A Hand on The Table
At MBC, we have been studying Luke’s Gospel for nine months. In recent memory, this has been our longest sermon series, which we have surveyed in five acts. Now we’ve arrived at familiar sections of the passion narrative. The Last Supper, the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, the denial of Peter, the trial before Pontius Pilate—each scene is well known even in popular culture. However, I’d like to challenge the reader: do not let your familiarity with the text allow you to overlook the rich truths embedded here.
In Luke 22-23, the theme of betrayal becomes prominent. Have you ever felt the sting of betrayal? If it has happened to you, betrayal needs no introduction. This story is but one example of a recurrent scene through history. A spouse is unfaithful. A friend reveals an embarrassing secret to others. A business partner embezzles money. Someone lies to you for his or her own benefit. The list goes on and on and on.
Betrayal is painful. Betrayal is common. Betrayal has consequences. The great reformer Martin Luther reminds us why betrayal cuts so deep in our hearts …
“Each betrayal begins with trust.”
When the actions are reveal, our first words following the shock are often, “I trusted you!” Betrayal requires relational trust. In Luke’s Gospel, the most famous example of betrayal is Judas Iscariot. One of the disciples sitting at the table with Jesus. Now, of course, Jesus knew this betrayal was coming but being fully human, I don’t imagine the foreknowledge shielded him from the emotional pain. The last meal concludes with these words …
But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. (Luke 22:21, ESV)
“Behold!” it is a word meant to capture our attention. “The hand of my betrayer is on the table.” Table fellowship is extremely important. If you are each a meal with someone, you have let them into your close circle. You have some level of relational trust. If someone betrays you, it is likely their hand was somewhere on your table.
Another reason betrayal is so painful is that it requires some level of duplicity; it involves deception. The hand may be on the table, but it is a sleight of hand. A trick has been played on you. One moment your hands are on the table, the next moment a knife is in your back. Because it was a friend you didn’t see it coming.
Whose hand has been on your table?
Yet, betrayal was part of God’s plan of salvation.
For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this. Luke 22:22-23, ESV
Notice the other disciples are shocked and confused. Shocked! They, likewise, did not see it coming. Who would betray Jesus?! The NIV renders v. 22 this way, “The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed.” Did you hear that? This, very famous, betrayal, was decreed by God himself. Why? I wonder if it was twofold. First, it helps us to see the pain of Jesus. It helps us to see how much he suffered for us. Second, Jesus now knows the pain we’ve been through. Jesus too was betrayed by a friend. In Luke 22 and 23, we see Jesus’s “Final Farewell.” The question I would like to explore is this: Would you betray Jesus? Have you betrayed Jesus? That is a piercing question. It is an uncomfortable question. It is also an odd question. After all, we were not there; most of our names are not Judas. What does betrayal look like today? Author Mike McKinley offers a pointed description:
Lots of people say they want to follow Jesus […] But the reasons why you want to follow Jesus will only become clear in the hard times. After all, it’s easy to follow Jesus when things are good. Everyone likes God when life is going along as you had hoped. But when you’re not getting the things you want, will you still follow him? When it looks as if following him is going to bring you benefit, it’s fine. But when it becomes obvious that faith will cost you, what will you do?[1]
Most of Jesus’ disciples pledged commitment to him. But when times got tough, many departed. That may be true of some in this room. Following Jesus is great when the bank is full; when your health is good; when relationships are satisfying. But when something breaks down, when hopes are dashed—Jesus becomes a punching bag rather than our refuge. Many have walked away when times are tough. If we walk away when following Jesus costs us … our hand may be on the table.
The Dispute
Alright, first, let’s talk about disputes. What causes disputes in your life? Feel free to take out your phone and make a list right now. Some of us may have some many disputes right now, we’ve created a to do list to keep up with them! Maybe you have a dispute with your spouse over finances, how to discipline the kids, or something more mundane like toilet paper brands . Maybe you have a dispute with a co-worker over a role on a project; a dispute with a friend over weekend plans; dispute with a family member over political convictions. Again I could go on and on and on.
I do want to observe that disputes often involved issues of power or reputation. This is what we see in Luke 22:24 …
A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. (Luke 22:24, ESV)
Now this is some interesting dinner table talk! A contextual reminder, this is the second half of the Last Supper. What an interesting scene. Have you ever noticed this order before? Meal. Betrayal. Followed by an argument of who is the best!
This is the dispute. Now, Luke’s account obscures some of the underlying motive, I think. This a similar scene in Mark 10, where James and John come up to Jesus and ask for a special place in his Kingdom. They want to be at his right hand. In Mark 10:41, we read that the rest of the disciples heard this … and became angry at James and John! Another dispute! What a way to end a dinner party! I’m wondering if there were raised voices or a food fight?!
Now, what was their motivation? They thought, as all the disciples did, that Jesus was going to be this military Messiah who will physically restore the Kingdom of Israel right there. And they wanted to be next to the throne. They wanted power and reputation … GREATNESS!
