TRAFFICKING IN TREACHERY
MATTHEW 27:1-10
TODAY WE ARE STARTING ON AN EASTER SERIES THAT IS LOOKING AT SOME OF THE CHARACTERS IN THE DRAMA. EASTER IS A TIME WHERE WE WILL SEE A LOVE STORY EMERGE FROM AMONGST STORIES OF LIES, TREACHERY, PAIN AND TERROR.
MANY OF THESE DIFFERENT STORY LINES EMERGE FROM THE VAROIUS CHARACTERS THAT WE ASSOCIATE WITH THE EASTER STORY. WHEN WE THINK OF THEIR NAMES THEY CAN HAVE YOU FORM MENTAL PICTURES AND BRING UP FEELINGS TOWARD THEM.
NAMES ARE VERY IMPORTANT, FOR BOTH GOOD AND BAD REASONS.
I READ THIS WEEK ABOUT A COUPLE WHO CAUGHT AN INTRUDER IN THEIR BEDROOM. THE THIEF PULLED OUT A GUN AND ANNOUNCED, “NOW THAT YOU’VE SEEN ME, I’M GOING TO HAVE TO KILL YOU.” HE POINTED THE GUN AT THE WIFE AND SAID, “I LIKE TO KNOW THE NAMES OF MY VICTIMS, WHAT’S YOURS?”
“ELIZABETH” SHE REPLIED. THE INTRUDER LOOKED SHOCKED AND THEN SAID, “I CAN’T DO IT. MY MOTHER WAS NAMED ELIZABETH.” THEN, RECOVERING HIS COMPOSURE, HE ASKED THE HUSBAND, “WHATS YOUR NAME?”
THE HUSBAND LOOKED AT THE GUN, AT HIS WIFE, THEN BACK AT THE BURGLAR AND SAID. “JOE”, THEN IN A SHAKING VOICE ADDED, “BUT MY FRIENDS ALL CALL ME ELIZABETH.”
BEFORE WWII THE NEW YORK CITY PHONE BOOK HAD 22 HITLERS LISTED. AFTER THE WAR THERE WERE NONE AS PEOPLE CHANGED THEIR NAMES SO PEOPLE WOULD NOT ASSOCIATE THEM WITH THE EVIL OF THAT MAN.
A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, IT WAS POPULAR TO GIVE CHILDREN NAMES FROM CHARACTERS OF THE BIBLE. JAMES, MATTHEW, JOHN, MARTHA, ELIZABETH AND A SCORE OF OTHERS WERE FREQUENTLY USED. ONE NAME THAT WAS NEVER USED THOUGH WAS JUDAS.
JUDAS WAS A NAME ASSOCIATED WITH TREACHERY EVER SINCE THE TIME OF CHRIST. AS A TREASURER OF THE GROUP HE WAS A THIEF. JOHN RECORDS AN INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED AT A FEAST HONORING CHRIST. MARY BROKE A JAR OF VERY EXPENSIVE OINTMENT AND ANOINTED JESUS’ FEET WITH IT. JUDAS OBJECTED TO THIS AS AN EXTRAVAGANCE. NOTE JOHN’S ADDITIONAL NOTE.
JOHN 12:6: HE DID NOT SAY THIS BECAUSE HE CARED ABOUT THE POOR BUT BECAUSE HE WAS A THIEF; AS KEEPER OF THE MONEY BAG, HE USED TO HELP HIMSELF TO WHAT WAS PUT INTO IT.
JUDAS IS A NAME THAT WHEN MENTIONED YOU WILL NOT FORGET THOUGH YOU MAY WANT TO. HE IS THE ONLY DISCIPLE MENTIONED IN COLLIN’S ENGLISH DICTIONARY AND THE DEFINITION READS: “THE DISCIPLE WHO BETRAYED JESUS, A TRAITOR OR BETRAYER.”
JESUS HAD A YOUNGER BROTHER ALSO NAMED JUDAS. WHEN HE WROTE THE LETTER THAT WOULD BECOME PART OF THE NEW TESTAMENT HE USED A VARIATION OF HIS NAME, “JUDE”.
