Judas Iscariot

 

Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. (Matthew 26:14–16 ESV).

 

Today I’ve chosen Judas Iscariot as a person who was around Jesus. He was one of the twelve original apostles of Jesus, best known for his ultimate betrayal of Jesus in exchange for thirty pieces of silver. His name has since become a global synonym for betrayal and treachery. His surname "Iscariot" is often interpreted as "man from Kerioth," a town in southern Judah. This likely made him the only non-Galilean among the apostles. He was also the treasurer within the group. Serving as the treasurer, he managed their common funds. However, the Gospel of John notes he was dishonest and would steal from the money bag (cf. John 12:6). According to the Gospels, Judas identified Jesus to a crowd sent by the Sanhedrin by kissing him on the cheek in the Garden of Gethsemane.

 

I often wonder what really motivated Judas to betray Jesus. After all, he had been with Jesus for three years and seen and heard all that Jesus had taught and done. I wonder if it was simply greed, or the desire for power? Perhaps he had been hoping for an important place in Jesus’ kingdom, then learned that Jesus wasn’t about worldly power, and then decided to switch sides and join Jesus’ enemies for a chance at power with them. It could have been altruistic, as in knowing what Jesus had to do—go to the cross and die—and then trying to help that along. Or did Judas perhaps simply not like Jesus and the other disciples and decide he was done with it all? We don’t really know.

 

Even asking these questions draws me to wonder about my own motivations too. Why do I follow Jesus? Why do I do anything that I do on a daily basis? It’s important for all of us to examine our motivations from time to time. We need to look at the things we do and make sure we are doing them for the right reasons. Being motivated by love, care, compassion, or purpose is good. Being motivated by greed, personal ambition, or hate is not.

 

As you ponder the life of Judas, perhaps it is a good time to look into your heart. What makes you do the things you do? Certainly, we have seen God’s name attached to many things in this day of ours that has absolutely nothing to do with Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to change what needs to be changed and bless your effort in ministry.