Judas Betrays Jesus

Chosen and close. Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve apostles Jesus chose (Luke 6:16). For a long time he walked with Jesus, heard Him teach and saw what He did. He was trusted with the group's money box (John 13:29). But John tells us “he was a thief” (John 12:6). Near, but not trusting. Jesus once said, “But there are some of you who do not believe.” John explains, “For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him” (John 6:64). Judas was close to Jesus on the outside, but his heart was far away. Satan entered him. “Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve” (Luke 22:3). Judas went to the chief priests, “and they were glad, and agreed to give him money” (22:5). Matthew says the price was “thirty pieces of silver” (Matthew 26:15). At the supper. Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me” (John 13:21). He gave Judas a piece of bread and said, “What you do, do quickly” (John 13:27). Judas “went out immediately. And it was night” (John 13:30). Jesus knew. Nothing that night took Jesus by surprise. He even quoted a psalm about it: “He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me” (John 13:18). He knew, and He still sat at the table with Judas. What this means for you. Being near Jesus is not the same as trusting Him. You can go to church, know Bible stories and sing the songs, and still keep your heart closed. Jesus wants your heart. Open it to Him and trust Him.

One of the twelve (Luke 6:16). Luke's list of the apostles ends with “Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.” He was chosen with the others, and he was trusted with the money box (John 13:29). Few people were ever as close to Jesus as he was. Unbelief hidden inside. Jesus said, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” (John 6:70). John adds, “He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve” (6:71). John also tells us “he was a thief” (12:6). Satan entered him (22:3-6). “Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.” Judas was still responsible for what he did. He “conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them,” and he “sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.” A warning at the table (22:21-22). “But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!” God's plan would stand, and Judas would still answer for his choice. Woe is a word of deep sorrow and warning. Jesus' words gave Judas every reason to turn back. Out into the night. Jesus gave Judas the bread and said, “What you do, do quickly” (John 13:27). “Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night” (13:30). For you. Judas shows that being close to Jesus is not the same as belonging to Him. A changed heart begins when you turn from your sin and trust Jesus Himself.

Judas was one of the twelve men Jesus chose. He was with Jesus for a long time. He heard Jesus teach and saw what Jesus did. Judas even kept the money box for the group. But Judas was a thief. He did not really trust Jesus in his heart. Then Satan entered Judas. Judas went to the leaders who wanted to kill Jesus. They promised to give him money. At supper Jesus said, “One of you will turn against me.” Jesus knew all about Judas. Still, He gave Judas a piece of bread. Then Judas went out into the night. Being near Jesus is not the same as trusting Him. Jesus wants you to trust Him with your whole heart.

Judas was one of Jesus' twelve friends. He was near Jesus every day. But Judas did not really trust Jesus.

The crowd. “And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him” (22:47). Judas knew the place, “for Jesus often met there with His disciples” (John 18:2). The signal. “Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, ‘Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him’” (Matthew 26:48). In Bible times a kiss was a way to greet a friend or a teacher with love and respect. Warm words. Judas went straight to Jesus, “said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kissed Him” (Matthew 26:49). Rabbi means teacher. His words were warm, but his heart was not. Jesus' question. “But Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?’” (22:48). To betray is to turn against someone who trusts you and hand him over to harm. Jesus called Judas by name and made him face what he was doing. “Friend.” Matthew records that Jesus said, “Friend, why have you come?” (Matthew 26:50). Even then, Jesus spoke kindly to him. What this means for you. Love is shown by what we do, not only by what we say. And if a friend ever hurts you, remember that Jesus knows exactly how that feels. Bring that hurt to Him.

A multitude (22:47). “And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him.” He went before them: the disciple was leading the arrest. John says they came “with lanterns, torches, and weapons” (John 18:3). The sign (Mark 14:44). “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely.” A kiss was a greeting of honor between friends, and between a disciple and his teacher. Judas turned it into a signal for arrest. Rabbi, Rabbi. Mark records that Judas “said to Him, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi!’ and kissed Him” (Mark 14:45). The words sounded like honor; the act was betrayal. Paradidomi (22:48). “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” Betray is paradidomi (say: pah-rah-DEE-doh-mee), to hand someone over. Only moments before, Jesus had said, “the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners” (Mark 14:41). A familiar friend. When Judas kissed Him, Jesus said, “Friend, why have you come?” (Matthew 26:50). David had written, “Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9). For you. It is possible to say the right words about Jesus while the heart is far from Him. Jesus looks for a heart that truly trusts Him. And when someone close hurts you, He understands.

Judas came to the garden with a big crowd. He had planned a signal for them. The man he kissed would be Jesus. In those days friends often greeted each other with a kiss. So a kiss was a sign of love. Judas used a sign of love to turn against Jesus. Jesus asked him a sad question. The question showed Judas what he was really doing. Matthew tells us Jesus even called him “Friend.” Jesus was still kind to Judas. Real love shows in what we do. Jesus knows how it feels when a friend hurts you. You can always tell Him about it.

Judas gave Jesus a kiss. A kiss should show love. But Judas used it to turn against Jesus.

