Facing Jesus #1 - Judas
Matthew Mark Luke John
Words of Jesus are underlined
Judas, “the betrayer”, is often presented in movies as a zealot who only betrayed Jesus to the chief priests to force His hand. He wanted to get the revolution started that would proclaim Jesus as the King of Israel. But of course, that’s not what the Bible says, is it? How did Judas face Jesus? How did he face the consequences of his own actions?
How do you face Jesus? In what ways have you betrayed Him? How can you choose a different end to your story?
The Anointing of Jesus at Bethany
While he was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there; Martha was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took a pound of perfume, pure and expensive nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped his feet with her hair. So the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. When the disciples saw it, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked.
Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot (who was about to betray him), said, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. He went to the chief priests and temple police and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” When they heard this, they were glad and weighed out thirty pieces of silver for him. So he accepted the offer and started looking for a good opportunity to betray him to them when the crowd was not present.
The First Lord’s Supper
“Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
Now when it was time for supper, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray him.”
While they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed, each one began to say to him, “Surely not I, Lord?”
He replied, “The one who dipped his hand with me in the bowl—he will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had not been born.”
Judas, his betrayer, replied, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” “You have said it,” he told him.
After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan entered him. So Jesus told him, “What you’re doing, do quickly.”
None of those reclining at the table knew why he said this to him. Since Judas kept the money-bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. After receiving the piece of bread, he immediately left. And it was night.
Judas Betrays Jesus, Who Gets Arrested
While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, suddenly arrived. A large mob with swords and clubs was with him from the chief priests and elders of the people. His betrayer had given them a sign: “The one I kiss, he’s the one; arrest him.” So immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
“Friend,” Jesus asked him, “why have you come?” “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” Then they came up, took hold of Jesus, and arrested him.
Judas Hangs Himself
Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, was full of remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,” he said. “What’s that to us?” they said. “See to it yourself!” So he threw the silver into the temple and departed. Then he went and hanged himself.
The chief priests took the silver and said, “It’s not permitted to put it into the temple treasury, since it is blood money.” They conferred together and bought the potter’s field with it as a burial place for foreigners. Therefore that field has been called “Blood Field” to this day. Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him whose price was set by the Israelites, and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”
(Mark 14:3; John 12:1-3; Matthew 26:8; John 12:4-6; Luke 22: 3-6; Mark 14:10; Matthew 26:15; John 18:1–2; Matthew 26:21–25; John 13:27–30; Matthew 26:47–50; Luke 22:48; Matthew 26:50; 27:3–10 CSB17)
Be honest: do you follow Christ to get something from Him, or because He gave you everything?
Where in your life do you find greed raising its ugly head?
How does it make you feel to know that greed gave Satan an open door into the life of Judas?
Again, be honest: in what ways have you betrayed your allegiance to Christ? Lately?
Jesus knew Judas was betraying Him. Why did He ask Judas: “Why have you come?”
How important is it that you move from remorse to repentance?
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