People of the Passion: Judas, the Opportunist
Luke 22:1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, 2 and 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. 3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 4 And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. 5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money. 6 He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.
John 12:4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
Nurse Edith Shain passed away last June at the age of 91. Perhaps you don’t know the name Edith Shain, but if you’re a student of history, you probably recognize her picture. Edith and a U.S. sailor were photographed in a liplock in Times Square in August, 1945. That picture became a symbol of the joy everyone experienced at the end of WWII.
No question about it, Shain’s kiss is one of the most famous in the history of the world.
It may be a famous kiss, but it’s not the most famous kiss. There is another kiss which is far more famous, or maybe it’s better to say, infamous.
The dubious distinction of most infamous kiss belongs to one of Jesus’ trusted disciples: Judas Iscariot. Whenever the name of Judas is mentioned, we automatically think of that notorious kiss of betrayal. Tonight, we look more in depth at the background of the infamous Judas Iscariot and his actions and motives that led to that kiss. We have questions: “How could Judas be one of Jesus’ trusted disciples and then deliberately turn Him over to His enemies to suffer and die? What would prompt Judas to betray his Lord and Teacher with a kiss of friendship? What can we learn from this man who was the devil’s pawn?”
From what we know of Judas Iscariot, we might call him Judas, the Opportunist. When Judas joined with Jesus and the other disciples, he likely saw his opportunity to be in on the ground floor of something big. Perhaps like so many Jews, Judas thought Jesus was Israel’s earthly Messiah who would usher in a new era of Jewish rule. Maybe he was looking for the short road to fame and fortune.
Then came the miracles, the crowds of people, the growing numbers of regular followers. Judas saw some of Jesus’ power and glory. Surely Judas was on the right track. He had a bright future with Jesus.
There’s no indication that Jesus ever mistreated Judas. There is no clue that Judas was ever left out or neglected. When Jesus sent out the disciples in groups of two, the other disciples didn’t say, “Aw, man, I got stuck with Judas!” The other disciples welcomed Judas. They saw in him an able and prudent man and a good administrator. They made him the treasurer and manager of their common purse. He fit in well with the group and shared their zeal for Jesus’ cause. When, during the Last Supper, Jesus told the disciples that his betrayer sat at the table, they didn’t turn to one another and whisper, “It’s Judas. Jesus told us he would do this.”
They didn’t whisper it because Jesus never said it. He had known it. He had known what Judas would do, but he treated the betrayer as if he were faithful. Though Jesus knew what Judas would become, time and again, He reached out to Judas, correcting, loving, teaching and calling him to repentance.
This shows the remarkable love and mercy of our Savior. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost – even a lost disciple like Judas. Jesus opened the door of salvation for this opportunist, who, sadly, turned away from the opportunity and turned instead to the way of destruction.
But Judas wasn’t the only disciple with flaws. How did he become so hostile?
Ambition had a heavy grip on Judas’ heart. Imagine the disillusion he must have felt as, step-by-step, he saw his ambitions disappointed by Jesus Himself. It couldn’t have taken long for Judas to realize that Jesus had never once intended to establish a kingdom on this earth. He couldn’t have been happy with the ways things were going. John the Baptist was beheaded and not avenged. Instead, Jesus withdrew. A groundswell of people wanted to make Jesus a bread king, and again He withdrew. When the Pharisees challenged Jesus to show a sign of His authority, He didn’t capitalize on the moment.
Instead, Jesus talked increasingly of shame and death. Jesus stressed more and more the moral and spiritual aspects of His kingdom. Near the end, most of Jesus’ followers began to fall away from Him.
Judas saw it all with growing dismay. He did not necessarily hate Jesus, but he began to see Him as a deluded failure with some mysterious but ill-used powers. So Judas began to plan how he could salvage something from the unhappy course of events.
Judas’ spiritual life quickly deteriorated. He opened the door of discontentment and Satan strolled in. Judas tottered on the brink and then fell into the beckoning abyss of hell.
At first Judas sought to satisfy his selfish desires by stealing from the treasury, taking money that was designated for the poor. He barely hid his real feelings when he scolded Mary for anointing Jesus with expensive perfume. He started looking for a way out that might profit him.
At last Satan entered his heart, and Judas went to negotiate his nefarious deed. The religious leaders wanted Jesus dead. Why shouldn’t Judas gain something from it? Notice that the betrayal was Judas’ idea. The religious leaders didn’t seek him, Judas sought them. “What will you pay me for giving Jesus to you?” he asked. (Matthew 26:15) The betrayal would have been more palatable had Judas been propositioned by the leaders, but he wasn’t. He propositioned them.
