JUDAS ISCARIOT
We might look at the bad things people did in scripture-like Cain killing his brother Able or David committing adultery with Bathsheba or Peter denying he knew Jesus and think to ourselves, “I would never do such a thing”. This definitely holds true when it comes to what Judas did. Judas-the one who betrayed Jesus. He’s probably the most notorious figure in history. But before us good Christians claim to be nothing like him I would say, “Hold on; not so fast.” I’m not saying I think we have some Judas’ among us but I do think we have the capability to develop some of his characteristics if we’re not careful.
1) Why did Judas betray Jesus?
• Was it unmet expectations? It’s possible that before Judas became a disciple of Jesus he was focused on liberating his people from Roman oppression. Some believe his surname, Iscariot, comes from the Latin word Scarius which means he who carries the dagger. The dagger was a common weapon used by the Zealots, a politically motivated group committed to the restoration of Israel through the overthrow of the roman oppressors.
This may have been the motivation for Judas to sell Jesus out. He, like others, thought that Jesus was the Messiah who was going to deliver Israel in militaristic fashion. So when it became clear that this expectation wasn’t going to be fulfilled he either turned on Jesus in disgust or in hopes that when backed into a corner Jesus would come out swinging and Judas’ desires for a Jewish revolt would come to fruition.
If any of this is true it highlights that Judas had an expectation of Jesus and when he realized it wasn’t going to be met he took matters into his own hands. We know how that turned out for him. When Jesus doesn’t meet your expectations do we take matters into your own hands? How is that working’ for you? Having unmet or unrealistic expectations of Jesus will eventually lead to us betraying Jesus. I suggest that if you don’t want to be like Judas, when Jesus doesn’t meet your expectations you change your expectations to meet Jesus’.
• Was it greed? John 12:1-8. Judas had a problem with Mary’s devotion because he realized he would miss out on an opportunity to steal some money. Judas had a greedy heart. It was right after this incident that we find Judas making the deal to hand him over.
Matt. 26:14-16. We see here the downward progression. He must have been trusted at some point to be appointed treasurer. It started as giving into the temptation to skim from the offering bag and it probably increased as time went on. Now the greed has escalated to selling Jesus out to the people who wanted to kill them. Judas scorned Mary’s pricy devotion but then turned around and was willing to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver; the price paid for a slave. That’s the value Jesus held in Judas’ eyes. That’s what greed produces-money and things become more valuable than people. Contrast that with the value of the expensive perfume and we see that devotion is costly and betrayal is cheap. Yet, in my costly devotion I find the greatest reward whereas in my cheap betrayal it costs me my life.
But aside from the missed opportunity to steal some more money, there could’ve been another reason Judas was upset? Was it jealousy? Was there a twinge of guilt knowing his heart did not possess the level of love and devotion he had just witnessed? When we find ourselves criticizing other people’s devotion is it because we lack it? The spiritually minded person would’ve seen what this woman did as a wonderful act of love and devotion but the unspiritual person would only see it from a practical standpoint and thus see it as a huge waste. It happens today. Spiritually minded people are generous toward the work of the Lord but unspiritual people see things like tithing and giving to the needy as foolish. Judas tried to paint her good deed in an evil light all the while painting his evil intentions in a good light.
Jesus wouldn’t let him get away with it (Mt. 26:10-13). Was Judas indignant towards Jesus for putting him in his place with a firm rebuke? A.T. Robertson in Harmony of the Gospels suggests this possibility: “Judas, stung by the rebuke of Jesus at the feast, bargains with the rulers to betray Jesus.” Greed, jealousy and pride will move us away from Jesus. We need to be aware that if we don’t turn things around these things will lead us toward betrayal.
2) Exposing the betrayer. At the Last Supper, Jesus revealed that one of his disciples would betray him. Matt. 26:20-25. Vs. 23- In the ancient Middle East, the host of the banquet customarily took a piece of bread, dipped it and handed it to the guest of honor. Some suggest that Jesus did this as a last gesture of love toward Judas. Perhaps it was his last effort to try to get Judas to recant his evil intentions. Earlier, Jesus had displayed another act of love toward Judas-he washed his feet. What was going through Judas’ mind as he watched Jesus perform this lowly task? What emotions were there in the heart of Judas as their eyes met? When we’re not in the right mindset Jesus shows his love to us in hopes that it will change pour heart.
John 13:18, “He who shares my bread has lifted his heel against me”. The expression has lifted his heel against me is describing “the lifting of a horse’s hoof and delivering a deadly kick.” That’s what Judas was delivering to Jesus. Feeling betrayed can feel like someone kicked you in the stomach. If we compare the feeling to the kick of a horse-that’s a pretty painful feeling.
Vs. 24-“woe to him who betrays me. It would’ve been better had he not been born.” If I’m Judas, I’ve got a lump in my throat, my knees are knocking’ and I’m white as a ghost. Perhaps this is what fueled Judas’ response in vs. 25. We need to allow Jesus to show us our deeds in the truest light. Not that he would be telling any of us it would be better if we had not been born but we do need to allow Jesus to show us the truth. We need to see our actions for what they really are.
Vs. 25-Did Judas really not know? He had already been to the religious leaders and made plans. Perhaps he wasn’t looking at it as a betrayal. Sometimes when we wrong Jesus we don’t see it for what it is. Jesus told it like it was-revealed the grave reality of the situations; laid out the truth.
But, even after the washing of the feet and the gesture with the bread, it wasn’t to be (John 13:27-30). What a scary statement-“Satan entered into him”. In Luke 22:42 it states that Satan entered Judas when he went to discuss with the chief priests about handing Jesus over. And here we see it happening again. It shows the control Satan had over Judas.
