Christi Iscariot

Imagine what it meant to Jesus to be betrayed with a kiss. . . .imagine the stench of hypocrisy that assailed His senses as Judas met him with the greeting of a friend when they both knew differently. Jesus had railed against hypocrisy with a special vehemence throughout His entire ministry. How is it that someone so intimately connected with Him could be utterly unaffected by what he had seen and heard? What did that feel like for Jesus? Was He angry?

Imagine what it was like for Jesus to hear Judas pretending to care about the poor as he continued to pilfer the group's funds for his own interests. And in spite of it, for Jesus to continue pouring Himself out for Judas' sake, His investment of time and energy undiminished by Judas' lack of progress. Was He frustrated? Did He ever feel like He was wasting His time?

Imagine what thoughts ran through Jesus' brain as He tenderly washed the dust and grime from Judas' feet, full of the knowledge that Judas was looking for a chance even then to slip out the door and betray Him. Did He wonder why He hadn't been able to win Judas' heart?

Imagine the anguish, on the cross, as Jesus felt the weight of Judas' cowardly, selfish sin fall on His own head and knew that His own Father could not bear the sight of Him because of it. Did He ever dare to hope that Judas might finally love Him, once He had paid for His sin and made for him a way back home?

Has He ever felt any of those things about me?