As he looked up, Jesus saw his twelve disciples, and he loved them fervently until the end, but he knew one would betray him.
It is the end of Jesus’ ministry as he is washing the disciples’ feet clean. After arguing with Peter about how this must occur, he starts washing the disciples’ feet from a long day’s journey one by one. As he washes their feet, he states in John 13:10, “He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.” From this verse we learn that it is possible to have Jesus humbly clean you, and yet it still be your choice to receive cleaning. This is the story of Judas Iscariot.
Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve disciples. The phrase “one of the twelve” is only mentioned eight times in the Bible, with each reference directly or contextually referring to Judas. We know from this, and many other passages, that Judas was very much involved in the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. He was there in John 6 when he heard Jesus boldly proclaim to be the bread of life. He was there when the number dwindled from 5,000 followers to 12. He saw people turn from following Christ (John 6:67). He saw demons expelled. Though he saw all those things, from the very beginning he is known as a traitor. Why is that? Why is it that every time Judas is mentioned, the tag “who also betrayed him” goes with him? Is it God’s desire to see humanity as sinners with no hope? Could it be that Judas was destined, as some would say, to be a vessel unto dishonor? The scriptures answer this with a resounding no. The clearest perspective we can have on Judas is the same perspective we can have towards ourselves.
Galatians 6:7 states, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Judas made choices that allowed the devil to enter into his life and ultimately, he was remembered by how his ministry ended rather than how it started. He was not predestined to a life of betrayal, but instead was remembered by choices of unrepentance. This can be applied to our lives as well – without daily decisions to follow him, we will ultimately choose ourselves. Thus, the believer must focus on finishing strong daily.
John 4:34 says, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” On the cross, in the last seconds of his life, Jesus exclaimed “it is finished” (John 19:30). How different would our lives be if Jesus had not been obedient unto death, even the death of the cross? Therefore, Judas is always remembered as the betrayer because that is how he finished. To avoid the same result of Judas, we must take daily steps and decisions to choose to follow the Lord. Judas doesn’t show up much in the Bible, but there are key warnings that take place in his life that we must look at – primarily the betrayal of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 26:47-50 says, “And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48, Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. 49, And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. 50, And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.”
Judas comes in the cover of night, he kisses his Master for the last time, and delivers him into the hands of his murderers. At this point Judas had made his choice – he betrayed Jesus Christ by giving him over to the chief priests and elders for 30 silver shekels, the price of a servant. This was deliberate, planned, and went exactly how Judas wanted. This act was so egregious that Jesus even says that it would’ve been better if this person would have never been born (Mark 14:21). However, Judas wasn’t the only one that betrayed Jesus that night, the Bible actually says that Jesus was forsaken by all.
Matthew 26:56 “…Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.”
Mark 14:41 “…the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.”
John 1:11 “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”
The Bible is explicit that at some level we have all decided to forsake God – that none are righteous, no, not one (Romans 3:10). Additionally, the evening of the betrayal we see another key person betray his master. Peter chose to preserve his life; and thus, betray his Lord. Peter’s betrayal didn’t happen once but thrice in Matthew 26. While he is cursing a woman for accusing him of being Christ’s disciple, the cock crows and Peter realizes what he has done.
In both cases, huge mistakes were made, but there is a world of difference in response to those failures. As believers, we can learn from these two different responses to understand what to do when we fail Jesus in a catastrophic way. In Peter’s case, he looked into his Savior’s eyes, and his heart broke because he remembered Christ’s faithful words.
Luke 22:61-62 “And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord… 62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.”
With Christ’s eyes looking at him with sorrow and grief, Peter bitterly repents of his sin. We know that Peter was repenting because repentance leads to restoration.
John 21:15 “…Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea Lord; thou knowest that I love thee…”
Christ restores Peter by asking him if he truly loves him above all else. Restoration is at the center of Christ’s heart. It’s in those dark places that the light shines and the biblical response we see from Peter is to turn himself towards Christ and to take heed to his word.
In the same night, Judas takes his 30 pieces of silver and goes off as the victor in his own eyes. He had gotten away with it. But by the morning, he realizes what he’s done. He doesn’t wake up with his fellow brothers and sisters like he did for the past three years. What’s more is that Jesus isn’t there to teach him, to pray with him, to talk with him. Instead, he wakes up with 30 cold coins.
Matthew 27:3-5 “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, what is that to us? see thou to that. 5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.”
Judas’ response was to look to himself to solve his own issues and when he couldn’t, his guilt drove him to suicide. He went to the world instead of the word for a solution. He sought relief of guilt instead of repentance of sin. Many believers think that repentance is only feeling bad for what you’ve done, when in reality that is only vain regret. We see this concept of regret contrasted with repentance in 2 Corinthians 7:10, “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” The type of sorrow we should have as believers is a godly sorrow. A godly sorrow is a sorrow that is focused on God and not self. The fruit of this sorrow is a change in our direction. It is spiritually positioning ourselves to obey Christ. It is to turn around from where we were once going. Pastor Mark Trotter said it this way, “A Christian can feel horrible for losing his job because he stole… but so can a lost man. The difference should be that the Christian understand that they offended their Savior. The lost man can’t do this.” A godly sorrow is a God centered sorrow, it is a focus on grieving because we hurt our Savior, and it drives us to a repenting (turning) of our hearts and our minds away from sin.
Romans 2:4 “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”
At the end of the day, Judas stopped believing this. He saw condemnation and not restoration. He primarily thought about himself and how ashamed he was instead of seeking the one he betrayed. Unfortunately, his actions indicated that he would rather have punishment than the gentle hand of the Lord upon him. Believer, will you do the same? Will you mire in the defeat of sin and hand Satan his crown, or will we be faith-filled and repentance-ready to see the promise which has been bestowed upon us?
Romans 8:37, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”
Let’s learn from Judas today by not giving up on the One who will never give up on us.
