KEY PLAYERS IN THE CRUCIFIXION:
JUDAS ISCARIOT
TEXT: MARK 3:13-19
INTRODUCTION: I am doing a series of sermons on the key players in the crucifixion. I would like to begin with the most notorious player of them all, Judas Iscariot.
In our text we read, “Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him.” The first thing we ever read of Judas is that he betrayed the Lord.
I. JUDAS HAD A NOTORIOUS NAME?
Some celebrities are so well known that all you have to say is their first name and people know who you are talking about right away.
Cher, Madonna, Oprah, and most recently, Regis.
Judas, his name has forever gone down in history as the name that means “traitor, betrayer, thief.” Webster’s Dictionary has this as its definition, “Judas: A treacherous person.”
When someone calls someone a “Judas” it’s not flattering. How would you like to have a name like that, when someone mentions your name, it is not thought of well at all, it only evokes bad thoughts?
After Judas betrayed the Lord those that had the name of Judas changed their names so they would not be identified with the one who had done this awful deed.
Jesus had a brother named Judas;
Mat 13:54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
Mat 13:55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
Judas, the Lord’s half brother, wrote a book in the Bible but it is not called Judas, its called Jude. He didn’t want people who saw his name think that it was speaking of the one who betrayed the Lord, so he changed it.
Our name is important. What people think about us when they hear our name says a lot about who we are. A good name is very important to have. The Bible says;
Prov 22:1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches,
Having a good name is better than being rich. Our name is of course tied to our character. Many people will sacrifice their character in order to get rich. They will lie, steal, cheat, and even commit murder in order to obtain riches.
Judas’ name will forever be linked with evil. Prov 10:7 The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.
I. JUDAS HAD A NOTORIOUS NAME
II. JUDAS WAS MOTIVATED BY MONEY
Look at; John 12:1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
John 12:2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
John 12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
John 12:4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,
John 12:5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
John 12:6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
John 13:29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.
As we saw in the first point Judas sacrificed his name for riches. He was a thief. He had the bag. He was the treasurer and he liked to skim money from off the top.
See Judas thought that Jesus was going to set up His kingdom at this time. He thought that Jesus would bring about an insurrection against the Romans who ruled the Jews at that time.
Now of course, kings are rich and Judas thought that if he would bide his time, then, when Jesus took the throne he would be the treasurer of much more than a bag of money. He would be the treasurer of the wealth of the country.
Money motivated Judas. Judas loved money. 1 Tim 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
How much like Judas are we? Well consider this. Judas is called, “one of the Twelve.”
What’s interesting about this is that this phrase is used of one other person, one other time. It is used of Thomas once in;
John 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
None of the rest is ever spoken of as “one of the Twelve.” Of course, the Twelve are spoken of many times, but ten times Judas is spoken of in the Gospels as “one of the Twelve.”
Look at it mathematically. The Twelve were the inner circle. “One of the Twelve” means that eight and a half percent of the inner circle betrayed Jesus and was guilty of this materialism.
One in twelve, 10 in 120. The proportion would be greater with those who come to church but are not as committed. The proportion would be greater still outside the church.
But if we just think about “one of the Twelve” mathematically, we are saying that in that proportion materialism is to be found in the inner circle of Jesus’ friends. And that is enough for us to ask as Judas did, “Lord, is it I?”
A. Materialism Enslaves
Greed enslaves us. Not only greed, but sin in general. The more often we commit sins, the stronger their hold on us is.
Jesus compares this to slavery. Look at;
Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Mammon = Money, riches, treasures, ect. You can’t serve God and money. Why? Because of the hold that each will have over you.
When you become more and more materialistic. When money becomes more important to you than anything else. When it is more important than God, you are serving mammon and not God because it is IMPOSSIBLE to serve both. THAT’S WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS!
We think that we will work or cheat until we have enough money or until we have built up some security. Then we think things will be different. We think we will relax and have time for other things.
But that doesn’t happen. What’s the most addictive thing in life? Is it alcohol? Is it drugs? I don’t believe so. The most addictive thing in life is money. It enslaves us and we don’t even see it happening.
It works like a drug. We get hooked, and there is never a time when we don’t want more.
B. Materialism Twists Values
Materialism warps our values. Jesus was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver. We don’t quite know the value of those 30 pieces of silver.
There are a couple of possibilities. If they were shekels, they would be equivalent of about 120 days wages. If they were denarius, they would be the equivalent of 30 days wages for a soldier or a working man.
So there are the two ends – at the most 120 days wages, at the least 30. Which ever it was, Jesus was worth less to Judas than those 30 pieces of silver.
Compare that with the expense of the perfume in John 12:5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? Pence = denarius.
300 denarius, a year’s wages for a working man. That’s what Mary spent in one loving act just to please and honor the Lord. Now you understand why Judas was so upset that this was done. He could have taken a good portion of this for himself. He didn’t care about the poor, he cared about Judas.
Mary’s act was commended by the Lord, but to Judas money and success were more important than people. He was ready to sacrifice the innocent, even his friend, to get where he wanted.
What about us? What about our values? Where do people fit in? We may not be ready to betray our best friends for 30 pieces of silver, but what might we be willing to sacrifice if the price were right?
The warping of our values happens so subtly that we don’t realize how much like Judas we’ve become.
There’s an interesting story behind Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of The Last Supper. The artist had finished painting everyone except Judas, and he needed a model for that person.
He went out and looked in all the bad places of the city, and at last after some years he found a man who was a type of the world’s derelicts.
On his face was stamped the effects of sin: guilt and remorse seemed written all over it. Sly eyes and a shifty gaze spoke of a life of deception and fraud. The artist thought, “There’s my man.” So he asked him to come to his studio.