TODAY, AS WE CONSIDER JUDAS, WE ARE GOING TO SEE HIM IN A NEW LIGHT, AND WE WILL CONSIDER THE HIGH COST OF TREACHERY. IN SOME WAYS JUDAS DIDN’T HAVE TO PAY THIS PRICE, BUT JESUS KNEW THAT HE WOULD. TODAY I WANT TO SHOW YOU HOW CLOSE TO FORGIVENESS JUDAS WAS BEFORE IT ELUDED HIM. CONSIDER IT CAREFULLY FOR MANY ARE WALKING THIS SAME PATH.
POINT ONE: HISTORY OF JUDAS
WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT TWO QUESTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO THE HISTORY OF JUDAS:
1. WHAT IS THE MORPHOLOGY OF HIS NAME?
2. WAS JUDAS A TRUE DISCIPLE?
LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE NAME JUDAS. IT WAS WHAT THE PERSON DID THAT WAS WRONG. JUDAS IS A VARIANT OF JUDAH, ONE OF THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL. IT MEANS “HE SHALL BE PRAISED”. “ISCARIOT” IS A COMBINATION OF TWO HEBREW WORDS – “ISH” AND “KARIOT”, OR MAN OF KARIAT. THIS IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE BEING FROM KERRIOTH, JUDAS WOULD BE THE ONLY NON-GALILEAN IN THE GROUP OF TWELVE AND FEEL LIKE THE ODD MAN OUT.
THE GREEK FORM OF “ISCARIOT” WAS WORSE. IN GREEK IT MEANT “DAGGER BEARER”. THE DAGGER BEARERS WERE A BAND OF VIOLENT NATIONALISTS, MUCH LIKE THE ZEALOTS, WHO WERE PREPARED TO USE EVERY MEANS AT THEIR DISPOSAL, TO FREE PALESTINE FROM ROMAN RULE. SOME THEOLOGIANS FEEL THAT JUDAS BETRAYED JESUS BECAUSE HE WOULD NOT LEAD AN UPRISING AGAINST THE ROMANS.
AS FOR QUESTION TWO, THERE HAS BEEN MUCH DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ISSUE, WITHOUT MUCH CONCRETE CONCLUSIONS OFFERED.
THERE ARE THOSE WHO WOULD THINK THAT JUDAS FITS INTO THE CATEGORY OF “UNSAVED CHURCH MEMBER.” THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO GO TO CHURCH, SERVE IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES, BUT HAVE NEVER MADE AN AUTHENTIC DECISION TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST AS LORD AND SAVIOUR.
THIS IS A GOOD WAY TO EXPLAIN JUDAS, BUT ALSO QUITE IMPOSSIBLE TO PROVE AS NO ONE KNOWS WHAT’S IN ANOTHER’S HEART.
THE SCRIPTURE DOES RECORD THAT JUDAS RECEIVED THE SAME COMMISSION AND ANOINTING AS THE OTHER MEN.
MARK 3:14-19:
HE APPOINTED TWELVE E THAT THEY MIGHT BE WITH HIM AND THAT HE MIGHT SEND THEM OUT TO PREACH 15 AND TO HAVE AUTHORITY TO DRIVE OUT DEMONS. 16 THESE ARE THE TWELVE HE APPOINTED: SIMON (TO WHOM HE GAVE THE NAME PETER), 17 JAMES SON OF ZEBEDEE AND HIS BROTHER JOHN (TO THEM HE GAVE THE NAME BOANERGES, WHICH MEANS “SONS OF THUNDER”), 18 ANDREW, PHILIP, BARTHOLOMEW, MATTHEW, THOMAS, JAMES SON OF ALPHAEUS, THADDAEUS, SIMON THE ZEALOT 19 AND JUDAS ISCARIOT, WHO BETRAYED HIM.
AN INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS PASSAGE IS THAT AT THE END MARK IDENTIFIES JUDAS AS THE ONE WHO BETRAYED HIM, TO SEPARATE HIM FROM JESUS’ BROTHER. IT TELLS US THAT JUDAS WAS ORDAINED AS THE OTHERS WERE, WITH THE POTENTIAL TO DO MIGHTY WORKS FOR GOD.
