Who do you refer to as your “friend”?
A true friend is a supporter, who can't be moved or bought, has a true heart that cares for you, your destiny and wellbeing. A friend is that hand that pulls you up from darkness and despair... raises your spirit high when the "so called" friends pull you down. A friend is someone that offers a tender shoulder which upon you can softly cry and encourage you with a voice to keep your name alive when others let you down. A true friend prays for you when you are at your weakest. Most of all is from the heart of a true friend comes the greatest love of all …. Willingness to offer his life in return for you, expecting nothing in return.
Six days before the Passover Yeshua came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Yeshua’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Yeshua said, “Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.” When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Yeshua but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and believed in Yeshua. John 12:1-11
Bitterness is the Deadly root that devours and destroys! Judas was staring at the balance sheet so intently; he never noticed the shadows that were beginning to swallow him. “What is a year’s wages when you have been given life in all its fullness?”
Judas Iscariot was someone that had been seen at first as the friend of Yeshua. He was someone that Yeshua had chosen to establish his kingdom on earth. Together as one of the twelve disciples Judas spend considerable time with Yeshua. The bitterness of Judas turned him to do the unthinkable and devastating act, when he betrayed Yeshua.
Satan entered into the heart of Judas Iscariot. It is Judas that asked the chief priest: What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you? In Matthew we read how the chief priest paid 30 silver coins in return of Yeshua life. Judas waited for that perfect opportunity and approached Yeshua with kiss. A kiss which identified Yeshua to the soldiers. This betrayal must have hurt Yeshua very badly. Although Yeshua did not show this hurt, He told Judas: Friend, do what you came for. After Judas betrayed Yeshua he was seized with remorse. Knowing that Yeshua was innocent, he tried to undo his evil act. This cruel act underlined the involvement in Yeshua crucifixion.
Yeshua could see through the traitor Judas from the start. Judas had hidden agendas right from the start. Judas was the steward of the resources for Yeshua' ministry and had been consumed with greediness from the beginning. Looking forward to Yeshua sitting on the throne of David, Judas expected a rich reward from an exalted position in the Kingdom. When the Kingdom turned out to be a spiritual one, disappointment turned to bitterness and Judas sold Yeshua out.
Judas seemed to be the only Jew in the company of the disciples, the rest being from Galilee in the north. The name Judas is a form of Judah and would be a fitting representation of Judah or the Jews as the nation called that betrayed Yeshua in the rejection of the Messiah.
Sometimes those people whom you least suspect it from and also the closest to you; will betray you just like Yeshua had been betrayed.
During the trail of Yeshua, He was brought before Pilate, the governor. Although Pilate was no close friend of Yeshua, it was clear in this chapter that he wanted to wash his hands and have nothing to do with the scenario or have the guilt placed on him. Pilate answered the crowd: I am innocent of this man’s blood….it’s your responsibility.
Pilate excused and declared himself guiltless. In the case of Pilate, he could have prevented Yeshua death on the cross. Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas. Barabbas who was indeed a disreputable and evil criminal was set free.
If you were to be asked the question: “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?”? What would you have done? You have an option – you can reject Him, wash your hands and walk away or worship Him as King.
Yeshua bared His cross and walked along the Way of Sorrows (Via Dolorosa). Along came Simon of Cyrene, a compelled passerby and was ordered to carry the cross, because Yeshua was too weak after enduring all the torture and pain on his way.
The image of Simon bearing the cross of Yeshua shows us the suddenness of cross bearing. But it also shows us the road to the cross leads to where we can leave the cross. Simon left the cross at Golgotha and Yeshua bore the full weight of the cross in his death. Because of his death, we have an answer to our cross bearing. Simon’s carrying Yeshua’ cross to Golgotha is described with only one verse. Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21; Luke 23:26
Simon’s carrying this cross reminds us that Yeshua gives His glory to whomever or whatever He touches.Yeshua took His cross, an instrument of death, and turned it into a cross of glory for our salvation. Simon was an unknown man when he entered Jerusalem that morning. After carrying Yeshua cross a short distance, his name was engraved into the halls of immortality. Wherever the gospel is preached, the story of what he did is told. Even in short and few lines, he will be forever connected with the sacrifice of Yeshua, the greatest event that this world will ever know. Because of Yeshua, Simon was changed from a nameless face to an ageless name.
Heavenly Father, as Yeshua walked the way of The Cross, He accepted the service of Simon of Cyrene to carry his physical burden for him: grant us each the grace gladly to bear one another's burdens, for the love of him who said, "As you did it to the least of these my brethren, you did it to me," your Son Yeshua Christ our Lord, who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen
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