Judas never enjoyed the money. His faith had died, but not his conscience. Tormented by what he had done, he looked for the religious leaders to return the money – but this is the key – he did not look for Jesus for forgiveness. Jesus never left him, never denounced him, but Judas would not turn back to Him. Jesus still had room for Judas, but Judas had no room for Jesus. Hell had claimed him, and in despair Judas plunged into eternity at the end of a rope.
As we look back, we see the tragic irony of Judas’ situation. Jesus offered everything Judas needed, but Judas could not see it. Judas wanted fame, social approval, prestige. Jesus offered him lasting fame as one of the Twelve, the friendship of the angels, the love of God. Judas wanted a position worthy of his talents. Jesus offered to make him a child of God and a steward of the mysteries of God. Judas wanted security and wealth. Jesus offered him eternal life, the forgiveness of sins, and the riches of heaven. Judas wanted Jesus, but only on his own terms.
We look back at Judas with sadness, not just because of what he did to Jesus but because of what he did to himself. And that’s why Jesus continued to reach out to Judas, calling him to repentance in the upper room with their hands together in the gravy bowl saying, “Yes, it is you.” Jesus calling His betrayer “friend.” And why did Jesus continue to teach, warn and reach out to Judas, even though he had been swayed by Satan?
Because Jesus could see something we can’t. Jesus knew Judas had been seduced by a powerful foe. He was aware of the wiles of Satan’s whispers (Jesus had heard them Himself). He knew how hard it was for Judas to do what was right.
Jesus didn’t justify what Judas did. He didn’t minimize the deed. Nor did He release Judas from his choice. But He did look eye-to-eye with His betrayer and try to understand. Offer to forgive.
We may look back at Judas with some contempt, but I think that it soon disappears when we see a lot of Judas in ourselves. We must admit that there are times when we disregard what Jesus has done for us and choose to live as we want, not the way He wants. How often are we not seduced by Satan – images on the internet that are not God-pleasing, overtime pay that helps with the bills but takes time away from worship and family, delusions that a bigger house, higher salary and increased benefits will make us satisfied and content, or spending money on ourselves instead of supporting God’s ministry and helping the poor? How often don’t we betray our relationship with Jesus for earthly baubles and trinkets or deny the cross so we can have Satan’s promise of glory?
Like Judas, we find it easy to want this world’s benefits from Jesus, forgetting that He already has given us so much more. Looking to earth, we ignore heaven.
True, like Judas we all betray Jesus. Unlike Judas, however, we recognize Jesus has carried our sins – all of our sins – to the cross. Unlike Judas we need to remember that we cannot atone for our sins; we cannot and we need not. Instead of looking at ourselves in despair, we look to Jesus for forgiveness. For Jesus reaches out His hand to warn us. He places His hand on us to forgive us and bless us. He calls us to repentance. He calls each of us “friend,” “brother,” “sister,” “child of God.”
Judas felt guilt. We feel guilt. Everybody feels guilt. So guilt can be a good thing. God put consciences inside us to tell us when we do what’s wrong. Our guilty conscience makes us aware of our need for Jesus’ forgiveness. Guilt is like the pain nerves in our skin. We don’t like it when those pain nerves are screaming from a cut or bruise, but they tell us we have a problem that needs attention.
Judas’ guilt, though, drove him to despair and the hangman’s noose. We pray that our guilt drives us to seek forgiveness at the foot of Jesus’ cross. Satan couldn’t stand for his pawn, Judas, to be forgiven. And Satan can’t stand for us to be at peace, either. But know that God exorcised the devil at your Baptism. He bought you back from the power of Satan with His shed blood and ransomed your soul with His crucified body. Now He feeds you that same body and blood tonight in His Holy Supper. He chases away the demons with His words of absolution and gives you His peace in His benediction. When we have been on the brink of despair like Judas, Jesus’ voice has called us back into the safety of His loving embrace.
Judas may have been an opportunist, but you take this opportunity to look to Jesus and receive His forgiveness. The kiss Judas gave Jesus is infamous and despicable. But the Psalmist encourages you, “Kiss the Son. Blessed are all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 2:12). Judas got nothing because he refused to trust. We have everything — yes, everything — when we trust in Jesus. Amen.
