A TREACHEROUS ASSOCIATION
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand Him over. (Mark 14: 10-11)
Mmm! So Judas was among those who jumped on the woman for wasting her perfume on Jesus, was it? In John’s account of this or a similar story, he named him. But it is significant, isn’t it, that Judas chose this moment to leave the group and make his offer to the chief priests. Was it this incident that tipped him over the edge?
What was it with Judas that he was never really one with the rest of the disciples? Now and again the gospel writers named one or other of the disciples, apart from Peter, James and John who were the three in the forefront of the action and the conversation in the group. But Judas is not mentioned except for those times when his true nature was revealed. John said he was a thief – helping himself to money from the communal purse. One wonders why Jesus entrusted the bag to him.
On this occasion he was among those who had a lot to say about a woman who poured an entire jar of very expensive nard on Jesus’ head. Jesus openly rebuked them, defending the woman’s action with gracious words. Judas must have stung with the rebuke, especially as it exposed his callous heart. He had no sympathy for the poor. If he did, why did he not give of his own money instead of criticising her for her act of devotion to Jesus? Obviously he did not understand love like that.
What was Judas’ issue with Jesus that drove him to do such a dastardly deed to someone who had whom shown him nothing but love and friendship? What was Judas’ expectation of Jesus? Obviously he was a sympathiser with those who were anti-Rome. Like some of the other disciples, he could not wait for the day when the Romans were driven from Israel, as he and the other disciples expected from their Messiah. Their expectation was so high that they were continually squabbling among themselves about positions in Jesus’ new government.
Jesus had made it obvious that He had no connection with the current religious leaders because of their hypocrisy and double standards – so they would not have a place in Jesus’ cabinet. His disciples would feature prominently in the rulership when He took over, so he must have thought. Judas was the quiet one, not saying anything but scheming under the surface about what he wat going to do. He took no one into his confidence when he cooked up his plan to try to force Jesus’ hand.
Why did he decide to betray his Master to the ruling party? Did he really want to get rid of Him? It’s possible, since there can be no fellowship between light and darkness. Judas had an evil heart and not even his years in the company of Jesus had changed that. The more time he spent with Him, the great the rift became as Judas’ heart was exposed, time and again by the truth that fell from Jesus’ lips. Like the Pharisees, did Judas decide that the only way to silence his conscience was to shut the mouth of the one who pricked and prodded him?
Perhaps Judas was becoming frustrated that his political aspirations were not being fulfilled. Why did he decide to follow Jesus when he heard His call? Did he attach himself to the group initially, becoming interested when he listened to this man talking about the kingdom of God? Then, surprise, when Jesus chose His Twelve from among the many that followed Him, Judas found himself among the chosen ones. Did he want to be there? Perhaps, so that he could find out more about this kingdom He was proclaiming and be in on the planning and preparation to take over.
Imagine his frustration when Jesus spent not one moment scheming with His disciples on their take-over strategy. Instead, He spoke about heart attitudes and actions which hit Judas in the solar plexus, uncovering his greedy and wicked heart until he could stand it no more. This final prod, defending a worthless woman and exposing Judas’ callous attitude to a beautiful act of devotion, sent him over the top.
Off he went to the chief priests, determined to silence Jesus once and for all, or to set up the circumstances that would force Him out into the open. But, in the end, it was not Jesus but Judas that was forced to show his hand – Judas, the treacherous back-stabbing “friend”!
Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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