Day 4: Spy Wednesday

The account of Judas betraying Jesus is a major part of the Easter story, appearing in all four Gospels. You may know the basic outline of the story:

1) The Jewish authorities were looking for a way to get rid of Jesus, but if they arrested him openly they were afraid of a riot. This fear of a riot is a clue that the whole city of Jerusalem did not turn against Jesus. He was a popular figure. To avoid public outcry, the authorities needed to get rid of him quietly. But Jesus was almost always with a crowd. Read it here.

2) So when Judas showed up and agreed to lead them to Jesus when he is alone, the authorities were excited. What motivated Judas to take this step? Luke tells us that “Satan entered Judas.” Judas was troubled or tempted by something, and Satan presented him with a terrible solution. Read it here.

3) At the Last Supper, Jesus stated that someone would betray him. Judas left the meal and went to the authorities. Read it here.

4) Later that night, while Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas led the authorities to the place where they would arrest him. He greeted Jesus, calling him “Rabbi,” or “teacher,” the same word that Mary Magdalene will later use when she first recognized the resurrected Jesus. Judas approached Jesus and kissed him, signaling to the authorities which man to take. Jesus was arrested quietly, just as the authorities hoped. Over the next few hours, Jesus’ fate was sealed before most people were even out of bed. The only ones who knew about the arrest, the disciples, fled in terror and were unable to mount any sort of defense of their master. Read it here in Mark, and then here in John.

 

5) After his arrest, Jesus was taken to a midnight meeting of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish religious court. There he was condemned to death and plans are made to hand him over to the Romans. By morning, it was all set. Whatever Judas had expected to happen when he betrayed Jesus, this was not it. Something had gone terribly wrong. Judas was struck with regret for his actions. He tried to change the situation, returning the blood money to the authorities. But nothing could stop what had been set in motion. The priests were unrelenting, and Judas was overcome by grief. He threw the money to the ground and left, later committing suicide. Read it here.

 

This is a complex story that deals with loyalty, betrayal, temptation. Judas has gone down in infamy as the betrayer of Jesus. Yet at the same time, he was used as a pawn by higher powers. Then he is kicked to the curb, abandoned when he was no longer useful to them, something that Jesus would have never done. Judas clearly did not mean to get Jesus killed. Some say he wanted to force Jesus’ hand, to start the revolution that would put Jesus on the throne. Or perhaps it was a desire for revenge at a perceived slight? Perhaps he just gave into an opportunity to feel wanted and needed, to gain the respect of  the important people. The scriptures do not tell us more, only that his choice led irrevocably to the crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus was not only abandoned by his friends, but betrayed by one whom he loved, as Psalm 41:9 says.

The story of Judas helps us to connect emotionally with Jesus, to feel the sting of betrayal. When we read this story, we know him as the man of sorrows acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3). And because we know Jesus that way, we must learn loyalty and honesty in our relationships. Strive for sincerity in your relationship with Jesus. Our attitude toward him should be one of love and obedience. That’s it. Not a desire to use Jesus for our own gain or our own purposes. Would we use Jesus in order to be well-known, to forward our own agenda, or to look good in the eyes of others? Would we act close to him at times, and then turn around and act like his enemy? Sincerity means being genuine, honest, and pure. In your prayer journal today, write down one thing you can do to be more sincere in your relationship with Jesus. Let our lives be marked by a fierce loyal love for the one who bore our sin.