Loyalty is the most precious thing on earth. I will never waste it foolishly.”
–Clair Huffaker (Cowboy)
“For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”
–Hosea 6:6 (NKJV)
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One of the saddest commentaries in the Bible, in fact, let me say further, what may be the saddest is the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot. In recent years I have noticed that there seems to be a softening towards this man of treachery. Some say that he was only trying to force Jesus into confronting the power of Rome, but Scripture indicates otherwise. This man of treachery whom Barclay calls “the perfect actor and the perfect hypocrite” had allowed Satan to enter him.
Judas had the opportunity, as did all the disciples, to make the confession that Jesus was the Christ. There is no mention that he did, even after Peter’s confession, yet he walked with Jesus, broke bread with Him, heard Him teach, saw His miracles and healings. What happened? He allowed Satan to enter him. Take heed–this is no light matter for it could happen to anyone who does not take up the cross of Christ, but allows himself to be led by the devil.
Jesus saw something in Judas, there was possibility for the man, yet he did not allow himself to surrender to the Lord, instead he surrendered his life to Satan. It isn’t an immediate happening; it isn’t something that is all of a sudden thrust upon a person. Jesus saw the potential, and He saw the outcome. “Jesus answered them, ‘Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?’ He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.” (John 6:70-71, NKJV) Barclay translates it, “‘Did I not choose you twelve, and one of you is a devil?’ He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for he was going to betray him…” Here was a man in whom Jesus could see a purpose (not the betrayal). “But Judas, who might have become the hero, became the villain; he who might have become a saint became a name of shame.” (William Barclay)
Somewhere along the way Judas began to slide deeper and deeper into the clutches of the devil. Satan had tried to get Jesus to worship him and had failed, now he would use one of Jesus’ own disciples for the deed. We see a glimpse of the heart of Judas in John 12. Judas became indignant that Mary would “waste” the precious perfume to wipe the feet of Jesus. Was this act of devotion by Mary seen repugnant to Judas? Had he not seen that Jesus was the Christ and deserved all honor? He used a cover-up to hide his heart, “‘Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.” (John 12:5-6, NKJV) In other words, he would steal from the group treasury. J.B. Phillips translates it thus, “He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was dishonest, and when he was in charge of the purse used to help himself to the contents.”
Judas was a thief; it was remain one or repent. Charles Swindoll writes, “Judas had been cultivating a double life for much of his time with Jesus. His charming religious facade kept a seething resentment safely concealed from the others. No one suspected his secret sin, much less wondered about his loyalty.” But Jesus knew. This of that last night. The Lord washed his feet, gave him the seat of honor at the table with Him, and offered him fellowship. Judas accepted the position, but rejected the grace. Jesus appealed to the darkened heart of Judas time and time again, but Judas remained unmoved. He was impervious to the appeal of love; in his heart he was actually mocking God.
By this time, Judas had become the instrument of Satan. This is a lesson for us for we too can be a servant of either light or darkness. Know this, that Satan could not have entered into Judas unless he had opened the door. “There is no handle on the outside of the door of the human heart. It must be opened from within.” (Barclay) Look at the heart of Judas, “Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered with the twelve. So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.” (Luke 22:3-6, NKJV) This was before the Last Supper, but at that gathering, Jesus had tried to reach Judas, but we read in John, “Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, ‘What you do, do quickly.'” (13:27, NKV)
For some dark reason, Judas had decided to go the way of evil, to follow the lordship of the devil. Notice, Judas had already succumbed to Satan upon meeting with the priests, now it culminates when he accepts the bread, symbolizing the broken body of the Lord. Judas turned away from love’s appeal. Judas gave himself over to the devil. “We must be on the watch so that in our lives the devil never warps the lovely things until he can use them for his own purposes…. If we submit ourselves to Christ we walk in the light; if we turn our backs on him we go into the dark. The way of light and the way of dark are set before us. God give us wisdom to choose aright–for in the dark a man always goes lost.” (Barclay)
——————————
One of the saddest commentaries in the Bible, in fact, let me say further, what may be the saddest is the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot. In recent years I have noticed that there seems to be a softening towards this man of treachery. Some say that he was only trying to force Jesus into confronting the power of Rome, but Scripture indicates otherwise. This man of treachery whom Barclay calls “the perfect actor and the perfect hypocrite” had allowed Satan to enter him.
