Spy Wednesday

John 13:21-27 + “Jesus Knows Satan”

Jesus, the Son of God, knows satan.

Jesus, the Son of God, who was not created, was there when Lucifer, the angel was created. He watched Lucifer fall like lightning from the heavenly realm being cast down to earth with a third of the angels (now demons) where he now resides as the accuser, “the satan”.

The Son of God, who took on flesh in Jesus Christ, when he first went head to head with Satan in the desert, swept the series, all 3 matches of the temptation back in Matthew 4 - Jesus Christ won in dominant fashion.

So, yes, Jesus knows what satan is doing. He knows when satan is plotting a move.

And he certainly knows when satan enters his treasurer, named Judas. This is why Jesus says to Judas in v27, “what you are going to do, do quickly.”

His friend, Judas, lost to satan.

Judas gave in to the lure and lust of 30 pieces of silver to betray his Rabbi and his friend.

The possibility of power, perhaps of chasing his dream of becoming rich was all too grand for Judas, so he seized the opportunity to make some quick cash by snitching on Jesus.

Saints, this is Spy Wednesday 2025, the final day before we enter the Holy Triduum (Three Days), the most important days of the church calendar. It’s the day we remember that satan entered not an enemy of Jesus or a stranger to Jesus, but a disciple of Jesus, one of whom Jesus called “friend”.

It’s an eerie kind of day, marked with contemplation and consideration.

And while we remember this true story, may we remember it in the shadow of what our Lord says in John 14:30 concerning satan → “He has no power over me.”

Satan has no power over Jesus. None.

On our own, without Christ, left to our own devices and vices, we are weak and flaky. Therefore, satan has much power over us. As the old hymn goes, “prone to wander, Lord I feel it”.

Yet in Christ we are strong. In Christ we have victory. In Christ we have power over satan because satan has no power over our King, our Master, our Lord, our Savior, our Jesus.

May you marinate in these truths today on Spy Wednesday 2025.