There are many ways you can betray someone - speaking ill of a friend behind their back, breaking a confidence which has been entrusted to you, or betraying your country in time of war. The American dramatist, Tennesee Williams, once said that, "We have to distrust each other, it is our only defence against betrayal." There is much truth in this, because you can't betray someone you don't trust. Betrayal is shocking because we imagine that with the people we trust, a mutual love and respect exists between us. When someone betrays us, the trust we had together is broken and the relationship breaks down. The spy Harold (Kim) Philby (1912-1988) was a senior officer in the British Secret Intelligence Service for 10 years, but was actually an agent of the Soviet KGB. He understood the nature of betrayal when he said, " To betray, you must first belong." Jesus knew betrayal when Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, gave information of his whereabouts to the Roman army and the Jewish leaders (John 18:3) and led them to where Jesus was. Why did he do this? Was it the money he was paid, or did he think that by precipitating Jesus' arrest, Jesus would resist and show his Messiahship by taking up arms and leading a rebellion against the occupying Roman power? Whatever he felt, he was instrumental in Jesus experiencing betrayal in his inner circle of friends. As Christians we follow not a high lofty God far above all trouble and strife, but One who suffered amongst other things betrayal. He understands our suffering because He has suffered. NBF meet 6.30 pm Sundays in the chapel at Pant-y- Gorphwys farmhouse on the main A478 from Penblewin to Narberth - all welcome.
