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Craig Tavani ... went out. And it was night.

Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified,
"I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me."
His disciples stared at one another,
at a loss to know which of them he meant.
One of them,
the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.
Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said,
"Ask him which one he means."
Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him,
"Lord, who is it?"
Jesus answered,
"It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread
when I have dipped it in the dish."
Then, dipping the piece of bread,
he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon.
As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
"What you are about to do, do quickly,"
Jesus told him,
but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him.
Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought
Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast,
or to give something to the poor.
As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out.
And it was night.

about an hour ago ·

Craig Tavani

"Surely not I, Lord?"

about an hour ago ·

Now …
when evening came,
Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples.
As they were eating, He said,
"Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me."
Being deeply grieved, they each one began to say to Him,
"Surely not I, Lord?"

What a strange form of question!
A negative answer seems not only hopefully expected,
but fervently requested.
The disciples each appear to plea,
“Please, Lord, assure me of my faithfulness!”
Such sad disbelief!
The deep sense of vulnerability surrounding this question
was tragically exposed as true in the last hours of Jesus’ life.
No disciple of Jesus was much of a model for faithfulness.
Each disciple failed in some way to follow faithfully.
Judas betrayed Jesus.
Peter, having boldly boasted with such bravado
about his fervent faithfulness,
denied knowing his Lord three times.
Not one of the Twelve even attended to Jesus’ body
after the crucifixion!
All of them had fled from the Garden of Gethsamane,
finding out just how foolish it was to base their faith
on the false foundation of their own fickle fortitude.
These fallen followers had yet to realize their utter need
for the fullness of the Spirit.

"Surely not I?"
Was this a faithful question … or a foolish boast?

“Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.”
Amen.

Nick Tavani

A most thoughful and provocative commentary worthy of this night.

Craig Tavani

This was written as the beginning of a presentation I wrote for the theatre troupe, DRAMATICA, to be performed at the Church of the Good Samaritan during the Maundy Thursday service this evening, which happened to fall on April 1st of 2010 – April Fool’s Day!
(go to http://symethics.blogspot.com/2010/03/surely-not-i.html for the whole proposed presentation)

Much more comes between the question, "Was this a faithful question or a foolish boast" and "Surely God is my salvation." In fact, most of it appears as the dialogue I posted to the thread of my previous status as though between ME and YOU. The lines for ME in the MAUNDY THURSDAY presentation belonged to a CLOWN character who claims to be Lazarus, the same person raised from the dead by Jesus.

Prior to his death recorded in the Bible, Lazarus may well have been quite a serious person. After being raised, however, might his perspective have been greatly tempered by a hilarious sense of humor? Though he seriously reveres the truth of what he proclaims, the hilarity of his proclamation may seem irreverent to those who hear and see him.

Imagine that, after Jesus called him out of the grave, Lazarus never died, but lived on and on through century after century. Adjusting to changing times, Laz’s way of survival may have been to play the part of the fool, associating with other clowns, jesters, and troupes of traveling actors in every period of history since the time of Christ. This would imitate the reputation Jesus had himself, who was said to eat with publicans and sinners, just the type of folk reputed to fool around in theatre!

For another take on LAZARUS after Jesus raised him from the dead, see Eugene O'Neill's very interesting play, LAZARUS LAUGHED. Here is an excerpt from the first scene in which a guest is telling what he saw at the tomb:

"I helped pry away the stone so I was right beside him. I found myself kneeling, but between my fingers I watched Jesus and Lazarus. Jesus looked into his face for what seemed a long time and suddenly Lazarus said 'Yes' as if he were answering a question in Jesus' eyes. ... Then Jesus smiled sadly but with tenderness, as one who from a distance of years of sorrow remembers happiness. And then Lazarus knelt and kissed Jesus' feet and both of them smiled and Jesus blessed him and called him 'My Brother' and went away; and Lazarus, looking after Him, began to laugh softly like a man in love with God. Such a laugh I never heard! It made my ears drunk! It was like wine! And though I was half-dead with fright I found myself laughing, too!"