In the name of God who wants everyone to come to repentance (2 Pe 3:9)—never turning away from him in fear, but always turning to him in faith. Amen.
I don’t know if my younger brother has ever gone back there. It was a long time ago—when we were little kids. On the way home from a regular weekend visit to grandma and grandpa’s house, the family of six would pile out of the brown station wagon sometime during the drive back for some fine dining. It was actually a treat. After we shouted out our suggestions for supper, dad would stop at one so that we could grab a quick bite to eat and then get on with the trip.
One evening, a certain establishment won out. (I won’t give any clues lest I take away any business. They might not even have the meats anymore.) I will spare you the details. But there was a car. And there was a sickness. You can guess at the sounds and smells. Needless to say, we didn’t unwrap a sandwich from there again. (There may have still been those styrofoam containers yet.) I doubt that he appreciates that place now. He probably still avoids it.
Even the mention of the name would bring a loud protest from him (not that an older brother would remind him of his unfortunate illness). He blames the establishment, not his stomach. That might be the case with another name. Not of a fast-food diner, but a onetime disciple.
It was a nice one—Judas. It is the same as Judah which means “praise.” This Judas Iscariot, a man from Kerioth, had the honor of being one of the 12 men whom Jesus selected to be his disciples, later apostles (Mt 10:4). He sent them out on occasion to preach and teach about the kingdom of heaven, even giving them the ability to cure sicknesses and cast out demons (Mt 10:8).
But now it is a notorious one—Judas. We usually add the descriptive phrase, “who betrayed him,” or the familiar designation, “the betrayer.”
What happened? How did Judas go from being handed much from Jesus to handing over Jesus? Turning from a friend listening to Jesus, turning into a foe leading an armed band after Jesus (Mt 26:47)?
It was Satan working slowly in his heart, leading him farther and farther away from Jesus. That is always his goal, not leaning on him more and more. If there is a crack, that snake will stick his head in and slither all the way in. For Judas it was greed. Perhaps the apostle Paul had Judas in mind when he wrote: “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Ti 6:9,10). It definitely played out in Judas’ life. He might even be the poster boy for that.
Perhaps it started innocently enough. Judas must have demonstrated some responsibility at one time. He had the important position of being the treasurer for the group (Jn 12:6). But he became a thief. The coins would often get stuck on his fingers and not make it into the bag. With many supporting Jesus with their wealth, he had the opportunity to line his tunic with a few extra shekels.
Then came the chance to make some fast dough. He struck up a quick friendship with Jesus’ enemies. They were willing to cough up some cold cash for a kiss. He began to watch for a convenient moment to plant that peck on Jesus’ cheek (Mt 26:16). It happened late that Thursday night in Gethsemane. Jesus had finished praying when the mob found him. Really Jesus did the locating. After Judas pressed his lips to the side of Jesus’ face, the guards put ropes around his wrists. Judas had earned his money, the price of a common slave. He was not necessarily lining his retirement account, but it was added income. Jesus then stood trial before the high priest and the Sanhedrin throughout the night. They came to the foregone conclusion: “He is worthy of death” (Mt 27:66). And then went on to mistreat and mock him.
In order to add some formal legality to the illegal investigation (It was against the law to have a hearing at night.), they met again as the sun came up. “Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death” (Mt 27:1). They were just formally confirming their course of action with the “guilty” verdict. Off to Pilate they went (Mt 27:2). Only he could inflict capital punishment. He was the Roman procurator who would hopefully rubberstamp their plan for execution and remove Jesus from their lives for good.
That is when the silver no longer shined so brightly. “When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse” (Mt 27:3). We would do well to check our hearts rather than just chide Judas. All that glitters is not gold. The devil deceives. He makes sin against God seem appealing and then it becomes addicting. We can chase more and more money only to cheat our very souls. The amount is never enough (Ecc 5:10). It leads only to a dead end. How differently sin looks before and how it appears after. Ask Judas.
That is what he found out. Too quickly. There was deep regret on his part for his role in betraying Jesus. What did Judas expect that Jesus would do to his enemies—a display of might? What did Judas suspect Jesus’ enemies would do to him—a demonstration of mercy? None of that matters. He was sorry. He was sad. But that is not real repentance. There was godly grief (2 Co 7:10). He just wanted to undo what was done. Tormented and troubled, he “returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders” (Mt 27:3). But there was no release for Jesus or Judas. It did not eliminate the wrong. Nor could it purchase any peace. The money back did not guarantee a quiet conscience like when you go to the customer service desk and they reimburse you.
On the surface, there seems to be a confession: “I have sinned … for I have betrayed innocent blood” (Mt 27:4). That is just a statement of fact, not genuine sorrow over sin. A shoplifter can contend: “Yes. I stole something that was not mine. And I got caught.” There may or may not be any accompanying grief for the consequences. For Judas there was. But he didn’t look to and count on Jesus.
He actually went to the right place—the religious leaders of the day, his pastors. But note their response: “What is that to us? … That’s your responsibility” (Mt 27:4). They got what they wanted from Judas so they turned a deaf ear. That is what is behind their icy indifference to the one whom they had used for their awful purposes. Perhaps with a shrug of the shoulders: “That is on you, not on us.” That in itself is shocking. Imagine that we confess our sins (as we did this evening). And leave it at that. There is no “you are forgiven.” That would fill us with despair as the law hammers hard.
It did Judas. His guilt was too great. He found no rest. “So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself” (Mt 27:5). That is because he turned away from Jesus, not to Jesus. There was a recognition of his sin, but not a reliance on his Savior. It cost him dearly that he doubted that Jesus could possibly love him now.
But we don’t want to fall like Judas (1 Co 10:12). We acknowledge that we have sinned against the Lord (Ps 51:4). Like Judas, it could be that greed has gotten a tight grip on us. Or betraying him by keeping silent.
But in his mercy, God gets rid of it and everything else impure and improper. Jesus’ blood washes it away. We dare not miss that. Jesus willing let his hands be tied and his case tried before Pilate (Mt 27:2). He ultimately gave in and gave the order to send Jesus to Golgotha where he was crucified. But there on the cross was where the guiltless One paid for the guilty ones—you and me. We confess: “I have sinned.” And God comforts: “You are forgiven. In Jesus Christ. Fully. Freely.” We don’t have to take hold of a rope in terror when we can hang on to our Redeemer in trust.
I haven’t asked my youngest sibling about where he eats if or when he goes out. He has invited me or offered to pay. (That is the critical component.) He may still shy away and stay away from that particular place of yesteryear. That is fine when it comes to one’s supper. But not one’s sin. We don’t want to be like Judas. Never turn away from Jesus; always turn to Jesus. Not to yourself. But to your Savior.
We read from Matthew 25:1-5:
1 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death.
2 They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.
3 When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.
4 “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
5 So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen (Re 1:6).
March 1, 2017
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