In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ

In The Footsteps Of The Master:The Life and Times of Jesus Christ Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus June 10, 2012 www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Introduction • The Hamilanahan Class has been studying the Life of Jesus, vignette by vignette • We’re three years into the study • Some have referred to this as the “Study of the Life of Christ inReal-Time” • Today, we are at Judas’betrayal of Jesus • It is Wednesday www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Who Was Judas? • Matthew 10:1-4 • 1Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. 2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

The Betrayer • John 6:64b • For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. • Jesus therefore knew from the very beginning what He had in Judas Iscariot • Yet He still chose Him as one of the Twelve • Why would Jesus choose Judas, knowing what He would become? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

The Betrayer • John 13:21-25 • 21When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me.” 22The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking. 23There was reclining on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24So Simon Peter gestured to him, and said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking.” 25He, leaning back thus on Jesus’ bosom, said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Jesus’ View of Judas • John 6:66-71 • 66As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. 67So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” 68Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69“We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” 70Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?”71Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Keeper of the Money Box • John 12:3-6 • 3Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, 5“Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?” 6Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Keeper of the Money Box (cont) • John 13:26-29 • 26Jesus then answered, “That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.” So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 28Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. 29For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, “Buy the things we have need of for the feast”; or else, that he should give something to the poor. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

The Passover Cometh • Luke 22:1-2 • 1Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, 2and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. • These were actually separate events, but by the 1st Century were referred to as one • Why would the chief priests be afraid of the people? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Looking for Jesus • John 11:55-57 • 55Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover to purify themselves. 56So they were seeking for Jesus, and were saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?” 57Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might seize Him. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Setting the Stage • The population of Jerusalem would swell from 50,000 to 250,000 for the Feast • One of three “mandatory” feasts www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Matthew’s Account • Matthew 26:14-16 • 14Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15and said, “What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?” And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. 16From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus. • “Pieces of silver” were probably denarii, or a day's wage • Judas betrayed Jesus for a month’s wages www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Mark’s Account • Mark 14:10-11 • 10Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to betray Him to them. 11They were glad when they heard this, and promised to give him money. And he began seeking how to betray Him at an opportune time. • Mark adds that they were glad to hear this www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Observations • “What you seek, you will find” • The Chief Priests were seeking some way to get rid of Jesus • They found it in Judas • Judas was seeking an opportune time to betray Jesus • He will find it in the Garden; away from the people www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Luke’s Account • Luke 22:3-6 • 3And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. 4And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. 5They were glad and agreed to give him money. 6So he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the crowd. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Commentary • “To inquire here whether or not Satan entered into Judas bodily is an idle speculation. We ought rather to consider how fearfully monstrous it is, that men formed after the image of God, and appointed to be temples for the Holy Spirit, should not only be turned into filthy stables or sinks, but should become the wretched abodes of Satan.” • John Calvin www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Judas’ Remorse • Matthew 27:3-6 • 3Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!” 5And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself. 6The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the temple treasury, since it is the price of blood.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Judas’ Remorse (cont) • Matthew 27:7-10 • 7And they conferred together and with the money bought the Potter’s Field as a burial place for strangers. 8For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one whose price had been set by the sons of Israel; 10And they gave them for the Potter’s Field, as the Lord directed me.” www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Observations • After his eagerness to betray Jesus, why is Judas so remorseful afterwards? • Note that the Chief Priests could not accept the money back because it was “blood money” • However they had no problem whatsoever in giving the money in exchange for innocent blood www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Prophetic Words • Psalm 109:1-7 • 1O God of my praise, do not be silent! 2For they have opened the wicked and deceitful mouth against me; they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. 3They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without cause. 4In return for my love they act as my accusers; but I am in prayer. 5Thus they have repaid me evil for good and hatred for my love. 6Appoint a wicked man over him, and let an accuser stand at his right hand. 7When he is judged, let him come forth guilty, and let his prayer become sin. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Prophetic Words (cont) • Psalm 109:8-13 • 8Let his days be few; let another take his office. 9Let his children be fatherless and his wife a widow. 10Let his children wander about and beg; and let them seek sustenance far from their ruined homes. 11Let the creditor seize all that he has, and let strangers plunder the product of his labor. 12Let there be none to extend lovingkindness to him, nor any to be gracious to his fatherless children. 13Let his posterity be cut off; in a following generation let their name be blotted out. www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Possible Motives (1) • Judas was an honest “broker”, trying to arrange a meeting between Jesus and His critics to “work things out” • And he could make a few dollars in the process • When this plant went terribly awry, Judas was overcome with remorse and hung himself www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Possible Motives (2) • Judas, along with the rest of Israel, was looking for a Deliverer-Messiah, who would break the chains of Roman rule • Passover was a time of remembrance of the deliverance of the Nation of Israel • Judas betrayed Jesus to “force His hand” and put Him in a position where He would have to exert His power as the Son of God • When he saw that the plan went awry, he was overcome with remorse ... www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

A Problem • A major problem with these two speculations is found in Jesus’ words from John 6:70 • “and yet one of you is a devil?” • Those words don’t strike me as being applied to someone to arrange anything other than a dastardly plan www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Possible Motives (3) • Judas was a scoundrel, who was looking to make a quick buck, quid pro quo • He may have been the only non-Galilean in the group, given his access to the chief priests • Perhaps he saw that the mission was not on the track he wanted to be on • Satan seized on the opportunity to put Judas to the task of betraying the Son of God into the hands of His enemies www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Final Observations • Jesus knew from the outset that Judas’ raison d'être was to betray Him • Yet He chose him anyway • Satan was involved, yet Judas had free choice all along • Jesus’ foreknowledge did not change the fact that Judas made his own decision www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Takeaways • We must be vigilant in the things that we do and the causes that we champion • For whatever reason, Judas thought he was doing the right thing • Otherwise he wouldn't have done it • Yet the Gospel writers tell us that Satan was behind his actions • Is Satan behind yours? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

Next Week • The Jewish Background of the Passover Feast Questions? www.FootstepsOfTheMaster.info

In The Footsteps Of The Master: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