When the man came in, he glanced around. The place looked familiar to him. “I have been here before,” he said.
“My God! I am the man that you painted for Christ some years ago; now you’ve taken me for Judas. Is that all I’m fit for? Is that what I’ve come to?
Warping of values takes place slowly.
C. Materialism Is Secretive
Look at Mat 26:21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
Mat 26:22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?
Mat 26:23 And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
Mat 26:24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.
Mat 26:25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
Only Jesus knew that Judas was the one who would betray Him. None of the others suspected a thing. I have often thought about that fact. You never know if there is a Judas in your company.
The disciples were completely and utterly taken by surprise at what Judas did. When Jesus said that one would betray Him, the disciples looked at each other not sure of whom He spoke.
No one at the table knew why He had said what He said to Judas. It was only afterwards that they knew. They didn’t know about Judas stealing money from the bag. They didn’t know that he had been to the authorities.
He was among them, yet not known by them, he was able to masquerade as one of them. Their friends were his friends, while all the time personal gain controlled him.
Judas had completely deceived the eleven by his friendliness. He pretended to be a disciple when he was a deceiver, to think of the poor when he didn’t care at all about the poor, to be interested in economy when his interest was in dishonesty, to be ignorant – “Lord, is it I? – when he had already made the pact with the authorities.
He pretended to be intimate with Jesus, taking the sop from Him as the privileged gesture at the meal, while in fact, he was already the betrayer. He had the behavior of a saint but the heart of a miser.
If materialism is in us, there a chance that only ourselves and God know. But we don’t have to let it ruin our lives. We need to search our hearts and be honest about it.
Look at.
Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
Mat 6:21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Mat 6:22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
Mat 6:23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
Mat 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
It was about money that Jesus said, “If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” It was a statement about finance, about self-deception concerning materialism.
You can’t serve God and money.
I. JUDAS HAD A NOTORIOUS NAME
II. JUDAS WAS MOTIVATED BY MONEY
III. JUDAS WAS A FALSE FRIEND
Psa 41:9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
Look at;
Mat 26:47 And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.
Mat 26:48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
Mat 26:49 And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.
Mat 26:50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.
Judas pretended to be Jesus’ friend, but as we have seen, the only friend Judas had was money.
Prov 14:20 The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.
Prov 19:4 Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbour.
Now of course Jesus knew Judas was a false friend but He still offers Judas His friendship. He calls him friend. The Lord does not disown Judas.
Prov 18:24b ……… there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
How about you? Are you a friend to someone only because of what they can do for you? If so, you are no friend.
There are many people in this world who are false friends. They stick around you until the money stops coming their way and then they are gone.
We need true friends and we need to be true friends. People need to have friends they can trust.
Maybe you don’t have any friends. Well maybe its because you are not friendly yourself.
Prov 18:24a A man that hath friends must show himself friendly:
I. JUDAS HAD A NOTORIOUS NAME
II. JUDAS WAS MOTIVATED BY MONEY
III. JUDAS WAS A FALSE FRIEND
IV. JUDAS WAS A DISCIPLE WHO WAS THE DEVIL
John 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
Greek authorities say that there is no “a” in verse 70. So what Jesus said was, “One of you is devil.”
John 13:26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
John 13:27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
Someone might ask if Judas was the devil why does it say that Satan entered into him.
John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee,
Judas was the son of the devil, just like Jesus was the Son of God. So just as Jesus was God in flesh, Judas was the devil in flesh.
It isn’t hard to believe that Satan was in the flesh of Judas, in the same way that God was in Jesus flesh. And when it says that Satan entered Judas, it doesn’t mean for the first time. It means he took complete control of the heart of Judas.
Another interesting Scripture concerning Judas is;
John 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
He was talking about Judas. He was the only person whom He ever called “the son of perdition.”
This expression is found only twice in the NT.
Jesus used it here in John 17:12 and Paul used it in II Thessalonians with reference to the Man of Sin, the Antichrist:
2 Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
The “son of perdition” is the son of Satan. Jesus was the Son of God, God incarnate. The Antichrist will be the son of the devil, Satan incarnate. Jesus was THE Son of God (not “a” son of God), so Judas was THE son of perdition, the son of Satan, the devil incarnate.
Does this mean that Judas will be the Antichrist? I don’t know, but it seems possible.
Acts 1:25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
Judas went to his own place – but where was that place? It couldn’t have been hell, because hell doesn’t belong to Judas.
Mat 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
It was prepared to punish Lucifer when he was cast out of heaven: Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
In the beginning of creation, there wasn’t a hell because there wasn’t a need for it.
Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
There isn’t any mention of Him creating hell.. But there is a hell now: it was created for the devil and his angels – but it doesn’t belong to the devil, nor does it belong to Judas Isacriot.
When a person dies they are spoken of in the Bible as lifting up their eyes in hell, or in the presence of the Lord. No one but Judas is said to have gone to his own place.
After he betrayed Jesus he hanged himself “that he might go to his own place,” the place from where he came from, “that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”
Maybe he has another task to fulfill, and one day, after the Rapture, the spirit of Judas will be incarnate in the body of a man who will be known as the Man of Sin, the Antichrist.
Some may say that this is impossible because thew Bible says; Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: and Judas died.
Well, so did Moses, but he and Elijah appeared on Mount of Transfiguration. And they have work to do yet as the Two Witnesses in Revelation 11
If God can send Elijah and Moses back to this earth in a body, would it be any harder for him to ordain that Judas Iscariot be born of a harlot, and in a mortal body work the works of the Antichrist, that the Scripture be fulfilled?
CONCLUSION: Judas was a key player in the crucifixion. He Had a Notorious Name, was Motivated by Money, was a False Friend, and a Disciple who was the Devil.
