#21Suffering & Death
Betrayal by a Close Friend
A trusted companion who shared bread would turn against the righteous one.
The Prophecy
Psalm 41:9
~1000 BCE
Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.
Manuscript Attestation
Dead Sea Scrolls Psalms manuscripts; all codices.
Ancient Jewish Interpretation
Midrashic tradition applies David's experience as a pattern for the Messiah.
The Fulfillment
John 13:18
I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: "He who shared my bread has turned against me."
Narrative Context
Jesus explicitly cited Psalm 41:9 as fulfilled by Judas Iscariot's betrayal, emphasizing that Judas was an intimate companion who had eaten at his table.
The Evidence
The text is preserved in multiple Qumran Psalms manuscripts. Jesus' direct quotation of the psalm in the context of the Last Supper shows he understood his betrayal as the fulfillment of a Davidic pattern.