Everyone today knows the name of Judas. The horrible scandal of his betrayal of Jesus has gone down in dishonorable infamy. Imagine being a student of the Son of God incarnate, in whom was the perfection of light and wisdom and all hope—and not only a student but even a trusted friend—and still deciding that he needed to die. That’s why Dante’s imaginative work Inferno portrayed the ninth circle of Hell, the lowest and most agonizing, as inhabited by the three worst sinners in history, including Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of the Messiah.
What was Judas’ motive? Why did he do what he did? There has been ample speculation. I appreciate how the TV series "The Chosen" depicts Judas as wanting to force Jesus’ hand to march against Rome, but also doubting Jesus’ Messiahship and so giving himself a way out, just in case. Maybe he just saw an opportunity to make some cash; maybe he was seeking some honor from the Jewish leaders. But whatever his motive, it’s clear that he had lost all trust in Christ and wanted to find glory his own way rather than Jesus’ way. That is the staple characteristic of every person under the power of Satan.
But the way Jesus handles this is jarring. If I were Jesus, I would have at least spit in Judas’ drink before he left. But instead, Jesus gives him the best morsel of bread on the table. He offers him one last demonstration of God’s love—one last chance to turn back and be forgiven. And then Judas’ subtle rejection of Jesus’ love is the point of no return. This is in fact how our Lord treats all who reject him. If they would only stop seeking glory in their own way, God’s love is waiting for them. How tragic that so many refuse to accept it!
But if there’s one thing for us to take away from the story of the betrayer, one thing John wants us to learn, it’s that even through another’s betrayal, Christ was still sovereign. Jesus knew Judas’ plan and even told him to get on with it, because even that was according to his greater plan to save the world. No one took his life; he laid it down willingly. And he allowed Judas’ treachery so that he could work through it to give eternal life to those willing to trust him. The betrayer’s story is a somber one, but like everything else, it points us ultimately to the good news of what Jesus did very soon after in order to give us life.