This whole scene is, at its core, is another misunderstanding of the Kingdom of God. The disciples are tempted by The World’s Vision of GREATNESS. This is the application for us today. What is true greatness? Is it larger bank accounts, postgraduate degrees, successful business endeavors, or pristine family reputations? By the way, those are all worthy of pursuit. But Jesus says, “don’t let it go to your head. Don’t forget, my kingdom turns this world upside down.”
In both Luke 22 and Mark 10 … Jesus tells the disciples the same thing. Look at vv. 25-27,
And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. […] But I am among you as the one who serves. (Luke 22:25-27, ESV)
The kings of the Gentiles have one view of GREATNESS … not so with you. Literally, it can be translated as, “it is not to be this way with you.” Why? You are different. You are marked for the Kingdom of God! Live differently. How? He gives several examples of reversals. The “greatest” should become the “youngest,” who normally served the more senior officials. The “leaders” normally have “servants,” but Jesus flips the ladder of success upside down! He concludes: follow my example as a servant. That is God’s Vision of GREATNESS.
Do you see how this applies to us? Especially in our Northeastern mentality, the ladder of success is always in our minds. I have to climb higher and higher otherwise … I am not successful. But Jesus says, in the kingdom of God, it turns upside down. The way up is down, the way down is up. This has been a recurring theme in Luke’s Gospel. For example: we saw this in chapter 21 with the widow’s mite. We saw it with Jesus’ call to the disciples in Luke 9:23-24.
If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. (Luke 9:23-24, ESV)
Denial of self and sacrifice … this is the way to greatness. In God’s kingdom you don’t climb your way to greatness … you serve your way to greatness. When you try to out-serve people … disputes about power and greatness are diminished. God’s Kingdom is Upside Down.
The Denial
The next scene, famously, brings the Apostle Peter into focus. Many non-Christians will be familiar with the actions of Judas Iscariot and Peter. The former betrayed Christ with a kiss. The latter denied knowledge of his master THREE TIMES before the rooster crowed. To understand the seriousness of Peter’s actions, let’s review the two step process leading to his betrayal.
First, Jesus offers a PROPHECY. Skip back to vv. 31-34 of Luke 22 to see how this plays out at the dinner table. This takes place in the midst of the DISPUTE we just discussed. As the other disciples are shouting and engaging in a food fight over their greatness, I picture Jesus leaning close to Peter and whispers these prophetic words:
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31-32, ESV)
Notice the use of Peter’s given name: SIMON. Peter went by this name when Jesus first met him back in Luke 5. There, he confessed his sin and begged Jesus to leave him. Now Jesus uses this intimate name and offers a warning: Satan is coming for you.
Specifically, Satan has issued a “demand letter.” He wants to “SIFT” Peter like wheat. What does this mean? A sifter is a tool that removes unwanted foreign objects, like lumps or rocks. It’s a separation tool. In this way, Satan wants to sift us and separate us from our faith. He wants to remove our faith from us. But Jesus prays that our faith would remain strong. One commentator minces no words: “It implies violent shaking, in this case, to separate Jesus and to eliminate them from salvation.”[2] Did you year that? Violent shaking. This is a graphic picture of the spiritual warfare taking place during the last week of Jesus’ life. Satan saw not just Jesus, but his disciples as threat. His goal was to keep them from following Jesus.
This is a warning. It is a warning to Peter and it is a warning to us. There will be times of trial. What must we do? “Pray that your faith will not fail.” Are you there today? Is Satan sifting you like wheat right now? Is he shaking you violently, attempting to get you to abandon your faith? It is in that moment when we are ripe to betray Jesus by denying our relationship with him. Thankfully, Jesus hints in v. 32 at the restoration of Peter after his repentance. Jesus goes even further and tells Peter precisely when he will do …
Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.” (Luke 22:33-34, ESV)
Notice here that Peter is certain he will not deny Jesus. He will follow him to prison and death! And yet, later that night, in the garden, he draws his physical sword and cuts off the ear of a soldier. Peter missed the point Jesus told him about the weapons of war—this is a spiritual battle.
Church—we fight a spiritual battle! Satan is trying to SIFT us … to take us off mission. To take us away from Jesus. Resist him! Through prayer and the truth of God’s word! Otherwise, we will suffer the same fate as Peter.
Second, Peter’s actions are a FULFILLMENT. Now we must skip down to 22:54-61. This scene immediately follows the Garden of Gethsemane. In this scene we clearly see that denial is the fruit of betrayal. I don’t think that Peter meant for this to happen. But with the stress of the night, the last supper, the betrayal of Judas, the dispute, the arrest in the Garden … Peter likely forgot Jesus words.