SOME THEOLOGIANS BELIEVED THAT JUDAS JOINED THE RANKS WITH THE DELIBERATE INTENT TO BETRAY CHRIST. THIS MARK ACCOUNT SHOWS THAT JESUS WAS THE ONE WHO CHOSE JUDAS AND NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND.
SO IF JUDAS WAS AN AUTHENTIC DISCIPLE WHAT HAPPENED TO MAKE HIM BETRAY CHRIST? WHILE THERE ARE MANY OPTIONS, I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU THAT JUDAS MADE THE CHOICE TO BETRAY CHRIST OUT OF HIS OWN FREE WILL, INFLUENCED BY SATAN, AS WE ALL ARE.
LUKE 22:2: THEN SATAN ENTERED JUDAS, CALLED ISCARIOT, ONE OF THE TWELVE.
THE OTHER GOSPELS RECORD THIS AS WELL, BUT I WANT YOU TO SEE THAT SATAN ENTERED JUDAS, IT DOES NOT SAY THAT HE POSSESSED HIM. JUDAS WAS A THIEF AND SATAN TEMPTED HIM WITH THE 30 PIECES OF SILVER WHICH TODAY IS ABOUT $10,000.00, MUCH THE SAME WAY HE ENTERS OUR MINDS AND TEMPTS US TODAY.
JUDAS CHOSE TO BETRAY JESUS, JUST AS ADAM AND EVE CHOSE TO DISOBEY BY EATING THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT, OUT OF THEIR OWN FREE WILL. THE BIBLE IS CLEAR:
1 CORINTHIANS 10:13: 13 NO TEMPTATION HAS OVERTAKEN YOU EXCEPT WHAT IS COMMON TO MANKIND. AND GOD IS FAITHFUL; HE WILL NOT LET YOU BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU CAN BEAR. BUT WHEN YOU ARE TEMPTED, HE WILL ALSO PROVIDE A WAY OUT SO THAT YOU CAN ENDURE IT.
CONSIDER THE THINGS JUDAS DID RIGHT, AFTER HE BETRAYED CHRIST.
IN ORDER FOR FORGIVENESS TO OCCUR THREE THINGS MUST TAKE PLACE: RECOGNITION OF SIN AND REPENTANCE
CONFESSION
ACCEPTANCE OF FORGIVENESS
TWO OUT OF THREE OF THESE THINGS OCCURRED IN JUDAS’ LIFE.
RECOGNITION OF SIN
THE FIRST THING JUDAS DID RIGHT, AFTER THE BETRAYAL WAS TO RECOGNIZE HIS SIN AND ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT.
WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE RESPONSIBILITY IS A DIRTY WORD. WHEN CAUGHT DOING SOMETHING WRONG WE HEAR “ IT’S NOT MY FAULT” OR “I DIDN’T DO IT” AND THE BEST ONE I’VE READ “ I ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL MY ACTIONS, EXCEPT THE ONES THAT ARE MY FAULT.”
THE BIBLE SAYS IN OUR PASSAGE TODAY IN VV.3-4 THAT WHEN HE SAW JESUS WAS CONDEMNED HE WAS FULL OF REMORSE. HE SAID “I HAVE BETRAYED INNOCENT BLOOD.”
LEVITICUS 17:11-12:
FOR THE LIFE OF A CREATURE IS IN THE BLOOD, AND I HAVE GIVEN IT TO YOU TO MAKE ATONEMENT FOR YOURSELVES ON THE ALTAR; IT IS THE BLOOD THAT MAKES ATONEMENT FOR ONE’S LIFE. G 12 THEREFORE I SAY TO THE ISRAELITES, “NONE OF YOU MAY EAT BLOOD, NOR MAY ANY FOREIGNER RESIDING AMONG YOU EAT BLOOD.”
WHEN JUDAS SAID HE BETRAYED “INNOCENT BLOOD” HE WAS SAYING THAT JESUS WAS INNOCENT. HE ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS SIN. JUDAS HAD 30 PIECES OF EVIDENCE THAT HE WAS WRONG. HE RECOGNIZED HIS SIN.
