When Betrayal Strikes: Finding Hope in the Darkest Moments
Betrayal cuts deeper than any other wound. When someone we trust turns against us, the pain can feel unbearable. In John 13, we find Jesus experiencing this very human pain, betrayal by one of his closest companions.
The Sting of Betrayal: From Caesar to Christ
In 44 BC, Julius Caesar walked into the Roman Senate at the height of his power. As senators rushed him with daggers, he fought them off until he saw Brutus, not just any senator, but his friend and protégé. Caesar’s final words, “Et tu, Brute?” (You too, Brutus?) capture the essence of betrayal’s sting.
This same pain is what Jesus experiences in John 13. The problem isn’t the enemy with a sword. It’s the friend with bread sitting at your table, the one you trust, the one you believe has your best interest at heart.
Why Does Betrayal Hurt So Much?
We all know betrayal’s sting. Sometimes it comes in small ways, a friend sharing your secret with the whole school. Other times, it arrives devastatingly, broken marriage vows or false accusations.
Betrayal hurts most when it comes from someone close, someone we believed was in our corner.
The Biblical Pattern of Betrayal
In John 13:18-20, Jesus quotes Psalm 41: “He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.” This imagery of the heel has a rich history in Scripture.
The first mention appears in Genesis 3:15 when God tells the serpent: “He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” The Hebrew word for heel is “aqev.”
Later, in Genesis 25, Jacob is born grasping his brother’s heel, earning him the name “Yaaqev” (heel-grabber). To grab someone’s heel requires two things:
- Close proximity
- The element of surprise
The heel becomes synonymous with treachery, being close enough to touch someone, then surprising them with an attack from behind.
The Moment of Betrayal: Bread and Darkness
Jesus reveals his betrayer will be “he to whom I give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” Sharing bread was an intimate act of friendship, requiring closeness and trust. Yet Jesus knowingly shares this morsel with Judas, who will betray him.
After receiving the bread, Judas immediately leaves, and John adds this significant detail: “it was night.” This isn’t just physical darkness but represents the spiritual darkness Judas enters as Satan takes hold of him.
John wants us to remember the opening of his gospel. Jesus is the light that entered the darkness, and “the darkness has not overcome it.” Even in this moment of betrayal, darkness will not have the final word.
How Did Jesus Respond to Betrayal?
After Judas leaves, Jesus doesn’t spiral into bitterness or revenge. Instead, he speaks of glory: “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.”
God’s glory isn’t revealed through military conquest as the disciples expected. It comes through the cross. We see God’s glory in Jesus, crucified, buried, and risen.
Then Jesus gives what he calls a “new commandment:” “Love one another as I have loved you.” This wasn’t new in content (loving others was commanded in the Old Testament) but new in measure: love as Jesus loved.
What Does Christ-like Love Look Like?
Jesus loves enough to wash the feet of the one who will wound him. He shares bread with the one who will betray him. This is the measure of his love.
The proof of our discipleship isn’t found in our knowledge but in our love for one another. Jesus demonstrates this love even in the face of betrayal.
Finding Hope When You’ve Been Betrayed
All of us carry the pain of betrayal. It goes deep and lingers, sometimes feeling like it will never fade. You may have experienced it in relationships, marriage, friendships, work, or even church.
But betrayal doesn’t get the last word. God wasn’t caught off guard by Judas’s actions. Jesus still loved, still served, and still washed feet when it didn’t make sense.
The serpent may strike, but in Christ, the bruised heel becomes a crushing blow. We don’t pretend these wounds don’t hurt, but in Christ, this bruised heel leads to resurrection.
If betrayal hadn’t happened, the cross wouldn’t have happened. And without the cross, there would be no resurrection and empty tomb. We have life and hope because Jesus walked that incredibly dark road.
Life Application
We all carry heel marks from betrayal. But what if we became a community where betrayal doesn’t make us bitter but better? What if our response to being wounded was to become more compassionate, more loving—even toward those who seem unlovable?
Imagine if our scars told the story of God’s unspeakable love and grace rather than our unresolved pain.
Ask yourself:
- How am I responding to the betrayals in my life?
- Am I allowing my wounds to make me bitter or better?
- How can I love others as Jesus loved, even those who have hurt me?
- What would it look like to let my scars tell a story of God’s grace rather than my pain?
This week, identify one relationship where you’ve experienced betrayal. Pray for the strength to respond with Christ-like love. Remember that your wounds, like Christ’s, can become channels of resurrection power when surrendered to God.