Judas The Betrayer

Matthew 26:1-5, 14-25

As Holy Week draws to a close, I thought we would take a look at one character who played an important role in this tragic drama, Judas Iscariot.  We all know him to be the one who betrayed the Lord Jesus to the Jewish High Priest and the Sanhedrin (the Jewish court of ruling elders). As we look into Judas’ story, let us see if there is anything we can learn from his life to help change our lives more to the better.

Early in the Gospel accounts we read that Judas was one of the twelve disciples that Jesus had personally selected.  From all outward appearances he seemed just like any of the others. In all probability, throughout most of Jesus’ ministry, no one would have suspected anything different or sinister about Judas from any of the others.  The other disciples gave Judas the job of treasurer, managing the group’s finances. Though he gave pious words about giving money to help the poor, the apostle John mentions in his Gospel that Judas would help himself to the money he was in charge of (John 12:5-6).  This would indicate that, though Jesus’ teachings were often slow to sink into the hearts of the other eleven disciples, they never really reached Judas’ heart. He did have a greed for money, and no real trust in God to provide for him, as he would dip into the petty cash box for his own purposes.  Also, Judas must have made excuses in his mind for this behavior, thinking that little amounts, little sins, now and then don’t really matter.

Judas, like many people at this time, expected the Messiah to bring deliverance to Israel from their enemies, and particularly now, from the Romans.  As Jesus became more popular, they were hoping that He would start a rebellion and overthrow the powers from Rome. Many scholars believe that Judas was one who felt this way.  As one of the hand-picked twelve, he possibly felt that in this new order he would have an important position. During the last weeks, however, Judas realized that the kingdom Jesus kept talking about was not physical or political, but spiritual.  He came to see that Jesus was not going to rally an army and defeat the Romans, as he, and many were hoping. Perhaps Judas thought, if he forced Jesus’ hand, He might do as he desired. So Judas made the free decision to betray Jesus to the Jewish chief priests and Sanhedrin (vs. 14-16).  Then, he hopefully thought, Jesus would give the cry, and all of His followers would rally around and kick the Romans out.

This, though, was not God’s plan, and it was not what happened.  Judas had gone to the chief priests and received the betrayal sum of 30 pieces of silver for the promise that he would betray Jesus to them at a given time and place.  30 pieces of silver was the Old Testament price given for the cost of a slave (Exodus 21:32, Zechariah 11:12-13). 30 pieces of silver would be worth around $200 in present-day value.  Judas thought so little of Jesus, that he sold Him for nearly nothing. So little for the price of the Blood of the Savior. Jesus was betrayed with contempt.

Judas allowed his political and patriotic desires, and his greed to place him in a position where Satan could manipulate him.  Evil plans and motives leave us open to being used by Satan for even greater evil. Judas could have backed out, changed his mind, and not gone through with the betrayal.  Once he opened the door for Satan in his life, though, Satan came and took possession of him (John 13:26-27).

Though this betrayal of Jesus was one of the greatest crimes in the history of mankind, God was still in total control.  God had chosen the time of the Passover for Jesus, the Son of God, to die His sacrificial death. Jesus was foreshadowed and represented by the Passover lamb which was sacrificed.  Jesus died to pay for the sins of mankind. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. God’s plans and purposes are worked out, even in the worst of possible events.

As we look at the path Judas chose to go down, we need to think about our commitment to God, and the presence of God’s Spirit within us.  Are we true disciples, or are we uncommitted pretenders? Have the teachings of Jesus sunk into our hearts, or gone in one ear and out the other, like with Judas?  Are our own plans and desires more important to us than those of God’s? Let’s check to be sure our commitment to the Lord Jesus is strong and sure.