John - Betrayal

Betrayal is the lowest thing anyone can do. Jesus must have felt more pained at that than at anything else that happened to him. The worst was handing over the best to be killed. To others it must have seemed like personal failure and the failure of his mission. It would lead directly to his crucifixion. Yet at that moment Jesus' concern was for his apostles not for himself. He knew they were not yet able to carry a cross - 'you cannot follow me now'; but he reassured them with the promise they would follow him later. indeed, he spoke of those events as 'glory'. When it happened he would have the glory of being the Saviour of the world; God's glory would be seen in his salvation of sinners; and God would reward Jesus with the highest name - 'the Lamb upon the Throne'. This should influence our view of suffering. We should relate it to the purpose of God, remembering the full salvation purchased on the cross. It is working for believers a weight of glory that will make the suffering appear insignificant.