Betrayal

Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved, the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper and had said, "Master, who is the one who will betray you?"

When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about him?" Jesus said to him, "What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours?   You follow me." 

So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die. But Jesus had not told him that he would not die, just "What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours?"

It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written. (John 21:20-25)

The End [of the Gospel according to John].  Who is this disciple whom Jesus loved, the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper?  Quite the mystery!  According to Jesus (as told to us by John), this disciple would remain until Jesus came [again].  Jesus said this disciple’s testimony he had written about Jesus would be true.  

I suggest these statements about the beloved disciple are self-serving for John, the writer, who appears to refer to himself as “beloved” whose testimony/writing is true.  Jesus is made – through John’s words – to give John his imprimatur, his guarantee that it all happened as John described.  Now that’s powerful confirmation for John’s audience.

Perhaps it’s John’s head figuratively laying on Jesus’ chest and listening to his heart.  This suggestion contrasts with Leonardo DaVinci’s imaginative painting of the Last Supper. As we look at the painting, from left to right the Apostles are Bartholomew, James the Less, Andrew, Peter, Judas, John, [the Lord], Thomas, James the Great, Philip, Matthew, Jude, and Simon. Leonardo has arranged them in trios.

Here’s an account I found helpful: (begin) Leonardo chose to illustrate the dramatic moment described in John 13:21-30 when the Lord prophesized Judas’ betrayal. Leonardo captured the shock and bewilderment among the Apostles in the moments after Jesus had said, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.”

As Matthew wrote, “And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, ‘Surely not I, Lord?’” (26:17-30). That question was the same one Mark recorded (14:12-25).  Luke wrote: “Then they began to ask one another which one of them it could be who would do this” (22:7-23). But it’s John that fired Leonardo’s imagination.

John wrote, referring to himself: “One of his disciples – the one whom Jesus loved – was reclining next to him” – that “him” refers to Jesus – and “Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking.”

The three on the left seem unsure they’ve heard correctly, and James is reaching out to Peter, perhaps for clarification because Peter is the one you’d ask.  For his part, Peter leans behind Judas to ask John, since John is closest to Jesus, to ask the Lord for the identity of the betrayer. 

Thomas, the other James, and Philip all seem to be expressing one or another version of anxiety about their own possible guilt, and Matthew and Jude, may be asking Simon one of two questions: “Is it you?” – or – “What did the Lord say?”

Every one of them is in denial, with the possible exception of Judas, who clutches his money bag in his right hand and reaches out with his left to dip his finger in the bowl, just as Jesus does the same with His right hand. (end)

John’s ending is powerful support for all he had believed and written.  So, have we also laid our heads on Jesus’ chest? Do we listen to his heart?  We already are beloved by Jesus.  Do we return the affection? Or, like Judas, do we clutch our money bags in our right hands and reach out with our left to dip our fingers in the bowl, just as Jesus did the same with his right hand.

Deacon David Pierce