This sonnet is the Third Station in the Lent series, The Stations of the Cross, and is entitled, A Kiss. Artist, Keaton Sapp’s drawing of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot is striking. The contrast between dark and light together with the intimacy of a kiss and the gesture’s betrayal make Jesus’ passion all the more tragic.

The garden betrayal of Jesus is an unwinding of the first Adam’s betrayal. The intimate depiction of Adam’s creation bears the personal touch of God’s hand work and the intimacy of a kiss as life is breathed into the man. God forms him as a potter shapes clay, and God suscitates the man in a manner which mirrors a shepherd who breaths life into a newborn lamb. Genesis 2:7-9 reads,

…then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Not long after man’s creation, a serpent enters the garden, deceives the woman and leads the man into sin. After the sin and betrayal of the first man and woman, innocence is lost, death enters creation, and they are cut off from life with God.

Matthew’s gospel account of the betrayal, mirrors the first sin, but it is Jesus who obeys, is seized, and cast out. The friendly greeting of love hides the hidden motive of Judas who has sold his rabbi and friend for thirty pieces of silver. Matthew 26:47-50 reads,

While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him.

You may listen to me read the poem via the player below.

God took what He made, shaped by His own hand,
Held him close, kissed with life, and made him breathe;
Took his hand, placed him in, made him to stand
In the heart of the Garden with the Tree.

But Man took the fruit, would not trust or wait
To be given that which could not be bought;
They sold themselves, and were cast through the gate
To die in the wild, toil for what they lost.

The God-Man came to the Garden at night,
Seek His Father’s will, Keep faith, not forsake;
Touch his lips to the curse, make all things right;
Take the cup, drink its dregs, sin’s power break.

Hung on a tree, the fruit which buys love’s bliss:
Is sold for silver, betrayed with a kiss.

© Randall Edwards 2020.
This poem is for Christ’s church. If it is helpful, please feel free to copy or reprint in church bulletins, read aloud, or repost. I only ask that an attribution be cited to myself (Randall Edwards) and this blog (backwardmutters.com). Thank you.

artwork: © Keaton Sapp 2020, “The Kiss.” Pen and ink. All Rights Reserved.