Judas

I mentioned Judas in my first post concerning Jesus and the disciples in Bethany at the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha. John had recorded Judas' objection to the nard Mary used to anoint Jesus' feet; the nard should have been sold and the money given to the poor. John wrote Judas had been the treasurer of the group and had taken some funds for himself from time to time. I wonder if John had first hand knowledge, perhaps he'd seen Judas slip himself a few coins. John does not seem like the type to offer anything but his own first hand knowledge. If he knew of Judas' thievery, did he mention it to Jesus?

I wrote then that I'd get back to Judas, so here I am. He presents some problems for many as they try to figure him out, try to understand Jesus inclusion of him into that group. Was he just a pawn who had no choice about what he did? To be clear right at the outset, I don't really know about some of these deeper issues. I am only trying to look at his situation from what we do know.

While I don't consider our record of that week as a story, I will say we tend to like stories that have a villain. We tend to put Judas in this role. From the little we know, he tends to fit it well. But I've been thinking about this and thought I'd share a few thoughts.

First, because of what John writes in chapter 12, we know Judas has some deep character flaws. Money seems to be at the root of most of those flaws. Why then would Jesus have him be in charge of their funds? We can only speculate about that "Why" question.

Judas had a front row seat to all that Jesus did during those years of ministry. He not only saw Jesus heal, cast out demons and preach, but he was part of that intimate group that probably sat around fires at night and were taught deeper truths. Others from those front row seats certainly were changed by that experience. It appears Judas was not. Did he just sit back and listen with a calloused heart, or could there have been times he was pierced, but his pride kept him from a deep surrender to the truth being played out in front of him?

As we move into that last week we can speculate that he probably sought out the Pharisees and made his deal on that silent Wednesday. What did he think would happen? Matthew alone writes of Judas' confrontation with the Pharisees where he returns the 30 pieces of silver. He realizes Jesus is innocent. We are never told why he took matters in his own hand and sold Jesus out.

So, I am left wondering about this man. I can't just simply put him in the "villain" slot and leave him there. I think his character flaws, combined with pride kept, him from submitting to Jesus as the others were able to do. I want to think this was a silent war that raged in him and the only thing that quieted that war was to pocket coins for his own use. This may have been his "go to" when he felt the pressure that sin brings. Sin sometimes does that for us though, it quiets momentarily moral conflicts.

It may have been greed that moved him to make the final deal with the Pharisees, or it may have been an internal justification on his part to try to curtail Jesus' inflammatory rhetoric that was causing some to fall away and question who Jesus was. Again, we don't know.

John tells us something interesting in 13:27, "As Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him". We now have the true villain, Satan, our mortal enemy. Judas is not without culpability, his pride that may have kept him from true submission, kept the door open for Satan. And Satan waited until the last moment, the most pregnant moment, to enter and move the chess pieces into what he believed were in his favor for a final checkmate. At that moment, the act of betrayal was complete, but not yet played out to the end.

If we circle back to Matthew's account we see how diabolical Satan is. He completely abandons his pawn, leaving Judas engulfed in remorse and guilt and blackness. He feels he has no choice and hangs himself.

At this point many offer a silent cheer, he got what he deserved. I no longer see it that way. I see a tragic end to a man I believe Jesus loved. I wonder what might have happened if he could have held out against the blackness that engulfed him long enough for resurrection? What might have been his story of redemption?

Some may say I've gone a bit too far in my speculation. Perhaps, but grace offers us something other than what we deserve. Paul tells us Jesus died for us when we were still his enemies. Could not Judas be included in that group that were redeemed by Jesus' death?

I am writing to point out first who the real villain was, Satan. And I'm also hoping we can see Judas' life as a cautionary one. If he withheld submission to Jesus' love, we also need to be careful about those areas we all carry that we may not have submitted under his love. John in his first letter tells us explicitly what to do when we sin, we confess and let Jesus, through his love and forgiveness, heal those areas that need his touch.

It is not easy to decipher Judas' culpability in the role he played, but I see him as a tragic man, one who was privy to Jesus and yet could not bring himself to give over to Jesus who he was.

Just some thoughts to think about this week after resurrection.