All four Gospels record Jesus’ words at the Last Supper that one of the disciples will betray Him. Before arriving at the Last Supper, Judas has already agreed to betray Jesus to the chief priests. In fact in John’s Gospel (John 13:27), following the meal Jesus sends Judas away, saying “Do quickly what you are going to do.”
Why did Judas betray Jesus? This question has been debated for nearly 2,000 years. Some have speculated that Judas was a Zealot who began following Jesus anticipating that he would lead an uprising against the Romans. When it became clear that this was not in Jesus’ immediate plans, Judas disappointed, betrayed Jesus, hoping that this would in turn inspire him to start the uprising. Judas is also portrayed sometimes at being at odds with either Jesus, the disciples, or both. Still there are others who will claim that Judas knew exactly what he was doing in betraying Jesus and was seeking to help Jesus reach His full glory through His death and resurrection (see the extracanonical text, The Gospel of Judas).
We do not know Judas’ full motives but the Gospels do tell us that a desire for money was among his motives. John reports that that Judas “kept the common purse (of the disciples) and used to steal what was put into it (John 12:4-6).” Matthew also tells us that Judas approached the chief priests and asked “What will you give me if I betray him to you?” (Matthew 26:15). Mathew also tells us in this same verse that the chief priests paid Judas thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus. Adam Hamilton writes that thirty pieces of silver was about five weeks’ wage for an average worker.
In the betrayal of Judas, never truer perhaps is Paul’s warning “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10).” Jesus also regularly preached about the struggle human beings have with the desire for wealth (Matthew 19:16-26, Luke 12:13-21). This struggle with wealth is still with humans today. One example of this struggle being the greed and gluttony that played a large role in the recent economic crisis.
I know that the temptation to acquire more things is one that I regularly struggle with in my efforts to follow Jesus. Eventually, the love of money comes into conflict with our love of God. Slowly, Judas came to rationalize his taking from the common purse and his betrayal of Jesus. Do you ever find your faith in conflict with your finances? Are you willing to give as God calls you to? Are you honest in your business dealings? Your tax return? Do you ever compromise your values in order to make the sale? Close a deal? Get a raise?
Lord forgive me for the times that I have played the part of Judas by compromising my faith for the sake of having more. Help me to remember that the value of my life is not determined by the abundance of my possessions but my life is found in You. Help me to desire to serve you with all that I am and all that I have. Amen. We do not know Judas’ full motives but the Gospels do tell us that a desire for money was among his motives. John reports that that Judas “kept the common purse (of the disciples) and used to steal what was put into it (John 12:4-6).” Matthew also tells us that Judas approached the chief priests and asked “What will you give me if I betray him to you?” (Matthew 26:15). Mathew also tells us in this same verse that the chief priests paid Judas thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus. Adam Hamilton writes that thirty pieces of silver was about five weeks’ wage for an average worker.
In the betrayal of Judas, never truer perhaps is Paul’s warning “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10).” Jesus also regularly preached about the struggle human beings have with the desire for wealth (Matthew 19:16-26, Luke 12:13-21). This struggle with wealth is still with humans today. One example of this struggle being the greed and gluttony that played a large role in the recent economic crisis.
I know that the temptation to acquire more things is one that I regularly struggle with in my efforts to follow Jesus. Eventually, the love of money comes into conflict with our love of God. Slowly, Judas came to rationalize his taking from the common purse and his betrayal of Jesus. Do you ever find your faith in conflict with your finances? Are you willing to give as God calls you to? Are you honest in your business dealings? Your tax return? Do you ever compromise your values in order to make the sale? Close a deal? Get a raise?
** Drawn from the work of Adam Hamilton in 24 Hours that Changed the World: 40 Days of Reflection. Abingdon Press (Nashville, TN), 2009.
Blessings,
Lindsay Collins
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