And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. Matthew 26:50 NASB

All the times I have read the account in Matthew of Judas coming to betray Jesus, I always ached in my heart when Jesus called Judas “Friend”. I couldn’t understand how Jesus could still call Judas “friend” when Jesus knew full well what Judas had come for. It was unimaginable to me.

The Greek word used here is hetairos. It means comrade, mate, partner…kindly address. So it is exactly what it says. A friend.

Now in my mind, I had hoped it meant false friend…one who only pretends to be a true friend…but that’s not what the Greek dictionary says. We see in other scriptures that Judas does not address Jesus as the other disciples do. He doesn’t use the terms of endearment the others do. Should that have been a clue to the disciples and to us that Judas was a fake?

Maybe…but it’s hard to always have the radar up, to be listening carefully at all times to what someone says. We miss so much. A person does reveal their true heart by the words they speak. The Bible says so. (Out of the heart the mouth speaks).

I’ve wondered many times, what would have pierced Judas’ heart more deeply, being called “friend” or being called “ false friend”…
My heart would be broken knowing I had no relationship, no friendship with Jesus…as I know your heart would be.

Friend. The best friend we could ever have. The eternal friendship.
I’m always taking inventory to see where I am. Today, I am looking to Jesus, trusting Him to correct and restore me in the broken places. I desperately need Him in all my life. To hear Him call me “friend” and it is the truest true fact…that is my deepest need.