JUDAS, THE BETRAYER (part one)
One of the questions in Sunday School last week had to do with Judas and the storms he was facing. That generated some good discussion so I decided to make him the focus of the sermon today and next Sunday. Whenever there's a list of the Apostles, he always appears last and his name is followed by, "the betrayer" or something similar.
Judas was a common name. One of Jesus' brothers was named Judas. But after everything went down with Judas is probably when he started going by Jude, who wrote the book of Jude. Judas is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Judah. There was actually another Apostle named Judas; though he's called Thaddeus in Matt. and Mark's gospels and Judas, son of James, in Luke's gospel.
Some think Judas Iscariot came from a town called Kerioth which was south of Judah. If so, that would mean he was the only Apostle who was not a Galilean. This may have made him an "outsider" to the others. Let's take a look at the one who is known for betraying Jesus.
1) He started out well.
Only 12 men were picked to be Apostles and Judas was one of them. Not only that, he was chosen to be the treasurer. This tells me that at first, Judas was a man of integrity. Jesus wouldn't choose an evil man to be an Apostle or a thief to be a treasurer. Along with that, Judas was doing the work of an Apostle.
Matt. 10:1, "He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness." Then it goes on to list the Apostles. Judas was given the power and authority to heal the sick and drive out evil spirits. So this shows that he didn't start out on the side of evil.
When Jesus was driving out demons the religious leaders said it was by the power of Satan that he was doing that. Jesus replied, "How can Satan drive out Satan?" So, Judas was not an evil person, at first. Judas became a betrayer, he became a thief.
Has this ever happened to you? You were friends with someone for years and then they did a 180 on you? They started acting strange and treating you different than they used to? Well, take comfort in knowing that Jesus knows how you feel.
We need to make sure that we don't end up doing a 180. We can start out strong but along the way we can start to become weak and if we're not careful, we could start drifting away, like Judas did. Judas didn't just go from loyalty to betrayal overnight; things happened along the way. When he was in possession of the money, Satan went after him. It probably started out small, a coin here and there. But then it grew.
Once we start doing something unethical, if we don't address the problem it will only get worse. By the time we have the outburst when Mary anointed Jesus with the expensive perfume, Judas' greed had consumed him to the point of turning a loving act of devotion into something evil.
Isa. 5:20, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." Judas should've been rejoicing that Jesus was honored this way but instead he was indignant. The spiritually minded person would’ve seen what Mary did as a wonderful act of sacrificial love but the unspiritual person would only see it from a practical position 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. His darkness caused him to steal, rebuke and betray the one who showed him nothing but love.
Judas started out well but sadly he didn't finish well.
2) What happened?
What are some possible reasons Judas became the betrayer?
Unmet expectations. It’s thought 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 a 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 accurate 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 our expectations do we take matters into our own hands? How does that work out?
Having unmet or unrealistic expectations of Jesus can lead to us being upset with Jesus. The more those expectations aren't met, the easier it will be to move away from Jesus. When Jesus doesn’t meet our expectations we need to change our expectations to meet Jesus’.
Indignant. When Judas objected at Mary's costly display of devotion, Jesus rebuked him.
Matt. 26:10-13, "Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
In John's account, he has Jesus using stronger language, "leave her alone". He probably said both. But it was a clear message for Judas and anyone who agreed with him that they were wrong. Then Jesus explains how they were wrong. It's not that Jesus didn't care about the poor, but Mary was doing what God led her to do.
In vs. 9 it says the disciples were indignant where in John's gospel it mentions only Judas. This means Judas was the main instigator and spokesman and the others probably just agreed with his logic. Judas had a problem with Mary’s devotion because he realized he would miss out on an opportunity to steal some money.
He was also upset over being rebuked because right after this he went and sold Jesus out. Matt. 26:14-16, "Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over."
Judas had a wrong response to Jesus' rebuke. The other disciples no doubt took in what Jesus said and let it change their perspective but not Judas. What about us? When our thinking is wrong and the Holy Spirit or a fellow Christian challenges us do we have a godly response? No one likes to be corrected but hopefully we don't have a Judas type response.
He showed he didn't want to hear what Jesus was saying, it only made him more indignant. Judas scorned Mary’s pricey devotion but then turned around and betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver; the price paid for a slave. That’s the value Jesus held in Judas’ eyes. Greed and anger can change us to where we value money and things over people.
But aside from the missed opportunity to steal, there may have been another reason Judas was upset-jealousy. Was there a twinge of guilt knowing his heart did not possess the level of love and devotion Mary had displayed? When we find ourselves criticizing other people’s devotion is it because we're jealous of it?
