Jesus, betrayed and forsaken

Jesus, betrayed and forsaken

 

 

At the Last Supper, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me."  And on the Mount of Olives, He also said, "Tonight, all of you will fall away on account of me.  For it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'  But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee" (Matthew 26:21, 31-32, Korean Modern Bible).  As I meditate on this, I realize that during the Last Supper, Jesus knew that Judas Iscariot would betray Him, and when He went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, He knew that all His disciples would forsake Him.  Ultimately, Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and forsaken by all His disciples.  Then, on the cross, Jesus was forsaken by God the Father (Matthew 27:46), the God of love (1 John 4:8, 16).  As I reflect on Jesus being betrayed and forsaken, the words of a hymn come to mind: “Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a present far too small; Love so amazing, so divine” (Hymn “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” 4th verse).