Easter Series: Thirty Pieces of Silver

Judas Iscariot.  His name is often used in association with betrayal or treason. Probably one of, if not the, most hated men in the Bible. Oh he didn’t start out that way.  Judas was one of the Twelve.  One of Jesus’ most devoted followers and the treasurer for the group.  But Judas, like many of us, had a sin problem.  He was easily tempted by Satan and it led not only to his downfall but to that of Jesus as well.  

Throughout His ministry, Jesus had mentioned that someone was going to betray Him.  No one knew who it was going to be or even why Jesus was talking about it.  According to historical scholars, that betrayal probably took place on the Tuesday night before Easter.  

Luke 22 tells us that the priests had been plotting for a while as to how to get rid of Jesus – how to kill him.  Then they are given the opportunity that they had been looking for.  According to Scripture, Satan entered Judas and he goes to the chief priest, Caiaphas, to make the deal.  Oh how they must have been overjoyed that Judas was willing to betray Jesus.  Caiaphas and the other leaders had been plotting to kill Christ and here was Judas offering him up like the sacrificial lamb and all for thirty pieces of silver.  Thirty pieces of silver that in today’s currency would only be about $25.  Jesus will be betrayed and Judas will sell his soul to the devil for less money than the price of a tank of gas today.

In John 13, Jesus and the disciples have shared the Last Supper and Jesus has performed the foot washing, Jesus’ act of divine love.  The Savior puts on a towel and instead of being waited on, He himself attends to the disciples.  He cleans their feet.  Can you imagine?  I don’t know many people who would be willing to wash someone’s dirty feet – but Jesus does it – as a way to show the disciples how to care for the people.  And now Jesus tells them that one of them will betray him this very night.   I can imagine the murmurs that went through the disciples.  Peter must have been dying to know who it would be.  He makes a request of John to ask Jesus but Jesus just replies that it will be the one He gives bread to.  He gives the bread to Judas.  As if that isn’t heartbreaking enough, Jesus then tells him to go and do what he needs to quickly.  

Jesus could have told the disciples that Judas was his betrayer.  He could have called for guards to take Judas away before the transaction and plan could take place.  But He doesn’t.  Jesus lets Judas leave knowing what is coming.  Knowing that in just a few days’ time He will die.  Jesus must have felt such anguish at the betrayal of one that He loved.

And that’s just it.  Jesus loved Judas, just as He loved Peter and the other disciples, just as He loves us.  Jesus loved the man who was going to sell him out for thirty pieces of silver.  I imagine that the anguish Jesus felt at Judas and yet He still loved him is how God must feel every time we sin.  Every time we sell our self out to sin.  The anguish that God must feel knowing we have turned to the ways of the world or broken His commandments and yet just like Jesus with Judas, God loves us anyway.  He forgives us and yet He knows that the chance we may commit another sin is great.  Our own thirty pieces of silver.