3) Exposing the betrayer.
There came a time when many of those who were following Jesus stopped because he came out with some strong teaching. Then Jesus asked the Apostles if they wanted to leave too. Peter spoke up and said, 'to whom shall we go-you're the Son of God'. What Jesus says next is the first time we see him exposing Judas, although he doesn't use his name.
John 6:70-71, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, although one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)"
That's a pretty strong declaration, calling Judas a devil. In the Greek, the word Jesus uses to describe Judas here means malicious and slanderous. It's clear that a drastic change had taken place since the days when Judas was helping to drive out evil spirits. He went from driving them out to inviting them in. At the Last Supper, Jesus exposed Judas again.
Matt. 26:20-25, "When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?”
Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.”
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.
In John 13:18, Jesus said, “He who shares my bread has lifted his heel against me”. The expression has lifted his heel against me describes “the lifting of a horse’s hoof and delivering a deadly kick.” That’s what Judas was delivering to Jesus. Have you ever been betrayed? Did it feel like someone kicked you in the stomach?
Earlier, Jesus displayed another act of love toward Judas when he washed his feet. I wonder what was going through Judas’ mind as he watched Jesus perform this lowly task? I wonder if Jesus looked up at him with a stare that said, "I know what you're about to do but I'm still loving on you anyway"? That's the humility of Jesus.
In vs. 24 we see some sobering words when Jesus said 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 as white as a ghost. Perhaps this is what fueled Judas’ response in vs. 25, 'surely, not I'. And then Jesus confirms that it is him.
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 we don’t see our sin for what it really is. Jesus told it like it was; he exposed the grave reality of the situation.
But even after the washing of the feet and the gesture with the bread, and the stark truth Jesus exposed, there was still no change. John 13:27, "As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. "What you are about to do, do quickly," Jesus told him."
It's a sad and scary statement: “Satan entered into him”. In Luke 22:42 it says that Satan entered Judas when he went to the chief priests to discuss handing Jesus over. And here we see it's happening again. It shows the control Satan had over Judas by this time.
In Vs. 30 it says as soon as Judas took the bread he went out. And it was night'. Why was that significant? It goes with the idea that nighttime is when shady things take place. Things done in secret happen at night. Jesus’ trial happened at night because it didn’t follow the correct protocol. Judas went out literally and figuratively into the darkness.
When Jesus told Judas to do what he was about to do quickly, vs. 28-29 states the disciples didn't know what he meant. They thought it had something to do with buying supplies since he was the keeper of the money bag. But, it wouldn't be long before Judas would be exposed for who he was when he accompanied the crowd to arrest Jesus.
Matt. 26:47-50, "While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. Jesus replied, “Friend, do what you came for.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him."
I wonder what the Apostles were thinking when they saw Judas leading this procession? Was Judas nervous as he entered the garden and saw his former companions? Did it bother him to betray the Son of Man with a kiss? Judas turned a symbol of friendship into a sign of betrayal.
Pro. 26:24-26, "A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit. Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly."
Though this Proverb wasn't written to be applied to Judas, I can certainly see the connection. Jesus had called Judas a devil; which meant he was malicious and slanderous. Judas tried to disguise himself with his lips in the form of a kiss. While his speech was charming-Greetings, Rabbi, his heart was not genuine. Seven is the number of completeness so it means that his heart was full of hatred.
Judas' wickedness was exposed in the assembly of those who were there-Jesus, the disciples, as well as the crowd. Think about it-assuming the crowd knew that Judas was once Jesus' close companion, what view did they have of him now? I'm sure it wasn't an image of loyalty and friendship. Sure, they liked that he was helping them now but I doubt if any of them would have actually trusted the guy. When someone betrays a friend or a spouse, you can be sure, unless they have a sincere change of heart, they will end up betraying you too.
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 by a fatal drug the flower’s nectar contains. And the insect drops dead upon the ground below. When you walk around a Judas-tree, you often see the soft grass littered with dead or dying insects. The Judas-tree looks good but in reality it is deadly.
Judas Iscariot may have started out ok, but along the way he allowed darkness to infiltrate and although he still looked good, inside was a heart of poison that led to him betraying Jesus; something no one but Jesus saw coming.
The Judas tree is also a reminder of how temptation works. It 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.
Judas took the bait and Satan entered into him; which led to him betraying the one who loved him. Let’s make sure there are no Judas trees planted in our yard.