CONFESSION
JUDAS THEN CONFESSED HIS SIN WHICH IS THE PROPER THING TO DO. HIS PROBLEM WAS THAT HE CONFESSED IT TO THE WRONG PEOPLE. HE WENT BACK TO THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND TOLD THEM THAT JESUS WAS INNOCENT AND TRIED TO GIVE BACK THE MONEY.
THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS HAD NO INTEREST IN THE TRUTH. THEY WANTED JESUS DEAD, AND NOW THAT WOULD OCCUR IN A WAY THAT WOULD NOT BE THEIR FAULT, THANKS TO JUDAS.
JUDAS WENT TO THE LAW TO SET THINGS RIGHT, BUT THE LAW WAS NOT GOING TO DO THAT. IT WOULD CHEW HIM UP AND SPIT HIM OUT, FOREVER TO BE KNOWN AS THE ONE WHO BETRAYED CHRIST. THERE WOULD BE NO WORDS OF FORGIVENESS OR MERCY FROM THEM FOR HIM.
ACCEPTANCE OF FORGIVENESS
THIS WOULD BE AS CLOSE AS JUDAS WOULD GET TO FORGIVENESS. WHY? BECAUSE WHEN JESUS PRAYED THE PRAYER OF FORGIVENESS WHEN HE WAS NAILED TO THE CROSS, JUDAS WAS ALREADY DEAD.
JUDAS THE BETRAYER WAS ALSO JUDAS THE BETRAYED. HE THOUGHT THE 30 PIECES OF SILVER WOULD BUY HIM HAPPINESS. PERHAPS HE THOUGHT THEY WOULDN’T REALLY KILL JESUS. SOME SAY HE THOUGHT JESUS HAD IT COMING AS HE WOULDN’T LEAD A REBELLION AGAINST THE ROMANS.
SATAN HAD SO MUCH INFORMATION ON JUDAS, THAT HE KNEW JUST WHEN AND HOW TO MAKE HIM FALL. ONLY IN THE MIDST OF HIS BETRAYAL DID JUDAS UNDERSTAND WHAT HE HAD DONE. SATAN THEN FINISHED HIM OFF WITH MASSIVE FEELINGS OF GUILT AND REMORSE, SO MUCH SO THAT HIS ONLY RELIEF COULD BE FOUND IN DEATH.
WHAT DID JUDAS MISS
TREACHERY IS A WICKED THING THAT TAKES NO PRISONERS AND LEAVES ONLY VICTIMS. JUDAS TOOK HIS LIFE BEFORE JESUS DIED AND SO JUDAS MISSED OUT ON THE BLESSINGS OF FORGIVENESS.
1. HE MISSED THE FORGIVENESS OF JESUS.
BEFORE PILATE FINISHED QUESTIONING JESUS, JUDAS WAS DEAD.
BEFORE BARRABAS WAS RELEASED, JUDAS WAS DEAD
BEFORE JESUS WAS SCOURGED AND WORE A CROWN OF THORNS, JUDAS WAS DEAD.
BEFORE THE NAILS AND THE CROSS JUDAS WAS DEAD.
EVERYONE AROUND CHRIST HEARD WONDERFUL WORDS OF FORGIVENESS, BUT JUDAS WAS DEAD.
IT’S HARD FOR OUR MINDS TO CONCEIVE JUDAS EVER BEING FORGIVEN. BUT OUR MINDS ARE TAINTED BY SIN, AND OPEN TO ANGER, HURT AND PAIN. WE WANT JUDAS TO PAY FOR WHAT HE DID. GOD WANTS SOMETHING DIFFERENT OF US:
ROMANS 12:19: DO NOT TAKE REVENGE, MY DEAR FRIENDS, BUT LEAVE ROOM FOR GOD’S WRATH, FOR IT IS WRITTEN: “IT IS MINE TO AVENGE; I WILL REPAY,” SAYS THE LORD.
JUDAS MISSED THE FORGIVENESS OF CHRIST.
B) JUDAS MISSED THE PEACE OF CHRIST
THE GREEK WORD FOR PEACE IS “I RAY NEY” AND IT MEANS “TO SET AT ONE AGAIN.” WHEN A RELATIONSHIP THAT HAS BEEN BROKEN IS RESTORED THEN IT ATTAINS “I REY NAY”.
