". . . the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;”
We can learn a lot from the people who set good examples... but maybe we can learn more from the people who set bad ones. Just as nobody is perfect in the world, nobody is perfect in scripture. At times, like us, they had lapses in judgement, weakness in faith, lack of self-awareness, or selfish motives. Through faith they overcame their short-comings and served as mighty examples-in-faith to us. But what about the shadier figures, like Judas Iscariot? Do we write him off as an enemy? Is he 'the betrayer', and nothing more? Or does his whole story have more to say, to teach?
- JUDAS ISCARIOT
Listed among the 12 disciples in Matthew 10, Judas Iscariot; Jesus allowed him. Judas witnessed Jesus on earth. He was present for the events we read about in the gospels: saw Him heal people and subdue storms, he heard Jesus speak and explain parables about this life and the next, and like the others, built a unique relationship with Jesus on his unique path of life. The other disciples continued as apostles after Jesus' death and resurrection, but Judas did not. Were they perfect? No. But the consequences of their flaws were not so dire as the consequences of Judas's. Still, there was as much purpose to Jesus's life as there was to His death, and Judas was one of the cogs in the machine that caused it to occur... but he did not do it alone.
Scripture informed us of Judas' glaring character flaw: greed. He tried to mask it, either from others or from himself. We know that from John 12, in which Mary of Bethany used an expensive ointment on Jesus. Judas was aghast. He said that she should have sold that ointment and used the money for the poor. But scripture tells us that Judas actually wanted the money for himself. He was a sort of treasurer for the group, and also: a thief.
Mary understood something that Judas did not understand until much later: Jesus was their wealth.
- WHICH OF THEM WILL LOVE HIM MOST?
Keep Mary in mind, but first journey to Luke 7:37-50. Jesus spoke a parable about a creditor and two people who were in his debt. One of the men in debt owed a little, the other owed a lot. They creditor forgive both of them their debts. Jesus asked Simon, 'which of the debtors would love the creditor most?' Simon correctly answered: 'to whom he forgave most.'
The lesson was given as a woman, a sinner, washed Jesus' feet. She expressed her love and gratitude for Jesus by washing His feet, kissing Him, and anointing Him with oil. Simon had not done any of that. She was more in debt than Simon, and so she better understood that Jesus was her wealth.
Mary of Bethany had just witnessed Jesus raise her brother from the dead (John 11). She understood the scope, the depth of Jesus' love just as the sinful woman had. But Judas, and even Simon, did not quite. Not yet. Even though they loved and followed Him, their life, their flaw, had not yet surfaced in a way that might evolve their faith into the depth of humility and, subsequently, gratitude. Into the quality of faith that we all should endeavor to have.
- . . . BUT HE DID NOT DO IT ALONE
Judas was a piece in a bigger plot. He was responsible for his flaw; whether he worked on it or not, we do not know, but his greed continued to steer him. And his unchecked greed over faith made him susceptible to that which faith over greed would have prevented. He became a vessel in Satan's plot against Jesus. John 13:27 verse and Luke 22:3 verse tell us that Satan/the devil entered into Judas.
His faith shield was not up; and if it was, there was a hole in it and that hole was his greed. It allowed Satan to enter in. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us that our adversary the devil, walks about seeking out whom he can devour. He must be resisted with steadfast faith. He can be resisted with steadfast faith: James 4:7 resist the devil and he will flee from you.
It is so important to actively, steadfastly work in faith to overcome the flaws within you that make you susceptible to doing Satan's dirty work for him. Satan failed and so will you, if you are unwilling to dominate with spirit, flesh which wrestles for control. There was a worldly/fleshly flaw in Judas that he had not yet dismissed. Even though he was present when Jesus spoke about the temporary nature of this world, and the permanence of the next, Judas kept living for the temporary world.
Jesus told us:
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
It applied directly to Judas' flaw. It applies directly, or even indirectly, to ours... whatever it may be. We all have some flaw that is a chink in our shield, or maybe even a gaping hole, through which Satan could enter. Satan is a master-manipulator; he's clever, once he is in your ear, he has the skill to influence the rest of you. So keep him away, as scripture has told us you have the power to do! Overcome that thing, that worldly flaw, which prevents you from the discovery of the depth of humility, and subsequently, gratitude, from the faith which is impenetrable.
- . . . UNTIL MUCH LATER
Judas reached that level by the end. When the consequence of his greed came to a head, suddenly everything Jesus did and taught clicked for him. He did not want the money he earned for the betrayal. That money was once the most precious thing to him... but when he had it, instead of Jesus, he realized that Jesus was his wealth. What is most precious to you, right now? What you have? Want you want? How you look? How you a perceived by others? It's easy to pretend to put Jesus first; we can convince ourselves, as maybe Judas had, that the worldly things in our life come second to the spiritual. But there will come a major point, and a lot of little ones in between, where we will have to choose. Our choice will show the truth, and it might be ugly. As Judas's truth was ugly.
But it does not have to be. Jesus told us: the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, Matthew 26:41. He told us to know that, to be vigilant about it, and to pray. Pray to God for the spiritual strength to overcome fleshly weakness. We often choose to pursue, to covet, that which our body wants over what our spirit needs. We do not frequently, naturally enough choose the humble option. We do not eagerly, readily elect to make the choices that promote, establish us in heaven. Rather, we make choices that promote, establish us here on earth.
- THE PRICE OF BLOOD
Judas repented. He threw the silver into the temple. And then, he died. Matthew 27:5 states that he killed himself; Acts 1:18 suggests that he died another way. Intentional death or not, Judas is our cautionary tale. His story teaches us not to tell our soul for things, not to put anything above what Jesus taught. Jesus taught us to focus our effort on people, not things. To focus our attention on God, not ourselves.
He taught us those lessons for our own benefit. He does not give orders just to be obeyed. He gives advice to save us. He tells us beforehand that we will not find fulfilment in the things and people we think we will... to save us from harsh consequences and empty realities. Since he has told us beforehand, do we have to learn as Judas did? When it's too late, when it's too overwhelming? No, we can work on ourselves now. Desire to go after Jesus more than you desire anything else, Matthew 16:24-26:
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Challenge yourself: Deny yourself the things your body, your ego wants, the things that block you from full-force, whole-hearted, dogged faith and obedience to God. Put that time, those resources, into the emulation of Jesus. Into gratitude to God through service in His kingdom, and here on earth. Thirty pieces of silver was a poor substitute for Jesus. So is whatever you covet. Jesus is your wealth.
- HE THAT DIPPETH HIS HAND WITH ME IN THE DISH
Look at Matthew 26:23,
“And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.”
Consider that earth is the dish. Earlier, we talked about Judas as a vessel for Satan's plots. Satan's influence is here on earth. Well, so is Jesus's influence here on earth. Judas literally dipped into the dish; Satan figuratively dipped/dips in the dish, into earth. There are two influences here, two hands in the dish, in the earth. One belongs to Jesus, one belongs to Satan. Light against darkness. Good against evil. Righteousness against corruption. Each has its hand in how life plays out here on earth. Of which hand are you a finger? A vessel, an instrument.
Satan betrayed God, in heaven, a long time ago, Ezekiel 28. He lost. He betrays Jesus, on earth, presently. He will lose again, has already lost, and wants to bring you down with him. Do not give him the chance. The life Jesus lived and preached is the way.