A quick question. “When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, ‘Lord, shall we strike with the sword?’” (22:49). Earlier that evening they had shown Jesus two swords (22:38). Peter's sword. “And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear” (22:50). John tells us who did it: “Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus” (John 18:10). Peter most likely wanted to defend Jesus, but this was not the way. “Permit even this.” “But Jesus answered and said, ‘Permit even this’” (22:51). He was telling His disciples to stop and let the arrest go on. Then He said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?” (John 18:11). The cup meant the suffering of the cross. He healed him. “And He touched his ear and healed him” (22:51). The man had come with the crowd that was taking Jesus away. Jesus healed him anyway. Not with swords. Matthew records, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). Jesus' kingdom does not grow by fighting. It grows by His love and His truth. What this means for you. When someone is against you, it is easy to want to hit back. Jesus showed a better way. Ask Him to help you be kind, even to someone who is unkind to you.

“Shall we strike?” (22:49). “When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, ‘Lord, shall we strike with the sword?’” Before Jesus answered, one of them struck. Malchus (John 18:10). John names both men: Simon Peter, and the high priest's servant, Malchus. Peter most likely wanted to defend Jesus, but his weapon was the wrong one. “Permit even this” (22:51). Jesus stopped the fighting at once. Matthew records His words: “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). Then He said He could pray to His Father for “more than twelve legions of angels” (26:53). Jesus was not helpless. He was willing. Healed (22:51). “And He touched his ear and healed him.” Soon He would be arrested and bound (John 18:12). Before that, He touched and healed a man from the crowd that came to seize Him. The cup (John 18:11). “Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?” In the garden Jesus had already settled this in prayer. He would not let a sword stand between Him and the cross. For you. Jesus answered His enemies with mercy. Peter, the man with the sword, later wrote, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Ask Jesus to make you merciful as He is.

Jesus' followers saw what was happening. They asked, “Lord, should we use our swords?” Then Peter took out his sword. He cut off the right ear of a servant. John tells us the servant's name was Malchus. Peter probably wanted to protect Jesus. But Jesus said, “Stop!” Jesus told Peter to put his sword back. Then Jesus touched the servant's ear and healed him. The servant had come with the crowd. Still, Jesus was kind to him. Jesus did not come to fight with swords. He came to heal and to save. Jesus can help you be kind, even to unkind people.

Peter used a sword and cut off a servant's ear. Jesus touched the ear and healed it. Jesus was kind even to a man against Him.

Swords and clubs. Jesus said to the chief priests, the captains of the temple and the elders, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs?” (22:52). They came armed, as if He were a dangerous criminal. Every day in the temple. “When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me” (22:53). Jesus had taught in the open. They came for Him at night, “in the absence of the multitude” (22:6). Their hour. “But this is your hour, and the power of darkness” (22:53). Darkness here means evil. It had its hour, and only an hour. God was still in charge. “I am He.” John tells us that Jesus, “knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward” (John 18:4). “Now when He said to them, ‘I am He,’ they drew back and fell to the ground” (John 18:6). Let these go. Then Jesus said, “if you seek Me, let these go their way” (John 18:8). He stepped forward so that His friends could go free. Soon “they all forsook Him and fled” (Mark 14:50). Two who failed. Later Judas was sorry for what he had done, but he went back to the priests, not to Jesus (Matthew 27:3). Peter also failed Jesus that night, but he came back to Him, and Jesus forgave him. What this means for you. Jesus was not trapped. He gave Himself up so He could die for your sins, and on the third day He rose. Whatever you have done, do not run from Him. Come back to Him.

Lestes (22:52). “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs?” Robber is lestes (say: lace-TACE), a violent bandit. That very night Jesus had said, “this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors’” (22:37). In the open (22:53). “When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me.” Jesus had nothing to hide. The leaders had waited for a time “in the absence of the multitude” (22:6). Exousia (22:53). “But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” Power is exousia (say: ex-oo-SEE-ah), authority or permission. Darkness was given its hour, and only an hour. It could do nothing that God had not allowed. I am He (John 18:4-6). “Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward.” When He said, “I am He,” the armed men “drew back and fell to the ground.” The One being arrested was in command. Let these go (John 18:8). “Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way.” He was taken, and they went free. Then “they all forsook Him and fled” (Mark 14:50). Two failures. Matthew records that Judas later “was remorseful” and said, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood” (Matthew 27:3-4). But he went back to the chief priests, not to Jesus. Peter also failed that night, yet he came back to the Lord and was forgiven. The difference was where each one turned. For you. Jesus gave Himself up so that He could die for sinners and rise again. When you fail, turn to Him, not away from Him.

The leaders came with swords and sticks. They treated Jesus like a criminal. But Jesus had never done anything wrong. He had taught in the Temple every day. They could have arrested Him there. Instead they came for Him at night. Jesus said this was their time, when darkness rules. Darkness here means evil and wrong. But God was still in charge. John tells us more about that night. When Jesus said, “I am Jesus,” the men fell to the ground! Then Jesus said to let His followers go. Jesus let Himself be arrested to save us. He would die for our sins and rise again!

Jesus let the men take Him away. He was not afraid of them. He did it to save us from our sins.