JUDAS MISSED OUT ON THE PEACE THAT JESUS PROMISED THE REST OF THE DISCIPLES IN JOHN 14:27.
JOHN 14:27: PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU; MY PEACE I GIVE YOU. I DO NOT GIVE TO YOU AS THE WORLD GIVES. DO NOT LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED AND DO NOT BE AFRAID.
JUDAS DID EVERYTHING WITHIN HIS OWN POWER TO GET THIS PEACE BUT IT ELUDED HIM, JUST AS IT ELUDES SO MANYPEOPLE TODAY. IN CANADA THE NUMBER 1 KILLER OF PEOPLE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 15-44, IS SUICIDE. OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS TEEN SUICIDE HAS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR A LASTING PEACE THAT CAN ONLY BE FOUND IN CHRIST. PAUL WROTE TO THE PHILIPPIAN CHURCH:
PHILIPPIANS 4:7: AND THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH TRANSCENDS ALL UNDERSTANDING, WILL GUARD YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR MINDS IN CHRIST JESUS.
THE PEACE OF GOD IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN UNDERSTAND, BUT THANKFULLY IT IS SOMETHING YOU CAN EXPERIENCE. JUDAS COULD NOT THOUGH, AS HE WAS DEAD BEFORE JESUS.
C) JUDAS MISSED THE POWER OF GOD.
40 DAYS AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION JESUS MADE A PROMISE TO HIS DISCIPLES.
ACTS 1:8: BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES ON YOU; AND YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES IN JERUSALEM, AND IN ALL JUDEA AND SAMARIA, AND TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.”
THAT POWER, THAT DUNAMOS, WHERE WE GET THE WORD DYNAMITE FROM CAME TO THE DISCIPLES 10 DAYS LATER, AND CHANGED THE WORLD.
JUDAS MISSED IT AS HE WAS DEAD BEFORE THE PROMISE WAS MADE.
CONCLUSION:
THERE WAS GREAT TREACHERY ON THE NIGHT JESUS WAS BETRAYED.
TREACHERY ON THE PART OF JUDAS IN HIS BETRAYAL.
TREACHERY ON THE PART OF THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS FOR THE WAY THEY USED JUDAS.
TREACHERY ON OUR PART TODAY, AS WE FOOL OURSELVES THINKING THAT THE POWER OF GOD IN US IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO HELP US FORGIVE JUDAS.
MOST OF ALL, TREACHERY ON THE PART OF SATAN. HE HELPS US TO FOCUS ON OUR ANGER TOWARDS JUDAS, SO THAT WE CAN DEVELOP A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE AT EASTER.
THE TRUTH IS THAT SATAN DOES NOT WANT US TO KNOW THAT EASTER DIDN’T DEPEND ON JUDAS’ BETRAYAL. THE CROSS AND RESURRECTION WERE PART OF THE CENTRAL PLAN OF GOD FOR OUR SALVATION AND WOULD HAPPEN IF NOT THIS WAY THEN ANOTHER. THE PLAN OF SALVATION WAS DEVISED BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD. IT IS GOD’S LOVE STORY TO US AND THE MEANS BY WHICH WE CAN ENJOY ETERNAL LIFE WITH HIM.
THIS NIGHT HAD GREAT TREACHERY, BUT LET THE GUILTY PARTY BEAR THE RESPONSIBILITY. THE GUILTY PARTY HERE IS THE FATHER OF FALSEHOODS, THE MASTER OF MISERY, THE LEADER OF LIES, SATAN HIMSELF. JUDAS WAS A VICTIM AS MUCH AS HE WAS A VILLAIN. LET SATAN BEAR THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS TREACHERY, AND LET HIM BE CAST INTO THE FIREY LAKE OF FIRE MADE FOR HIM AND ALL HIS FOLLOWERS, AND LET US CLAIM THE FREEDOM WE HAVE IN CHRIST.
JOHN 8:36: SO IF THE SON SETS YOU FREE, YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED.