Judas had the opportunity, as did all the disciples, to make the confession that Jesus was the Christ. There is no mention that he did, even after Peter’s confession, yet he walked with Jesus, broke bread with Him, heard Him teach, saw His miracles and healings. What happened? He allowed Satan to enter him. Take heed–this is no light matter for it could happen to anyone who does not take up the cross of Christ, but allows himself to be led by the devil.
Jesus saw something in Judas, there was possibility for the man, yet he did not allow himself to surrender to the Lord, instead he surrendered his life to Satan. It isn’t an immediate happening; it isn’t something that is all of a sudden thrust upon a person. Jesus saw the potential, and He saw the outcome. “Jesus answered them, ‘Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?’ He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.” (John 6:70-71, NKJV) Barclay translates it, “‘Did I not choose you twelve, and one of you is a devil?’ He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for he was going to betray him…” Here was a man in whom Jesus could see a purpose (not the betrayal). “But Judas, who might have become the hero, became the villain; he who might have become a saint became a name of shame.” (William Barclay)
Somewhere along the way Judas began to slide deeper and deeper into the clutches of the devil. Satan had tried to get Jesus to worship him and had failed, now he would use one of Jesus’ own disciples for the deed. We see a glimpse of the heart of Judas in John 12. Judas became indignant that Mary would “waste” the precious perfume to wipe the feet of Jesus. Was this act of devotion by Mary seen repugnant to Judas? Had he not seen that Jesus was the Christ and deserved all honor? He used a cover-up to hide his heart, “‘Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.” (John 12:5-6, NKJV) In other words, he would steal from the group treasury. J.B. Phillips translates it thus, “He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was dishonest, and when he was in charge of the purse used to help himself to the contents.”
Judas was a thief; it was remain one or repent. Charles Swindoll writes, “Judas had been cultivating a double life for much of his time with Jesus. His charming religious facade kept a seething resentment safely concealed from the others. No one suspected his secret sin, much less wondered about his loyalty.” But Jesus knew. This of that last night. The Lord washed his feet, gave him the seat of honor at the table with Him, and offered him fellowship. Judas accepted the position, but rejected the grace. Jesus appealed to the darkened heart of Judas time and time again, but Judas remained unmoved. He was impervious to the appeal of love; in his heart he was actually mocking God.
By this time, Judas had become the instrument of Satan. This is a lesson for us for we too can be a servant of either light or darkness. Know this, that Satan could not have entered into Judas unless he had opened the door. “There is no handle on the outside of the door of the human heart. It must be opened from within.” (Barclay) Look at the heart of Judas, “Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered with the twelve. So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.” (Luke 22:3-6, NKJV) This was before the Last Supper, but at that gathering, Jesus had tried to reach Judas, but we read in John, “Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, ‘What you do, do quickly.'” (13:27, NKV)
For some dark reason, Judas had decided to go the way of evil, to follow the lordship of the devil. Notice, Judas had already succumbed to Satan upon meeting with the priests, now it culminates when he accepts the bread, symbolizing the broken body of the Lord. Judas turned away from love’s appeal. Judas gave himself over to the devil. “We must be on the watch so that in our lives the devil never warps the lovely things until he can use them for his own purposes…. If we submit ourselves to Christ we walk in the light; if we turn our backs on him we go into the dark. The way of light and the way of dark are set before us. God give us wisdom to choose aright–for in the dark a man always goes lost.” (Barclay)