Festival of the Annunciation of our Lord
Posted on March 25, 2023 by under
Scripture: St. John 6:66-71 (NKJV)
6:66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.
67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” 71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.
Devotion
“From this time” may also mean “For this reason.” “Many…turned back.” Jesus had already made clear what discipleship meant, and many were not ready to receive life in the way He taught. As in the synoptic Gospels, Peter acts as spokesman with his confession of “words of eternal life.” The expression is general. Peter was not speaking of a formula, but of the meaning of Jesus’ teaching. He perceived the truth of verse 63. “We believe and know…” Since the Greek verbs are in the perfect tense, they mean, “We have entered a state of belief and knowledge that has continued until the present time.”
St. Peter’s designation of Jesus as “the Holy One of God” (see also Acts 2:27) indicates that Peter is confessing more than the term “Christ” (or “Messiah”) commonly connoted. In his confession recorded in Matthew 16:16 this more is expressed in the words “the Son of the living God.” Peter is confessing the deity of his Lord.
Jesus’ condemnation of “one of you is a devil” shows that Judas has become so much a part of the diabolical attack on Jesus as to be identified with such a title. The betrayal is in the spirit of Satan. Iscariot means “a man from Kerioth” (in Judea) and would apply equally to the father and the son. Judas seems to have been the only non-Galilean among the Twelve—and therefore one of the last persons likely to betray Jesus.
Prayer: We beseech Thee, O Lord, pour Thy grace into our hearts; that, as we have known the Incarnation of Thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an angel, so by His Cross and Passion we may be brought unto the glory of His Resurrection; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for Laetare Sunday
Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of Thy grace may mercifully be relieved; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Season of Lent
Almighty and Everlasting God, Who hatest nothing that Thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of Thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
