Judas

Human history is full of accounts of betrayal: Julius Caesar had Brutus, George Washington had Benedict Arnold, and Jesus had Judas. Yet of all the betrayals, Judas’ is considered the worst. For he not only betrayed a friend; but a sinlessly perfect friend who was the least deserving of betrayal of any person in history. He betrayed the One who came to save the very soul of the man who betrayed Him. This is why the term Judas has come to mean someone who is willing to throw a friend under the bus for the sake of personal advantage. Consequently, it is nearly impossible for us to think about Judas’ in any but most villainous term. He is the portrait of infamy.

What we overlook is that he didn’t start life as a betrayer. He was born a beautiful, innocent baby, just like your children. Yet something changed him. We are not told whether it happened early in life or later; whether it came as a result of single, sudden traumatic event, or the consequence of a consistent twisting of his character within a highly dysfunctional family. Either way, he became a monster: A hidden, secretive, deceptive monster.

Have you even noticed when you read the Gospel accounts, that Jesus was only one who saw who Judas really was? Early in His ministry Jesus warned his disciples, "Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!" (John 6:70)

It never occurred to the other disciples that Jesus was referring to Judas. In fact, his cover was so complete, that even when Jesus was asked at the Last Supper by Peter & John who it was that would betray Him, he replied…

"It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. "What you are about to do, do quickly," Jesus told him, but no-one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. (John 13:26-28)

What John seems to be implying is that even he and Peter found it incomprehensible to believe that Judas could be the betrayer. But why?

The answer may be as simple as the fact that Judas was a Judean. In fact, he was the only native-born Judean among the Twelve. By all indications, all of Jesus’ disciples were from Galilee. Now that may not mean much to you, but it was a big deal 2000 years ago.

Galilee was conquered by the Assyrian’s around 720BC. All the native Israelites either fled to the Southern Kingdom of Judea, or were carried off as captives and resettled in far away places like modern Armenia. This is why they are often referred to as the 10 lost tribes of Israel. In their place the Assyrians brought gentile captives from other conquered territories and resettled them in Galilee. Hence Isaiah refers to the region as being “Galilee of the Gentiles” (Isaiah 9:1).

All this began to change around 100BC. A newly independent Jewish kingdom began reclaiming Israel's historic territories. In order to make the kingdom more cohesive, the gentiles were forced to convert by the sword. What this means is that many of those who lived in Galilee were recent converts. Some of Jesus’ disciples may have been third, fourth or fifth generation Jews. Only two of Jesus’ disciples are identified as being from the historic lineage of Israel’s twelve tribes: Matthew from Levi, and Judas from Iscariot, a small community six miles south of Hebron, in Judea.

This hereditary distinction was not overlooked by the native Judeans. They viewed the Galileans as their less sophisticated cousins. Even their accent was distinct from their more urbane brothers in Jerusalem (Matthew 26:73). 

As for the other apostles, the higher breeding and more refined culture of a Judas would have been impossible to miss. And from appearances, it seemed that Jesus recognized the difference as well. For after all, Jesus made Judas the “treasurer” (John 12:6). Certainly, they would have reasoned, Jesus would not entrust His money to someone of a dark and questionable character. In fact, that is exactly what Jesus did.

Even to the very end, Jesus extended grace and honor to Judas. By placing him in the seat of honor at the Last Supper, and putting the sop in his mouth, Jesus was declaring his love for Judas, even though He knew Judas would betray Him.

This leaves me with the question: Why did Judas betray Jesus? I would summarize it with one word, disappointment. Not only did the other disciples hold Judas in high regard, he also held himself in high regard. I suspect that he expected to be given great authority, to become the lead apostle. Instead Jesus increasingly focused His energies and attention upon the three rough fishermen in the group: James, John and Peter.

Notably, we never hear a word from Judas throughout the entire Gospel account, until John 12 when he rebukes Mary for “wasting” her precious burial perfume ($25,000 worth), on Jesus. Judas doesn’t smell the “fragrance that filled the room.” All he can see is money dripping on to the head and feet of Jesus, and spilling on the floor. He can’t see that this “was intended” by God as preparation for Jesus’ death. In other words, he completely misses the divinity of the moment.  I suspect that he never understood Jesus’ teachings, or was moved by His miracles. His focus had always been upon how Jesus could personally benefit him.

Jesus’ response to Judas is swift and firm:  "Leave her alone," (John 12:7). Unlike Peter who had apparently become accustomed to being rebuked, Jesus’ words stung Judas’ arrogant heart. Rather than repent, (as Peter often did), he hardened his heart. It was the last straw; the last imagined indignity. He felt overlooked, passed over, unappreciated, and destined to be a second-tier leader, below men he considered himself above. He couldn’t break through what must have appeared to him as a glass ceiling in Jesus growing enterprise. So, he would “get even.” And he would “get ahead.” He would give the priests what everyone knew they wanted: The head of Jesus on a platter. And he did it in the most reprehensible way possible. He would betray him “with a kiss.”

Kisses are wonderful things. They signify the deepest love, affection and intimacy. Ordinarily no one would kiss you unless they loved you deeply and sincerely. So the act of using a kiss as the very act of betrayal is about a low as a person can go.

Because of disappointment, Judas had become a bitter man. He lusted for power that God knew he couldn’t be trusted with. He became envious of inferior men to whom God had placed above him. And he became bitter against Jesus because He didn’t give him what he felt he deserved.

What happens next is best summarized by James, the half-brother of Jesus:

But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice... But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 3:14-16; 4:6)

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. (1Peter 5:6)