John 12:4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
Nurse Edith Shain passed away last June at the age of 91. Perhaps you don’t know the name Edith Shain, but if you’re a student of history, you probably recognize her picture. Edith and a U.S. sailor were photographed in a liplock in Times Square in August, 1945. That picture became a symbol of the joy everyone experienced at the end of WWII.
No question about it, Shain’s kiss is one of the most famous in the history of the world.
It may be a famous kiss, but it’s not the most famous kiss. There is another kiss which is far more famous, or maybe it’s better to say, infamous.
The dubious distinction of most infamous kiss belongs to one of Jesus’ trusted disciples: Judas Iscariot. Whenever the name of Judas is mentioned, we automatically think of that notorious kiss of betrayal. Tonight, we look more in depth at the background of the infamous Judas Iscariot and his actions and motives that led to that kiss. We have questions: “How could Judas be one of Jesus’ trusted disciples and then deliberately turn Him over to His enemies to suffer and die? What would prompt Judas to betray his Lord and Teacher with a kiss of friendship? What can we learn from this man who was the devil’s pawn?”
From what we know of Judas Iscariot, we might call him Judas, the Opportunist. When Judas joined with Jesus and the other disciples, he likely saw his opportunity to be in on the ground floor of something big. Perhaps like so many Jews, Judas thought Jesus was Israel’s earthly Messiah who would usher in a new era of Jewish rule. Maybe he was looking for the short road to fame and fortune.
Then came the miracles, the crowds of people, the growing numbers of regular followers. Judas saw some of Jesus’ power and glory. Surely Judas was on the right track. He had a bright future with Jesus.
There’s no indication that Jesus ever mistreated Judas. There is no clue that Judas was ever left out or neglected. When Jesus sent out the disciples in groups of two, the other disciples didn’t say, “Aw, man, I got stuck with Judas!” The other disciples welcomed Judas. They saw in him an able and prudent man and a good administrator. They made him the treasurer and manager of their common purse. He fit in well with the group and shared their zeal for Jesus’ cause. When, during the Last Supper, Jesus told the disciples that his betrayer sat at the table, they didn’t turn to one another and whisper, “It’s Judas. Jesus told us he would do this.”
They didn’t whisper it because Jesus never said it. He had known it. He had known what Judas would do, but he treated the betrayer as if he were faithful. Though Jesus knew what Judas would become, time and again, He reached out to Judas, correcting, loving, teaching and calling him to repentance.
This shows the remarkable love and mercy of our Savior. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost – even a lost disciple like Judas. Jesus opened the door of salvation for this opportunist, who, sadly, turned away from the opportunity and turned instead to the way of destruction.
But Judas wasn’t the only disciple with flaws. How did he become so hostile?
Ambition had a heavy grip on Judas’ heart. Imagine the disillusion he must have felt as, step-by-step, he saw his ambitions disappointed by Jesus Himself. It couldn’t have taken long for Judas to realize that Jesus had never once intended to establish a kingdom on this earth. He couldn’t have been happy with the ways things were going. John the Baptist was beheaded and not avenged. Instead, Jesus withdrew. A groundswell of people wanted to make Jesus a bread king, and again He withdrew. When the Pharisees challenged Jesus to show a sign of His authority, He didn’t capitalize on the moment.
Instead, Jesus talked increasingly of shame and death. Jesus stressed more and more the moral and spiritual aspects of His kingdom. Near the end, most of Jesus’ followers began to fall away from Him.
Judas saw it all with growing dismay. He did not necessarily hate Jesus, but he began to see Him as a deluded failure with some mysterious but ill-used powers. So Judas began to plan how he could salvage something from the unhappy course of events.
Judas’ spiritual life quickly deteriorated. He opened the door of discontentment and Satan strolled in. Judas tottered on the brink and then fell into the beckoning abyss of hell.
At first Judas sought to satisfy his selfish desires by stealing from the treasury, taking money that was designated for the poor. He barely hid his real feelings when he scolded Mary for anointing Jesus with expensive perfume. He started looking for a way out that might profit him.
At last Satan entered his heart, and Judas went to negotiate his nefarious deed. The religious leaders wanted Jesus dead. Why shouldn’t Judas gain something from it? Notice that the betrayal was Judas’ idea. The religious leaders didn’t seek him, Judas sought them. “What will you pay me for giving Jesus to you?” he asked. (Matthew 26:15) The betrayal would have been more palatable had Judas been propositioned by the leaders, but he wasn’t. He propositioned them.
