John 6: 70-71
‘Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)’
This is a highly unusual passage in that Jesus calls out Judas Iscariot indirectly, letting him know that Jesus knows who and what he is. The indirect approach also leaves the other disciples all looking at each other and wondering which one of them is a devil. Clearly, Jesus is not into “team building.” What he says has the effect of putting each disciple on guard against the others and even against their own inner selves.
It is also interesting to me that Jesus would choose a devil to be one of his disciples, and in so doing choose to have this enemy “spy” live with him day in and day out for the whole of his ministry. What I take from that is that if Jesus can work with someone whom he knows will eventually be the cause of his death and still be civil to him every day, then I should be able to work with people who frustrate me and still treat them as Jesus treated Judas.
Q: If I write the posts for this blog in an office, does that make the office a ‘post office?’
Hehe 🙂 lol
I don’t know if I’m misunderstanding you, but I think Jesus is very intentional about team building – he just knows who is the devil/dragon of the group. I think it is healthy for building a team to recognize the potential failure in ourselves (at this point did Judas know he was the one of whom Jesus spoke??). I also think it is healthy for us to recognize that some who claim Christ are really agents of Satan or at the least very fallible/broken people.
I specifically remember a day in one of my seminary classes where my professor told us all that in ministry “there be dragons”. The prof warned that someone even in our classroom could be a dragon in disguise. It was an incredibly helpful discussion that I think helps me up to work in a team. I come knowing and expecting the enemy to attack. When you work in a team you are going to be hurt by people (not dragons) and there is always the possibility of a hidden dragon who came to destroy as one who serves the evil one.
Just a Nathan thought and something I found valuable in my growth.
Nathan
Thank you for sharing your thoughts this morning! This idea of being around devils is challenging in a good way. It challenges us to be more reliant on our Lord and it challenges us to love as Christ loved even to the point of turning the other cheek and asking God to forgive our enemies.
Now how am I supposed to answer a question that is a pun 🙂
I find it fascinating that Jesus washed the feet of Judas right before Judas betrayed Him. He served Judas and washed his feet! That amazes me and demonstrates that our service is for first and foremost to God and not only for the person we are serving. If we serve all people as unto the Lord, then with His strength we can serve all people.
So if I post a joke and it dies, it would be post modem?
Ha Ha Ha! 🙂
Debbie says you get 2 points!!
All right, I’m winning!