Good Morning Friends,
One of the saddest characters in the Bible is Judas Iscariot. He had such promise. His name’s sake, Judas Maccabaeus is in the history books as the brilliant military strategist who led an uprising for Jewish independence in 164 B.C. In fact, many of the disciples had the name of Judas. It was that common. But Judas Iscariot, though possibly influenced by this story of the Maccabaeus, found in the Apocrypha in the books of 1 and 2 Maccabaeus, was not such a hero. No doubt Judas expected Jesus to lead a revolution. But by the time of Judas’ betrayal, Jesus had made it clear that He planned to die, not start a rebellion against Rome. Judas may have followed Jesus hoping to benefit from association with Him and may have assumed—just as the Pharisees did—that since He would not overthrow the Romans, He must not be the Messiah they were expecting. Yes, Judas may have been an opportunist. But he was also, according to scripture, a thief, and the only Judean of the twelve, and from time to time possessed by evil. Some say that he came from a clan of assassins. But there are many things we just do not know about Judas. And the thing is that Jesus would have known all this about him and still called him friend. Jesus must have seen something good in Judas. I have no doubt that Jesus would have forgiven him if Judas had repented. But I imagine Calvin may have considered Judas as being predestined for damnation. Dante puts Judas in the deepest and darkest pits of hell. But Catholics, to my knowledge, do not make a claim as too the eternal consequences of Judas’ actions that figure so prominently in the story of the Passover and Passion we are remembering this week. For me I just do not know. But I will tell you that the whole thing about Judas is a bit embarrassing on one level. Todays’ Psalms, and their plaintive cry for deliverance that reminds us of the mindset of our story’s characters may give us some prophetic insight. But, still, when I think about this there is always one question that troubles me. Why Did Jesus Choose Judas?
Scripture: The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens— wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I did not turn backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting. The Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord God who helps me; who will declare me guilty? All of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.
Isaiah 50:4-9a (NRSV)
Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I betray him to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him. On the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where do you want us to make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, My time is near; I will keep the Passover at your house with my disciples.'” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them, and they prepared the Passover meal. When it was evening, he took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?” He answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.” Judas, who betrayed him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” He replied, “You have said so.”
Matthew 26:14-25 (NRSV)
He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
John 6:71 (NRSV)
“Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.)
John 12:5-6 (NRSV)
Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted the heel against me.
Psalm 41:9 (NRSV)
I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother’s children. It is zeal for your house that has consumed me; the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. When I humbled my soul with fasting, they insulted me for doing so. When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them. I am the subject of gossip for those who sit in the gate, and the drunkards make songs about me. But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me. With your faithful help rescue me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters. Do not let the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the Pit close its mouth over me. Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me. Do not hide your face from your servant, for I am in distress—make haste to answer me. Draw near to me, redeem me, set me free because of my enemies. You know the insults I receive, and my shame and dishonor; my foes are all known to you. Insults have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. Let their table be a trap for them, a snare for their allies. Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually. Pour out your indignation upon them, and let your burning anger overtake them. May their camp be a desolation; let no one live in their tents. For they persecute those whom you have struck down, and those whom you have wounded, they attack still more. Add guilt to their guilt; may they have no acquittal from you. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living; let them not be enrolled among the righteous. But I am lowly and in pain; let your salvation, O God, protect me. I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs. Let the oppressed see it and be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive. For the Lord hears the needy, and does not despise his own that are in bonds. Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them.
Psalm 41:9 (NRSV)
I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But it is to fulfill the scripture, ‘The one who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ I tell you this now, before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am he. Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.” After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking.
John 13:18-22 (NRSV)
Message: There are probably many reasons Jesus selected Judas as a disciple. One reason could be that Jesus wanted to show us how to love even our enemies. Another reason could be that God wanted to leave an example for us that even those we trust may not be honest. We all need to beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing. But as for the disciples, they were blinded to Judas, but I do not think that Jesus was blind in this regard. The thing is that Jesus did find a way for Judas to fulfil scripture.
Judas was part of God’s plan. When you do a careful study of the life of Judas, interesting detail emerges. Judas was the only one of the twelve apostles who was not a native of Galilee. He was from the Judean town of Kerioth. Some historians note that Judas was related to a band of Jewish assassins called the Sicarii. But despite all this Judas was chosen to be the treasurer of the apostle’s money and apparently had his hand in the till. So, one must wonder why Jesus would entrust Judas with the cash box knowing this inclination. But Jesus saw a purpose in Judas, maybe even something good but also something very dark. And therein lies the message for us. Some theologians try to harmonize it all. But all that controversy and maneuvering does not bring us any closer to understanding why Jesus chose Judas Iscariot. The reality is that Judas remains a controversial figure in Christian history that has been fodder for antisemitism. Judas’ betrayal, from the Gnostic perspective, is viewed as setting in motion the events that led to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection which, according to traditional Christian theology, brought salvation to humanity. This view is rejected by the mainstream Church as heretical. If Judas were to be the best of the apostles, he would have had to have repented and been forgiven by Jesus. Judas, to my knowledge, never did so and appears to have remained silent. This lack of faith in Jesus is the foundation for all other considerations. The same holds true for us. If we fail to recognize Jesus as God incarnate, and therefore the only One who can provide forgiveness for our sins—and the eternal salvation that comes with it—we will be subject to numerous other problems that stem from a wrong view of God.
And So, the events that took place during what is now called “Holy Week” certainly transformed the history of the world, but they also created a new villain: Judas. As one of Jesus’ closest followers and friends you must wonder what he was thinking when he betrayed Jesus. We will never know what Judas was thinking but it must have been more than just about the money. Without Judas it is hard to imagine a crucifixion and without a crucifixion it is hard to imagine a resurrection. At the end of the day Judas was an adversary of Jesus. Judas’ ways were at odds with the Way of Jesus. Here the storyline is getting darker. What was being played out in the light is now overshadowed in the dark with evil akin of the final plague on Egypt in that first Passover. The tension is rising. Even Jesus is getting ready to sweat blood. And here we find that our emotions are heightened too. Here we find that it is not only wise but very necessary that each of us identify our adversaries when things are getting heated. It is a well-founded strategy to identify who our enemies are, so we might relate to with them with caution. But identifying them is not always easy for not all enemies are external. Some are internal. And get this, the internal enemies are more dangerous than the external ones. And the thing is that we need a power greater than ourselves to help us fight the good fight against internal enemies. We cannot fight ourselves and win.
Pray we do not try to fix the Bible but use its message to help heal ourselves. Pray we never betray Jesus. Pray we realize that Satan helped send Jesus to the cross, and on the cross sin and death were defeated, and now God’s provision of salvation is freely available to all who receive Jesus Christ as Savior. Pray we realize that God in His wisdom was able, as always, to trick even Satan’s rebellion for the benefit of mankind. Pray we realize that we have a choice and will be held accountable for our choice. Pray we see clearly and completely as best we can. Pray we realize that we still must have faith to be set free. Pray we never sell out. Pray we are not greedy. Pray we learn that the key to victory is Jesus. Pray we experience Jesus in the light. Pray we see that He holds it all together when things seem to be falling apart into the darkness. Pray we learn and share in anticipation of the resurrection hope. Pray we identify our enemies and ask God to deal with them on our behalf because we cannot do it on our own.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 