After the arrest, Peter follows Jesus to the house of the High Priest, under cover. Peter is now behind enemy lines … and he is about to be tested. Satan seeks to SIFT him. What is going to happen? I want to invite you to put yourself in Peter’s shoes—put yourself in the scene. What would you do? Behind enemy lines, while the fire is hot … would you betray Jesus through denial? Let me read this longer section in it’s entirety:
Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. (Luke 22:54-60, ESV)
The prophecy … fulfilled. Peter has been sifted. He failed the test. What would you have done? Have you already been in a situation at work, in your family, with some friends, where you denied knowing Jesus? You see, this is a very famous section of scripture that is remarkably relevant to us today. I suspect you have not found yourself at the house of Jewish high priest, but perhaps you’ve been in conversations at work or school. Maybe someone notice a comment you made on social media, maybe someone noticed a Bible on your desk at work, maybe someone saw something different about you and asked, “Are you a Christian?” In that moment, what do you say? Do you stand by Jesus … or deny him?
The Demand
If you are reading along in Luke 22, after Peter’s denial, you will see there is a scene of soldiers mocking Jesus. But the chapters ends with the first of three trials Jesus encounters. Three trials, three adversaries, three demands: (1) The Council (2) Pilate (3) Herod. The whole scene concludes with a final demand of Pilate.
Now we come to the place Luke has been leading us his whole Gospel. We stand on the precipice of the cross … the end of Jesus Mission. At the Roman Palace, Jesus stands before Pilate as the crowd, the mob, shouts at him to get their way. They make their final demand: CRUCIFY HIM! We read this beginning in Luke 23:18 …
But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. (Luke 23:18-23, ESV)
Crucify him … crucify him … crucify him! Now, I would remind you, if you have not seen the “Passion of the Christ,” recently … crucifixion was Barbaric. It began by whipping with the Cat O Nine Tails and whip that ripped the flesh off your back. Your body was left mangled. Then you carried a cross where your body hung, naked and bloody for all to see and mock. Next week, we will cover this. But I bring it up now to say … how much did this crowd, this mob need to hate Jesus to demand this form of punishment? To vehemently chase him down at each trial and make the case against him. To rebuke Pilate THREE TIMES—Pilate didn’t want to crucify him! Shouting louder and louder and louder … DEMANDING HIS DEATH! The sinful, hatred against the God of the universe was palpable … and they won out.
And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will. (Luke 23:23-25, ESV)
Friends, if you are a Christian … this is what it’s about. If you are not a Christian … this is what it’s all about. This is where Luke has been taking us. Jesus was delivered … to go to the cross … and die.
The voices of the crowd, the hatred of the crowd, the demands of the crowd … were granted.
Would you betray Jesus? If you were part of that crowd … would you have resisted … or would you also be caught up in the moment and shout CRUCIFY HIM!?
As we finish, it is worth taking a moment to reflect on the pathways to betrayal in this scene. Each trial shows us a path to turning our backs on Jesus.
The Jewish leaders show us ANGER. Angry people walk away from their commitments because their demands aren’t met. Angry people are often hurt or disappointed because life did not turn out the way the wanted. I suspect some of us in this room today are angry at God for something. You lost your job. Someone hurt you. Someone died. God didn’t answer your prayers. You are angry … and it makes sense to blame God. I want to tell you today that Jesus understands … he knows what it was like to be betrayed … but he died to take away that anger and give your life.
Herod shows us APATHY. He just wanted to be entertained. But if life is all about having a good time, YOLO, eventually you will desire something more. If you are apathetic toward Jesus, you will turn your back on him when things get hard. You will send him back to Pilate. When the going gets tough … the path to betrayal is easy.
Finally, Pilate shows us APPEASEMENT. Pilate could have stopped the crucifixion of Jesus. But he didn’t. Now, his name is written within the Creeds of the church for all time, “Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate.” He chose to appease the crowds … that is a path to betrayal. Friends, when things get tough, it’s going to seem like appeasement is the easiest thing to do. But in the long run … it won’t be the most fruitful course. Eventually, you will compromise your beliefs and minimize the power of Christ.
The Great Reversal
This final scene with Barabbas, shows us the beautiful picture of the Gospel. It is the Great Reversal. It is The Final Farewell. A true criminal was released … and Jesus will go to die in his place. A murderer, and insurrectionist, who deserved to die … was set free, so the Lamb of God could die in his place. That’s why Jesus came. He died for you and for me. Betrayers. Disputers. Deniers. Demanders. People who at one point in our lives hated him and would have shouted with the crowd—CRUCIFY HIM! He came to seek and save the lost … to die the death we should have died so we can be made right with God. The words of the great modern hymn captures it all …
How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss –
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.
Behold the man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished;
His dying breath has brought me life –
I know that it is finished.
I will not boast in anything,
No gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart –
His wounds have paid my ransom.
Friends, Jesus was delivered over because of our sin. According to the will of the Father. To die for you. To hang on a cross for you. To make provision for you. Do you know that today? Will your give your life to the Savior? Don’t refuse him.
[1] https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/what-to-do-when-you-betray-jesus/
[2] David Garland. Luke: ZECNT, 869.
