Paid In Full: An In-depth Look at the Defining Moments of Christ's Passion (3 page)

Whatever the reason, it was at that moment of disagreement that the devil found an open door into Judas’ heart.

Especially notice the phrase “...the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot.…” The words “put into” come from the Greek word
ballo
, which means
to throw, to cast, to thrust
, or
to inject
. This word
ballo
carries the idea of
a very fast action of throwing, thrusting, or injecting something forward,
such as the throwing of a ball or rock, or the forward thrusting of a sharp knife.

It is significant that this word was used in this context, because it tells us how quickly the devil moved to inject a seed of betrayal into Judas’ heart. When the seed of betrayal was injected, it went so deep that it turned Judas — one of Jesus’ closest associates — into a deceiver and a betrayer. Judas became the epitome of a disloyal and unfaithful friend.

When Satan finally penetrated Judas’ mind and emotions with this seed of betrayal, he injected it so hard and fast that it became
deeply embedded
or
lodged
in Judas’ soul.

John 13:2 could therefore be translated:
“...the devil having now thrust into.…”; “...the devil having now inserted into.…”; “...the devil having now forcibly hurled into.…”; or “...the devil having now embedded into.…”

There is no doubt that the word
ballo
means the devil
quickly seized
an opportunity
to inject
a seed of betrayal into Judas’ heart. He was so offended by Jesus that a window to his heart and emotions opened, even if only for a brief moment. When the devil saw that opening, he moved like lightning to penetrate Judas’ mind and emotions in order to sour a long-term relationship and turn a trusted friend into a betrayer.

Satan was able to use Judas as his instrument because Judas allowed the enemy to drive a wedge between him and Jesus. Rather than let go of the disagreement and forget about it, Judas let the issue become a big deal in his mind — something so blown out of proportion that the devil was able to use the offense to lure him into the ultimate act of disloyalty. Because Judas didn’t take his thoughts captive, the devil succeeded in tainting his view of Jesus. This then led to a disastrous effect on Judas’ relationship with Him.

Learn how to recognize those times when the devil tries to inject a seed of division into your heart. He wants to drive a wedge between you and the people you love.

It is important that you learn how to recognize those times when the devil tries to inject a seed of division into your heart. He wants to drive a wedge between you and the people you love. Rather than let him get away with this evil tactic, make a decision to resist every temptation to get angry and offended. By resisting these thoughts, you can take a stand against the devil and protect your relationships.

Learn from the example of Judas Iscariot. Determine that you will never let any issue get so blown out of proportion that it turns you into a disloyal, lying, betraying friend. And if you are hurting right now because someone has recently betrayed and hurt you,
choose the route of forgiveness.
Remember, what you sow is what you reap — and if you sow forgiveness now, you will reap forgiveness from others when you need it in the future.

The devil is a destroyer and is therefore masterful when it comes to ruining relationships. Can you recall a time in your own life when the devil used a friend or someone you trusted to betray you, violate your trust, or cause you grief and inward pain? What are the lessons you learned as a result of walking with God through such a difficult experience?

Has there ever been a time when the devil used you to betray someone else? Did you ever stop to think of the pain you brought into that person’s life as a result of your actions? Did you ever go back to him or her to ask for forgiveness and to try to make it right?

Relationships are a vital element in the fabric of our lives. People can use their influence in our lives either to aid or to hinder our divine purpose. Think of some of the crucial relationships in your life. In what way can you add value to those individuals’ lives to strengthen them along the course of their divine destiny?

Chapter 3:
Agony of the Soul

Have you ever wondered where all your friends were at a time when you really needed them? Perhaps they pledged they would be faithful, but when you needed those friends most, they were nowhere to be found. Did you feel abandoned in that moment of need?

Knowing that the Cross and the grave lay before Him, Jesus felt a need to spend time in intercession so He might gain the strength He needed to face what lay before Him.

Jesus Himself was confronted with that same situation when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before His crucifixion. After He was finished serving Communion to His disciples in the upper room, the Bible tells us that He went to the Garden of Gethsemane with them. Knowing that the Cross and the grave lay before Him, Jesus felt a need to spend time in intercession so He might gain the strength He needed to face what lay before Him. He also requested that Peter, James, and John come apart to pray with Him.

Rarely, if ever, did Jesus need His friends’ assistance. Most of the time, they needed His! But in this intense moment, Jesus really felt a need to have the three disciples who were closest to Him pray with Him. Jesus asked these disciples to pray for just one hour. But instead of faithfully praying when Jesus desperately needed their support, the three disciples kept falling asleep!

The mental and spiritual battle Jesus experienced that night in the Garden of Gethsemane was
intense
. In fact, Luke 22:44 says, “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

I want you to especially notice the word “agony” in this verse. It comes from the Greek word
agonidzo
, a word that refers to
a struggle, a fight, great exertion,
or
effort
. It is a word often used in the New Testament to convey the ideas of
anguish, pain, distress
, and
conflict.
The word
agonidzo
itself comes from the word
agon,
which is the word that depicted the
athletic conflicts and competitions
that were so famous in the ancient world.

The Holy Spirit used this word to picture Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of His betrayal. This tells us that Jesus was thrown into
a great struggle
or an
intense fight
that night. Knowing that the Cross and the grave were before Him, He cried out, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me...” (Luke 22:42).

The spiritual pressure that bore down upon Jesus’ soul was so overwhelming that the Bible says it was
agonidzo,
or
agony
. It was so strenuous that it involved all of Jesus’ spirit, soul, and body. He was in the greatest fight He had ever known up to that moment.

Jesus’ intense level of agony is depicted in the phrase, “…he prayed more
earnestly
….” The word “earnestly” is the Greek word
ektenes
, a Greek word that means
to be extended
or
to be stretched out
. A person in this kind of agony might drop to the ground, writhing in pain and rolling around on the ground. This word
ektenes
presents the picture of a person who is pushed to the limit and can’t be stretched much more. He is on the brink of all he can possibly endure.

Jesus’ emotional state was so intense that it says “…his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” The “sweat” is the Greek word
idros.
The word “drops” is the Greek word
thrombos,
a medical word that points to
blood that is unusually thickly clotted
. When these two words are joined, they depict a medical condition called
hematidrosis
— a condition that occurs only in individuals who are in a highly emotional state.

Because the mind is under such great mental and emotional pressure, it sends signals of stress throughout the human body. These signals become so strong that the body reacts as if it were under actual physical pressure. As a result, the first and second layer of skin separate, causing a vacuum to form between them. Thickly clotted blood seeps from this vacuum, oozing through the pores of the skin. Once the blood seeps through, it mingles with the sufferer’s sweat that pours from his skin as a result of his intense inner struggle. In the end, the blood and sweat mix together in droplets and flow down the victim’s face to the ground.

This was the worst spiritual combat Jesus had ever endured up to this time. And where were His disciples when He needed them? They were
sleeping
! Jesus needed His closest friends — yet they couldn’t even pray for one hour! So God provided strength for Him in another way, which we will see in the next chapter.