Luke 22:21-24: The Traitor at the Table

The grace and hospitality we receive from God at His table compels us to offer grace and hospitality to the hurting and broken in our world - Pastor Mike Lueken

Jesus pictured his kingdom as a banquet. The surprising aspect of his meals was who was invited and who accepted. In the parable of the prodigal son, the younger son accepts the Father's invitation while the older son stays outside in anger (Luke 15). The invited wedding banquet guests decline, but the willing bystander enjoys the festivities (Matthew 22). In the last supper, Jesus says "I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you..." (Luke 22:15) N.T. Wright adds, "Jesus' kingdom-stories made it clear that all and sundry were potential beneficiaries, with the most striking examples being the poor and sinners."[1]

• Jesus extends an open invitation to join him at the table. 
• He welcomes those who come. 
• He challenges those to live as his renewed community. 
• He summons those to join him on his mission.

Jesus lived out his own parables when he invited his disciples to celebrate a Passover meal with him. Strangely--at least to me--each time this last supper is described, he describes the presence of traitors at the table. Apparently, it wasn't clear who it would be:

But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray me.... The disciples began to ask each other which of them would ever do such a thing. - Luke 22:21, 23

While Judas was the focus of Jesus' attention at the meal in this regard, Jesus was aware how fragile the loyalty of all of the followers at the table. Watch their reactions to Jesus:

And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?” ... Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” - Matthew 26:21-22, 25

They weren't sure it wasn't them. They weren't sure it wasn't someone else with them. Jesus had already called out their faith as fragile (Matt. 26:34-35) In fact, "Judas's act of betrayal differed in degree, but not in kind from many other disloyalties...the most powerful message of Jesus was his unquenchable love even for-especially for--people who betrayed him."[2]

The difference was not in the degree of treachery, but in the trust in God's mercy.

The seat at the table is just as level-setting as the foot of the cross. We are all equal. We all come to the table not just as failures, but as traitors. We all come to the table in need of grace and Jesus' welcome. We all can help others come to Jesus' table by offering them the same grace and welcome that Jesus offers us.


[1]N.T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God, p. 245
[2]Philip Yancey, Grace Notes, March 15