Vs. 30-“and it was night”. Things done in secret happen at night. Jesus’ trial happened at night because it didn’t follow the correct procedure. Judas went out literally and figuratively into the darkness.
Later, we see Judas accompany the Roman guards to arrest Jesus Matt. 26:47-50. Was Judas nervous as he entered the garden and saw his former companions? [Luke 22:48, “But Jesus asked him, ‘Judas, are you going to betray the son of Man with a kiss?”]) Judas turned a symbol of intimacy into an in instrument of betrayal. I wonder-did Judas look into Jesus’ eyes when he went to kiss him or did he sheepishly look away? The betrayer is exposed for who he is. If we are moving toward betrayal God will reveal and expose but it’s for the purpose of conviction and repentance.
3) What have I done? It appears as if Judas regretted his decision to betray Jesus. Matt. 27:3-5. Vs. 4, “I have sinned…for I have betrayed innocent blood.” What did Judas think Jesus was guilty of? Perhaps all the things the religious leaders were accusing him of. When we are disappointed with Jesus we will charge him with wrongdoing. We need to be like Job. When calamity befell him the first chapter states that Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
Regardless of Judas’ actions here he wasn’t truly repentant. His feelings had changed but his heart did not. From the Fourfold gospel commentary, “There are two Greek words which are translated "repented," the one properly so translated, metanoeo, which means literally "to know after" and which therefore means a change of mind or purpose; and the other, metamellomai, which is used here and which means literally "to care after," indicates a sorrow for the past. The first should be translated "repent"; the second, "regret." Trench draws the distinction thus: "He who has changed his mind about the past is in the way to change everything; he who has an after care may have little or nothing more than a selfish dread of the consequences of what he has done." Considering the prophecy which had been uttered with regard to Judas' act (Mt 26:24), he had good reason to fear the consequences. While he testifies as to the innocence of Jesus, he expresses no affection for him.”
Notice the difference between Peter and Judas. Peter denied knowing Christ. But then the rooster crowed and he and Jesus locked eyes. And Peter remembered that Jesus told him he would betray him. Luke 22:62 says that he went outside and wept bitterly. Peter had godly sorrow. Judas did not have godly sorrow because although he was remorseful and he realized that what he did was a sin it didn’t transfer into repentance it transferred into suicide.
2nd Cor. 7:10, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” The world is filled with remorseful people. People who are sorry they got caught, but not necessarily sorry for what they did. They are sorry for the consequences of their actions and not for the actions themselves. They may even be sorry for what they did but not enough to change.
Judas, unlike Peter, was not close with Jesus spiritually. There was no deep relationship there. Peter’s sorrow was because it hurt the relationship; Judas’ was because he realized he had screwed up. And since he couldn’t handle the guilt feelings and perhaps because of fear of consequence, he dealt with those feelings by committing suicide where Peter repented and Jesus forgave him.
How often have we done wrong and instead of us reacting the right way to it and making a determination to correct our behavior we are seized with guilt and as a result it pushes us deeper into sin. There are consequences to our actions. We can be like Judas adding a wrong reaction to a wrong choice. Or we can repent like Peter did. So what happened to those 30 pieces of silver Judas threw back at the Pharisees? Matt. 27:7-10. The Field of Blood; the field of death. Those 30 pieces became dirty, filthy blood money.
4) How could this have happened? Martin DeHaan said, “How could he live for three years in Christ’s inner circle and then betray the best friend he ever had?” How could you walk so close to the light yet still be in utter darkness? John 3:19-20. Judas was in the presence of light yet he chose not to come into the light; chose not to love the light. Instead he chose to stay in darkness. When Jesus washed his disciples’ feet he told them that they were all clean except one-and that one was Judas. Judas was not spiritually clean like the others.
In Luke 22:53, when Judas and the guards came to arrest Jesus, Jesus said, “This is your hour…when darkness reigns.” Judas was associated with darkness even though he was close to the light for three years. People today can be close to the light-go to church, have Christian friends, read their bible and yet still be in the darkness. Why? Because they haven’t surrendered to Jesus. They are unwilling to let go of old ways; unwilling to embrace the new way. They grab onto elements of the faith but don’t possess the faith that places the control of their lives into the hands of Jesus. It’s possible to be near Christ and to associate with his followers but not be saved. Church attendance and church involvement does not mean you are okay with God. Judas wasn’t. Judas may have even called Jesus “Lord” but that didn’t mean Jesus was his Lord (Matt. 7:21-23).
Judas hid his selfish motives and dark side in a cloud of religious activity. 1st John 1:5-7. Not talking about perfection. Walk in darkness. Judas walked with Jesus literally but walked in darkness spiritually. Let’s make sure we aren’t people who walk with Jesus externally but are walking in darkness internally. Exit the darkness and enter the light.
CONCLUSION: There is a small tree which grows in Southeast Asia known as the Judas tree. From its branches grow gorgeous blossoms. These blossoms look like scarlet sunbeams. The brilliant beauty of the crimson flowers attracts thousands of tiny insects. Wild bees also try to draw honey from their exquisitely shaped cups. But every insect that comes to rest on the edge of its blossom is overcome. It is overcome by a fatal drug the flower’s nectar contains. And the insect drops dead upon the ground below. So, when you walk around a Judas-tree, you often see the soft grass littered with dead or dying insects. The Judas-tree reminds us of sin. Sin may look bright, pleasant, and attractive to our eyes. It may appear harmless to indulge in it. But lurking behind the pleasure of sin is a fatal poison. And sin is a poison—a wickedness that acts as a drug to take away your motivation to live for God. Let’s make sure there are no Judas trees in our yard.
