They were very sorrowful and began to say to Him one after another, “Lord, is it I?”

Matthew 26 records one of the most sobering moments in the life of Jesus and His disciples. They are gathered together. They have walked with Him for years. They have seen miracles, heard teaching, and shared meals. And then Jesus says something that shakes the room: “One of you will betray Me.”

The response of the disciples is revealing. One by one, eleven of them ask, “Lord, is it I?” But Judas asks something different: “Rabbi, is it I?” That one word makes all the difference. The eleven call Him Lord. Judas calls Him Rabbi—teacher.

At first glance, it may seem like a small difference. After all, Rabbi was a respectful title. Jesus was a teacher. He taught like no one else ever had. Judas wasn’t being rude or openly rebellious in that moment. And yet, that subtle difference exposed something deeply spiritual.

The eleven recognized Jesus as Lord—Master, Owner, Authority over their lives. Judas recognized Jesus only as a teacher—someone to learn from, but not someone to fully submit to.

Even later, when Judas arrives with the crowd to arrest Jesus, he greets Him again with the same word: “Greetings, Rabbi.” He kisses Jesus and hands Him over, still refusing to call Him Lord. It revealed the posture of Judas’ heart.

True freedom in life does not come from knowing biblical principles; it comes from recognizing Jesus as Lord. True Christ-likeness is not found in seminaries or doctoral degrees; it comes from surrendering to Jesus as Lord. True healing—deep, inner healing—cannot be accessed by effort alone. True forgiveness cannot be earned by good behavior. These flow only when we bow to Jesus as Lord. When Jesus is Lord, we stop trying to control our own lives and start trusting Him with them.

Recognizing Jesus merely as a teacher leads us down a very different path. When Jesus is only a teacher, Christianity becomes a lesson to master rather than a life to surrender. We start asking, “What should I do?” instead of “What does my Lord desire?”

Seeing Jesus as a teacher pushes us toward performance. We try to “learn” how to be holy, how to be good, how to behave better. We measure ourselves against rules, habits, and disciplines—and slowly, without realizing it, we begin trying to achieve salvation in our own strength. That road is exhausting. And it is impossible. Judas walked that road. He followed Jesus outwardly, but his heart never fully yielded. He listened, observed, and participated—but he never surrendered control. And when pressure came, when expectations didn’t match his desires, his heart turned away.

The eleven weren’t perfect. They argued. They doubted. They failed. Peter himself would deny Jesus just hours later. But they had one thing right: they recognized Jesus as Lord.

Calling Jesus “Lord” is not just a title. It is a confession of ownership. When we call Him Lord, we are saying, “You rule my life. You have the final word. My plans, my ambitions, my future belongs to You.” The moment we surrender control is the moment we experience true freedom.

Grace flows when Jesus is Lord. The power of the Holy Spirit is released when Jesus is Lord. Transformation happens when Jesus is Lord. We cannot walk in the Spirit while insisting on being in charge.

Judas stayed close to Jesus physically but never bowed to Him spiritually. That is a warning for us. It is possible to attend church, read Scripture, serve faithfully, and still relate to Jesus mainly as a teacher. It is possible to admire His wisdom without submitting to His authority. It is possible to know His words without knowing His lordship.

Matthew 26 confronts us with a simple but piercing question: Do you see Jesus as a teacher—or as Lord?

Today, Jesus still asks us to choose—not with our words alone, but with our hearts. Do not say, “Rabbi, is it I?” Say, “Lord, search me. Rule me. Lead me.” Because true life begins when Jesus is no longer just admired but obeyed; and true freedom is found when Jesus is not merely followed but worshipped as Lord.

By Santosh Chandran, Bible League International staff, New Zealand