Wednesday: Judas Sells His Soul
How sad the story of Judas! Had he died before his last journey to Jerusalem, he might have been among sacred history’s most venerated heroes. Church buildings could have been named after him. Instead, his name is forever linked to betrayal and treachery.
Read John 6:70 and Luke 22:3. How do they help to explain the actions of Judas?
Image © Lars Justinen from GoodSalt.com
Of course, blaming Satan for what Judas did is fine, but it begs the question. What was it about Judas that enabled the devil to lead him to such treachery? After all, it was even said that Satan wanted to get Peter, as well (see Luke 22:31). The difference, however, must be that Judas refused to give himself fully to the Lord; he must have hung onto some sin, some character defect that enabled Satan to come in and lead him to do what he did. Again, we see another powerful consequence of free choice.
Read Matthew 26:47-50 and Matthew 27:1-10. What lessons should we take from the sad story of Judas?
In Matthew 26:47-50 we see Judas’ guiding a detachment of soldiers (about 600 soldiers), as well as chief priests and elders. What a tremendous moment of power for Judas! When you’ve got something that people really want, you possess tremendous power, as Judas does here. That’s fine, at least for as long as you have what they want. But if they care about you only because of what you have and then eventually they get from you what they want, they finally no longer need you. Within hours, Judas will be alone, and with nothing.
Another important lesson focuses on what Judas lost his soul over. Thirty pieces of silver? In today’s terms, the amount has been said to equal between one and four months’ wages, depending upon which silver coin is meant. Even if it were ten or a hundred times that amount, look at what it cost him! And as the story shows, he lost even that. He didn’t get to enjoy any of it; instead, he threw it all back at the feet of the ones who first gave it to him. What a powerful example of how, in the end, anything that causes us to turn away from Jesus, anything that causes us to lose our soul, is as useless as was that money to Judas. Judas was so close to eternal life; and yet, he chose to throw it away for nothing.
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In response to today's lesson, some people left; others stayed and truly believed; and some,like Judas,stayed but tried to use Jesus for personal gain.
Many people today turn away from Christ. Others pretend to follow, going to church for status, approval of family and friends, or business contacts.
But there are only two real responses to Jesus---you either accept him or reject him. How have you responded to Christ?
Kali, If you read the accounts of Jesus' prayer and the events that followed, could there be a question as to His desire for your life? What someone else thinks or does is not the determining factor for you and your life.
Something I find significant, is the thought (based on Matt 27:3,) that when Judas realized that Jesus was going to yield, and that He was not going to resist having His hands tied, and would go away as a captive, Judas was shocked and horrified.
"Judas did not... believe that Christ would permit Himself to be arrested... In AMAZEMENT he saw that the Savior suffered Himself to be led away." (Desire of Ages p.720-721)
Judas saw his plan back-firing, horrifically. He had imagined that his plan would finally push Jesus into publicly asserting His full authority. He had fancied that in this way he himself "would have the credit of having placed the king on David's throne." (DA 721.) He was amazed, horrified, when he realized that Jesus was going to DIE...
"...as hour after hour went by, and Jesus submitted to all the abuse heaped upon Him, A TERRIBLE FEAR came to the traitor that he had sold his Master to His death." (DA 721.)
Do you see what is being said here? When Judas originally sold Jesus, he thought (in a twisted way,) that he was actually doing Jesus a favor! Jesus had been too meek (as Judas supposed)... and He needed to be pushed toward the throne. But now it was all going wrong, and he could not stand the torture of his guilty conscience...
Have we ever made a threat to a loved one, thinking that it will actually achieve the very opposite result?
I am not shure if his sin, is any different then my own. If I sin (and I do) then do I give up and languish in pain and agony like him. The scriptures don't say if he repented or not but it is true he could not live with the guilt.
I to have done horrible things that makes me worthy of death and yet grace is given "if you love me, obey my commaments". So with that I find myself picking me up off the ground and asking for forgiveness and try hard not to make the same mistakes.
Isn't that repenting on Matthew 27:3-5
No, that is not genuine repentance. Being sorry for the consequences of one's sin is not repenting.
Repentance is turning around from being focused on our welfare to being focused on the will of God and the welfare of others.
Judas was only sorry for the consequences of his sin. It would seem that after hanging himself he would not have a chance to genuinely repent.
Whereas Judas regretted the consequences of his action in this instance because he had chosen the wrong person, this implies to me that he would do it again if another right opportunity arose again.There was a cherished sinful desire that characterized him.
If you have committed a crime the right thing to do is to turn yourself in to the authorities.
James,
True repentance can only come by allowing God's Spirit of Love to replace our selfishness as the basic motivation of our thoughts and feelings.
Picking ourselves up by our bootstraps will not produce true repentance. This is "filthy rag" righteousness.
True repentance is like dying and being restarted with a new motivation that comes from God (Love) rather than of ourselves (selfishness).
Judas's plan grew as it progressed. The main source of the plan was the determination of the scribes, Pharisees, church leaders , as well as the high priest. The momentum grew with the size of the crowd. Judas constructed his plan to include what was the opportunity of a life time. All the pieces fell in to place. Even after Judas may have had second thoughts there was no stopping now. The momentum like a steam roller would not even use Barabbas to change the course of events. Yes Satan was the instrument used to mastermind the plans of Judas with his full cooperation. Could this have been different? Yes, Matthew 26:23,24,25.
God had His own plans.