Judas never enjoyed the money. His faith had died, but not his conscience. Tormented by what he had done, he looked for the religious leaders to return the money – but this is the key – he did not look for Jesus for forgiveness. Jesus never left him, never denounced him, but Judas would not turn back to Him. Jesus still had room for Judas, but Judas had no room for Jesus. Hell had claimed him, and in despair Judas plunged into eternity at the end of a rope.
As we look back, we see the tragic irony of Judas’ situation. Jesus offered everything Judas needed, but Judas could not see it. Judas wanted fame, social approval, prestige. Jesus offered him lasting fame as one of the Twelve, the friendship of the angels, the love of God. Judas wanted a position worthy of his talents. Jesus offered to make him a child of God and a steward of the mysteries of God. Judas wanted security and wealth. Jesus offered him eternal life, the forgiveness of sins, and the riches of heaven. Judas wanted Jesus, but only on his own terms.
We look back at Judas with sadness, not just because of what he did to Jesus but because of what he did to himself. And that’s why Jesus continued to reach out to Judas, calling him to repentance in the upper room with their hands together in the gravy bowl saying, “Yes, it is you.” Jesus calling His betrayer “friend.” And why did Jesus continue to teach, warn and reach out to Judas, even though he had been swayed by Satan?
Because Jesus could see something we can’t. Jesus knew Judas had been seduced by a powerful foe. He was aware of the wiles of Satan’s whispers (Jesus had heard them Himself). He knew how hard it was for Judas to do what was right.
Jesus didn’t justify what Judas did. He didn’t minimize the deed. Nor did He release Judas from his choice. But He did look eye-to-eye with His betrayer and try to understand. Offer to forgive.
We may look back at Judas with some contempt, but I think that it soon disappears when we see a lot of Judas in ourselves. We must admit that there are times when we disregard what Jesus has done for us and choose to live as we want, not the way He wants. How often are we not seduced by Satan – images on the internet that are not God-pleasing, overtime pay that helps with the bills but takes time away from worship and family, delusions that a bigger house, higher salary and increased benefits will make us satisfied and content, or spending money on ourselves instead of supporting God’s ministry and helping the poor? How often don’t we betray our relationship with Jesus for earthly baubles and trinkets or deny the cross so we can have Satan’s promise of glory?
Like Judas, we find it easy to want this world’s benefits from Jesus, forgetting that He already has given us so much more. Looking to earth, we ignore heaven.
True, like Judas we all betray Jesus. Unlike Judas, however, we recognize Jesus has carried our sins – all of our sins – to the cross. Unlike Judas we need to remember that we cannot atone for our sins; we cannot and we need not. Instead of looking at ourselves in despair, we look to Jesus for forgiveness. For Jesus reaches out His hand to warn us. He places His hand on us to forgive us and bless us. He calls us to repentance. He calls each of us “friend,” “brother,” “sister,” “child of God.”
Judas felt guilt. We feel guilt. Everybody feels guilt. So guilt can be a good thing. God put consciences inside us to tell us when we do what’s wrong. Our guilty conscience makes us aware of our need for Jesus’ forgiveness. Guilt is like the pain nerves in our skin. We don’t like it when those pain nerves are screaming from a cut or bruise, but they tell us we have a problem that needs attention.
Judas’ guilt, though, drove him to despair and the hangman’s noose. We pray that our guilt drives us to seek forgiveness at the foot of Jesus’ cross. Satan couldn’t stand for his pawn, Judas, to be forgiven. And Satan can’t stand for us to be at peace, either. But know that God exorcised the devil at your Baptism. He bought you back from the power of Satan with His shed blood and ransomed your soul with His crucified body. Now He feeds you that same body and blood tonight in His Holy Supper. He chases away the demons with His words of absolution and gives you His peace in His benediction. When we have been on the brink of despair like Judas, Jesus’ voice has called us back into the safety of His loving embrace.
Judas may have been an opportunist, but you take this opportunity to look to Jesus and receive His forgiveness. The kiss Judas gave Jesus is infamous and despicable. But the Psalmist encourages you, “Kiss the Son. Blessed are all who take refuge in him” (Psalm 2:12). Judas got nothing because he refused to trust. We have everything — yes, everything — when we trust in Jesus. Amen.
Ash Wednesday at Epiphany on March 9, 2011
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