Note: This is a study from the book 12 Ordinary Men by John McArthur an excellent book. There is also a fill in the blank outline that is also posted.
Twelve Ordinary Men
Judas the Traitor
Mat 26:25 Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, "Rabbi, is it I?" He said to him, "You have said it."
Introduction
The last apostle that we will look at is the well known apostle Judas Iscariot. Judas shows us how you can have your name go down in history but for the wrong reason.
We are reminded that Judas was not much different than the other apostles. He also spent 3 years with Jesus and was afforded the same opportunities that the others were. There is not even a slight hint in scripture that the other apostles knew of his treachery, as we will see. Yet he squandered the opportunity to truly follow Christ. He was so close to the gospel and salvation but missed it.
Do you not think that there are some in the church today who are the same? They sit in church every Sunday hear the message of the gospel yet leave unchanged.
I. His Name
a. As we learned from our last lesson the name Judas means " Jehovah leads".
This was the name given to him by his parents. They seem to have bigger dreams for him. Little did they know the role that he would play in history.
b. His surname Iscariot refers to the region he was from. More than likely he was from a town
called Kerioth-hezron.
Judas was from an obscure village probably not well known among the other apostles. They probably didn’t know much about him so this would give him the opportunity he needed to hide himself and his selfish motives.
John 6:64 But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.
II. His Call
a. The call of Judas is not recorded in scripture.
b. It was obvious that Judas was not attracted to Jesus on a spiritual level.
c. Judas had a role to play in history. It was prophesied that there would be a betrayer.
(Ps 41:9; 55:12-14; Zechariah 11:12-13)
The debate between divine sovereignty and human choice. Predestination and election.
Judas was stuck in his position as betrayer. He was afforded many opportunities to change. Many of the parables and lessons that he heard Jesus taught seemed to deal directly with him. (the wedding garments, the love of money, greed, the shred business man, against pride). Jesus even candidly told his disciples in John 6:70 "One of you is a devil."
III. His Disillusionment
a. No doubt at the start, all the apostles thought of the Jewish Messiah as an oriental monarch who would
defeat the enemies of Judah, rid Israel of pagan occupation, and reestablish the Davidic kingdom in
unprecedented glory.
b. But Jesus did not always fulfill their personal expectations and ambitions.
To be honest their ambitions were not all spiritually motivated. Over the next three years they discovered that Jesus had different methods and intentions. Instead of becoming disillusioned, all but one began to understand and accept Christ’s purpose.
I was thinking about this the other day. People "backslide" or "fall out with God" mainly because their expectations of God is different than who he is. Often times their motivations are secular instead of spiritual. A pastor "falls" or a Christian "leaves the church". Why? Because God didn’t do what they wanted him to do.
Illustration: While I was pastoring in Allendale I had a family outside the church approach me. The husband told me that he had left the Church of God because of its teaching against divorce. He had been a teacher and leader in the church yet he left. Why? Because he got a divorce.
Judas had a choice about what he would do. As we will see he was motivated by other things. Greed and hypocrisy.
IV. His Greed
John 12:1-8 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead,* whom He had raised from the dead. (2) There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. (3) Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. (4) Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, (5) "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" (6) This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. (7) But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. (8) For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."
a. This was an act of shocking extravagance.
b. A denarii was a days wage. So in other words this was a year’s worth of salary.
c. According to Matthew 26:14-16 this seems to be the last draw for Judas.
Notice the contrast in the story. Here Mary is showing the worship of the Messiah in honor and glory but Judas gains resentment and a hardened heart. This has happened in service where God moves powerfully and someone meets you at the door and complains about the sound or something. It is amazing how one can miss God when we are focused on our own needs or ambition.
V. His Hypocrisy
a. John 12 shows us how distant Judas had become to the work of Christ.
John 13:1-4 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. (2) And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, (3) Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, (4) rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.
The opposite reaction of the apostles.
John 13:8-11 Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." (9) Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!" (10) Jesus said to him, "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you." (11) For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, "You are not all clean."
Judas Exposed
Matthew 26:22-25 And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, "Lord, is it I?" (23) He answered and said, "He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. (24) The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born." (25) Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, "Rabbi, is it I?" He said to him, "You have said it."
Final Stage
John 13:21-30 When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me." (22) Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. (23) Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. (24) Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. (25) Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, "Lord, who is it?" (26) Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it." And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. (27) Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly." (28) But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. (29) For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, "Buy those things we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor. (30) Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.
b. Judas allowed Jesus to wash his feet although he knew that very soon he would betray him.
VI. His Betrayal
a. The religious leaders were looking for an opportunity to apprehend Jesus at night.
This sounds strange as they had seen him so many times and had opportunities to pick arrest him. Yet there was a method to what they were doing. First they were trying to avoid the crowds so they got him with the least amount of people around at the late hour. Second, this was a surprise to all the people. Who was up?
b. " Like every hypocrite, Judas was obsessed with concerns about what people thought of him, so he was
hoping to betray Jesus as quietly as possible."
c. Judas approached Jesus and betrayed him with a kiss.
Mat 26:48 Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him."
Luke 22:47-48 And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. (48) But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"
"Kissing is a mark of homage, love, affection, tender mercies, respect, and intimacy. " This shows even deeper his hypocrisy as he uses this sign. With no thought as to what he was doing.
VII. His Death
Mat 27:1-10 When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. (2) And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor. (3) Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, (4) saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." And they said, "What is that to us? You see to it!" (5) Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself. (6) But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood." (7) And they consulted together and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. (8) Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. (9) Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, (10) and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me."
a. Judas was remorseful after he realized what he had done.
b. This was not genuine repentance it was just feeling bad for what he had done. True repentance is not just
feeling bad but turning to the Lord and his grace.
I think it is interesting the reaction of the "chief priests and elders". They did not need Judas any more so they did not try to relieve his guilt. They were just using him. They were suppose to help people out of hell but they helped him fulfill his destiny and fall into the pits of hell.
VIII. Lessons Learned
a. Judas is a tragic example of a lost opportunity.
b. Judas is the epitome of wasted privilege.
c. Judas is a classic illustration of how the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. (1 Timothy 6:10
d. Judas exemplifies the ugliness and danger of spiritual betrayal. Other examples: Balaam, Demas
e. Judas is proof of the patient, forbearing goodness and loving-kindness of Christ.
Psalms 145:9 The Lord is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works.
f. Judas demonstrates how God’s plans and purposes will always work for his will.
Gen 50:20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.
g. Judas is a vivid demonstration of the deceitfulness and fruitlessness of hypocrisy.
Acts 1:16 - 26 tells us that after the resurrection of Christ Judas’ office was filled by Matthias. Matthias joined the ranks of ordinary people elevated to an extraordinary calling.