Isn't it a kind of chicken and the egg situation here with Judas? What came first. Was he tempted and then made his choice ? Or did he make his choice and so Satan could use him? I think Satan is able to get us at our weakest places and they fester and develop. We then have the choice to choose and it's either for righteousness or damnation.
In short judas had the chance to repent but because of fighting for what he can't find,he ended his life in un forgiving and unrepentant person.Today we do have Judas in our families,work places that do not accept that they are wrong only to realise when it is too late.Let us pray for one another for the devil is busy looking for someone to devour(1peter 5:8-9).
Although Judas had been with Jesus for long but he didn't allow himself for change by the Savior's words and reproaches. Satan used his character defect in getting him. Judas was so interested in money and that interest alone pushed him into how he could get the money, which at long last led him to his death. Brethren we have been with our Savior for long. We should listen to His admonishment he gives us through His people and the Holy Spirit, so there can be changes in us.Otherwise, as Satan used Judas unchanged character defect in getting him into selling his soul so shall we also. May it be far from us!!!
Judas like? How am I like the one who prided himself in knowing what was best (even for the Lord) when he betrayed Jesus? Prov 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Humbling thought. Whenever I put anything before following the Lord because I think I know better, I'm like Judas: vulnerable to be used by Satan. Lord, help me to hide your word in my heart and truly love your ways.
Judas's story shows us that we should let go of selfish desires and deny ourselves in order to do what is right in front of God. We should lose our souls to God only in order to claim eternal life.
Judas realised what he had done but confessed to the wrong people. The love of money led Satan to easily enter Judas. Temptation is no excuse for sin. He had a choice but he didn't choose wisely and he also fulfilled a prophecy. There are different way to look at Judas's case.
If there are those that play the Devils advocate so to speak, and think that Judas wasn't really to blame. Some might even rationalize that Jesus was to blame for Judas' downfall. After all weren't the purse strings given to Judas to use as he saw fit? Wasn't Jesus in command so to speak, of all the twelve? You see how distorted opinions can become? Are all ideas useful in some beneficial way? I would say that caution is of significant importance.
Judas had been with Jesus for 3 years. Though Christ knew what Judas would do, He nonetheless kept him by His side in order for Judas to obtain ample opportunity to be saved. Thus he had an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus. Judas was exposed to God's perfect love, compassion, power, kindness, forgiveness and grace. He had first hand evidence of the way of salvation. Yet in all of this, Judas lost his way to salvation. He had rejected Christ's truth, grace and love. He was so absorbed in his selfish ambitions and desires that he dared to try to force Jesus' hand. He did not truly repent of his sin.
As Judas watched Jesus being carried away to Pilate and not saving Himself, the full enormity of his treachery finally began to dawn on him as he realized that the Jewish leaders were determined to kill Him. The sight was devastating to Judas, more than his conniving mind, his sordid soul, and his seared conscience could deal with. He began to experience pain because of his profound guilt.
Judas was totally trapped in the darkness and corruption of evil that he became a willing instrument of satan. This false disciple of Jesus had totally denounced Christ that "satan entered into Judas" (Luke 22:3). His heart was so hardened that Jesus called him a devil in John 6:70. Judas was not truly remorseful.
Genuine remorse for sorrow is prompted by God in order to produce true repentance (2 Cor. 7:10) but Judas' was only prompted by guilt and despair. Proof tnat his sorrow was ungodly is see in the fact that unlike Peter, he decided tosalve his own conscience by returning the 30 pueces of silver and taking his own life. Jesus said Judas was doomex to destruction in John 17:12.
Judas was focusing on fulfilling his will for Jesus's life instead of allowing Jesus to fulfill the plan that He had for him. A heart of selfishness does not usually lead toward making the right decisions for others, ourselves and not to mention God.
We have to ask God to transform our hearts so that His will becomes ours. We also need to turn our eyes upon Jesus so that the things of this world will have the correct value of nothingness when compared to Christ. It is only then that we will place Christ and our salvation in the top priority position.
I believe that Satan did get to Peter!!
With no doubt, anybody can fall into Satan's trap like Judah did! What we have to do is to allow Jesus in our lives fully so that He fight for us where we can't go
I believe that a lot of us are like judas we are not trustworthy, we are quick to betray our friends and denied Jesus love for us. I personally believe the reason we do this is because we allow Satan to distract us from the truth. We don't study the bible as much as we should. We procrastinate telling ourselves that we will get to it later, not realizing that procrastinating is a sin by putting off things that can be done now. If we allow Jesus to redirect our life, we will not become like judas, we will be humble, patience, kind and most of all loving. Judas was selfish and greedy and all he cared about was himself, so let us look into ourselves to see if we have any of these character traits and allow the grace of God to work on us.
Judas attempted to fit GOD into his plans and ambitions which resulted in a disastrous and tragic outcome. We must fit into GOD's plans for our lives and trust the outcome with Him. Not the other way round. Judas' name is forever synonymous with betrayal and shame. The outcome could have been so different. His name could have been given to little boys of countless generations like those of the other disciples, but no would even contemplate calling their son Judas.
Christ was a public figure known by the people and the chief priests. I'm wondering why the priests had to hire the services of Judas to identify Him, if they all knew Him. When the chiesf priests, the elders and the soldiers came to arrest Him, Jesus said: "I sat daily with you in the temple, and you did not seize Me" (Matt. 26:55), which proves they could identify Him without the help of Judas. So, why did they hire him? They all knew Who He was and where He was!
Maybe it wasn't so much to identify Him as to know where He "hung out". They didn't want to arrest him in public. They needed to know how to do it at night.
so sad for judas actions.,