(7 Posts on the Easter Judas had to have! The text is Luke 22:3-23.)And you may say, "Well, Judas is just a pawn in a cruel game; an innocent in the hands of cosmic powers. This all this unfair".
But earlier in the life of Jesus, the Apostle John records an important insight into Judas’ character. (And it also provides a snapshot on how the post-resurrection disciples viewed Judas' own heart.)
It's recorded in John 12:4:
The context here is that a woman has lavished expensive perfume on Jesus out of love.
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages. " He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.Like Pharaoh in Egypt, Judas was no 'saint' being overtaken unfairly by God. Or by Satan. No – he has something within him that eventually lead to the betrayal. He was like a gambler, who eventually HAD to sell his friends.
Because, like us, his heart was orientated a certain way.
2 Posts to come...
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Pic on Flickr by Auntie P.
1 comment:
I had had this debate in the context of predestination and yet, could there be any better place for a hard hearted person than at the side of Christ, to see his miracles, to hear his teaching, to see him praying, washing the apostles feet, avoiding attempts on His life and yet preaching forgiveness and love...!?
In terms of a rationale besides he was fated or destined for betrayal (we are not robots!), the Jesus movie (one with Jeremy Sisto starring) had a pretty interesting take on it: he thought he knew better than Jesus, meekness is weakness, and perhaps he was trying to prompt the hand of God...by delivering Him up to the authorities and the occupier Romans, and upon the flogging or the humiliation, He would do what any other human would do...retaliate...but with the awesome power of God (perhaps he also was one of the disciples that brought a sword?). Ironic that someone who would hear His several teachings on the curcifixion should doubt it, but someone like John the Baptist, with no closed sessions with the Lord, should clearly recognize Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
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