: vv. 39, 42).  Therefore, Jesus said to Judas, "Do what you came for" (v. 50, Korean Modern Bible).  The hymn "My Jesus, as Thou Wilt" was written by Benjamin Schmolck (1672-1737), a Lutheran pastor from Germany, during a time of intense suffering.  In 1704, when Schmolck was 32, he returned home after visiting someone, only to find that his house had burned down, and his two sons were tragically killed in the fire.  After crying out in despair, he had a vision of the Lord praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, leading him to write the hymn "Mein Jesu, wie du willst" ("My Jesus, as you will").  The final verse, "Whether I live or die, let it be according to Your will," is his faith confession (Internet).