The Judas Controversy

Judas is portrayed in the Bible as the apostle who betrayed his master the Christ and sold him for thirty pieces of silver. Yet Matthew’s Gospel sees the death of Christ as fulfilling the prophets. I have some bones to pick with the Judas story. As popular as Jesus Christ was in his time, was it possible that there were people who did not know Him? Could it be that the Scribes and Pharisees who were so bent on killing Christ did not know the one they wanted to kill? Was there any real need to betray Christ? Could the betrayal have arisen from the point of view that not everyone knew where Christ was at all times, and since Judas knew, he then directed the soldiers to his hide out? In John’s Gospel we read that after Jesus had deep the morsel in a dish and gave it to Judas, Satan entered into him and it was night. Then Christ said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly”. It seems as Christ was encouraging Judas to betray him. What reasons could Judas have had in betraying his master?

According to Wikipedia, “there are several explanations as to why Judas betrayed Jesus. A prevalent explanation is that Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16). One of Judas's main weaknesses seemed to be money (John 12:4-6). A possibility is that Judas expected Jesus to overthrow Roman rule of Israel. In this view, Judas is a disillusioned disciple betraying Jesus not so much because he loved money, but because he loved his country and thought Jesus had failed it. According to Luke 22:3-6 and John 13:27, Satan entered into him and called him to do it. The Gospels suggest that Jesus foresaw (John 6:64, Matthew 26:25) and allowed Judas's betrayal (John 13:27-28). An explanation is that Jesus allowed the betrayal because it would allow God's plan to be fulfilled.”

Was there any historical figure named Judas or is Judas a symbol of our collective will prone to evil? Could Judas speak to us about our relationship with our friends and our God? There is a Judas in all of us, for sure. We are not always faithful to our friends. We often engage in acts that betray our God. When this happens we must remember our patron saint of betrayal, Judas. But then we should not despair as Judas did. I think the greatest sin of Judas was not that he betrayed his master. It was because he despaired of his master’s love. We are told that when Judas realized his sin, he went back and returned the 30 pieces of silver (he paid back and made restitution) that he confessed that he had sinned by betraying an innocent blood (confession and feeling remorse for his sins). What could Judas have done differently after this confession? He should not have given up and given in to his sin; he should have trusted in the love of God and the mercy of Christ to redeem him. Instead, Judas, according to the bible, went and killed himself. God is love, God is merciful, God is waiting anxiously for us to return to him like the prodigal son and He will wash us clean and restore his grace back in us. So do not despair, but trust in God’s love for you even after you have sinned and fallen from his love. Be courageous and approach his throne of grace and ask for his mercy for He will always give it to you.