Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me." – Matthew 26:23

Today's Scripture Reading (February 8, 2024): Matthew 26

William Shatner and George Takei don't get along. That is true, depending on who it is that is speaking. Takei (Sulu on "Star Trek: The Original Series") doesn't seem to take the rumors of his feud with his former on-screen Captain (Kirk) too seriously. According to Takei, Shatner only brings up the rivalry when he requires publicity for a new project on which he is embarking. According to Shatner, who knows? For the most part, the actor seems to like to remain silent on the issue unless he needs publicity.

George Takei admits that the feud has some substance that goes back to their Star Trek days. Takei admits that Shatner is an outstanding actor, but he can be a little self-absorbed and rarely seems to understand how to work as a team with the rest of the cast. The camera always needed to be on him. And Shatner appears to continue that focus, even remarking that no one cared when Takei came out as gay. (George, we care.) Is the feud possibly just a show for Trekkies and one way of keeping the remaining stars in the headlines? I am not sure I would discount that assessment, but there does seem to be something negative between the two Star Trek actors.

An old idiom declares that familiarity breeds contempt. The more we know about each other and spend time with each other, the less we sometimes realize that we like each other. It is one of the more common reasons for divorce. Often, I hear one spouse declaring to the other, "I never really knew you." The implication is that I would not have married you if I had. And so, divorce is the only answer. Sometimes, feuds between on-screen (or off-screen) friends can feel like a divorce.

So, what about the feud between Jesus and Judas? It is easy to take sides; Jesus was God, and Judas was the Devil. That appears to be the understanding of the conflict as it is understood by the disciples. But Jesus's words remind us of something else. By saying that the betrayer came from the Twelve and that he is "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me," Jesus reminds us that he and Judas were friends. And we need to ensure we don't take that fact too lightly. They knew each other well, yet something seemed to have happened to the friendship.

John appears to indicate that part of the reason behind the betrayal was that Judas was a thief. While I recognize that the accusation is biblical (John 12:6), we may need to be careful about an indictment that is brought by only one witness, and in this, John stands alone. Even the Bible warns us that two or three witnesses must corroborate a charge, and there is something unseemly about the idea of stealing from a friend. There is also a question about what Judas being a thief would have to do with the betrayal. There are at least two possible answers. Maybe he was tempted by the amount of money he was offered to do the job (although he seems to have gone to the priests with the offer to betray Jesus before he knew that he would be paid for that betrayal). Or his friend Jesus knew he was stealing and was about to confront him. As far as feuds go, here lies the seeds for a good one, and while both Jesus and Judas died shortly after the betrayal, the Christian Church has taken up the feud with Judas.

But there might be another answer, albeit it would mean that either John's accusation was wrong or unconnected with the betrayal. We know Jesus's disciples and friends did not get the Rabbi and his mission. They were still looking for a military advantage over Rome. Some believed that Judas might have been a Zealot, committed to overthrowing Rome, and it seems possible that Judas's betrayal was a way to force Jesus's hand toward a military solution. If Jesus were betrayed into the hands of his enemies, he would be forced to expedite his plans for a military victory over Rome.  

Of course, all of this extends out of a misunderstanding between friends; in this case, that misunderstanding is entirely on the part of Judas. And Judas didn't stay around long enough to understand the real victory that Jesus was planning, a victory that was brought a step closer because of a friend's betrayal.   

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Mark 14

See also Mark 14:10