Luke 22:3

‘And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve,

But in the camp of Jesus there was treachery afoot. It was actively caused by Satan (compare John 13:2; John 13:27). For Satan entered one of His disciples, who was called Judas Iscariot, one of the favoured Twelve (compare Luke 6:16). Outwardly his thoughts of treachery were possibly stirred because he was approached by adherents of the authorities, who probably similarly sounded out all the Apostles with a view to offering bribery. But Luke lets us know that the real reason for his treachery was that Satan had been allowed to enter his heart. In the section chiasmus outlined above this is placed in contrasting parallel with the Holy Spirit Who will later come in power on the other Apostles. Judas had to choose between two ‘spirits' and he opted foolishly because his eyes were blinded by the thought of wealth, by ‘the deceitfulness of riches' (Mark 4:19). While the others were learning about the coming of the Holy Spirit, He was opening himself to the spirit of Satan, and the key that was being used was Mammon. How powerful a grip Mammon has on the hearts of men.

For ‘Satan' see Luke 10:18; Luke 11:18; Luke 13:16; Luke 22:31. He was a powerful evil spirit, a spiritual outcast, who had fallen from Heaven (Luke 10:18). He was in direct opposition to Jesus (Luke 11:18; Luke 11:22). He bound unfortunate men and women by possessing and enslaving them (Luke 13:16). He sought to put men and women to the test so as to prove their fallibility (Luke 22:31). In Acts he would fill the heart of Ananias with greed as he had Judas (Acts 5:3), and he was the one who held the world in his power (Acts 26:18), mainly by the same means. Luke also speaks of him as ‘the Devil' (Luke 4:2; Luke 8:12), in which guise he put Jesus to the test (Luke 4:2) and seeks to remove the word that is sown in men's hearts (Luke 8:12). In Acts the Devil oppresses men by possession (Acts 10:38) and is the source of magic and sorcery, the father of all who do evil and try to turn men from the truth (Acts 13:10). What he is, is indicated by his name. Satan means ‘adversary', and reminds us that he is both God's adversary and ours. His main purpose under this title is to thwart God and act against men and women. ‘Devil' (diabolos) means ‘slanderer', which connects him with the temptation of men with the aim of being able to slander them before God, and he attempts to remove God's influence from men's hearts. But the two ideas overlap. Satan is the great adversary and slanderer. For the further idea of Satanic influence in men's hearts see Joh 14:30; 1 Corinthians 2:8; 2Co 4:4; 1 John 5:19.

There is an interesting indication here that Satan thought that by this man's action he could somehow thwart God's plans through Jesus, plans which he clearly did not understand (see 1 Corinthians 2:8). The thought of such love as God was revealing would have been beyond him. He was as frightened as the chief priests and scribes at the success of Jesus. And it is ironic that, like them (Acts 3:17; Acts 4:28), unknown to himself, he was thus actually spurring on God's plan. He was simply speeding Jesus on to the very place where he himself would be defeated. But he was clearly unaware of that fact. He foolishly thought that he could thwart God's plans.

Some ask why God allows Satan such sway? As well ask why He allows us such sway. For in our own way, once we are in rebellion against God we are ourselves little satans (adversaries). What right then has one to survive above another? But He allows it all in His own purposes that He might triumph in the hearts of those who respond to Him and are saved, who would otherwise have had to be destroyed along with the rest, and so that He can lead them to triumph through afflictions. It is of His goodness that He has allowed the world and the Devil to continue, so that by all means He may save some from among them.