Mark 14:10

Judas Moves to Betray Jesus (14:10-11).

‘And Judas Iscariot, he who was one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests that he might deliver him to them.'

There is a deliberate contrast here between the sacrificial love that Mary showed, and the base betrayal by one of the chosen twelve. The one with a heart full of love and gratitude. The other only mercenary and out for what he could get.

‘One of the twelve.' What an ominous sound that has. One of the most highly favoured of men. He had left all to follow Jesus. There is no reason to doubt his sincerity nor his dedication. He had been out on their preaching and healing missions and had cast out evil spirits, and there is nowhere any criticism of his effectiveness. What then had caused him to behave in this way? There is only one possible answer. Unknowingly he was following for the wrong reasons. His motive power was self-advancement and the propagation of a righteous, and even religious, cause. It was not true faith in Jesus. Thus when things seemed to be taking a wrong direction, a direction different from the one he was expecting, he decided to opt out in a way which brought the greatest advantage to himself. The definite article (literally ‘the one of the twelve') may be seen as differentiating him from the eleven as the traitor.

Note. What Caused Judas to Betray Jesus?

The first indication of his motive given in the Gospels is that he had become dishonest. He had been unable to prevent his fingers straying into the common purse which he controlled (John 12:6). This demonstrates a specific weakness in his character, the love of money. And if John knew about it, it may suggest that suspicions had already been aroused, and if so it is likely that Judas may have known about those suspicions. This in itself may have produced a growing resentment. No one is more resentful than a guilty person who convinces himself that he has been ‘justified' in what he has done and is fighting against being exposed.

On the other hand it may be that his false dealings only came to light once someone else took over the common purse and discovered that funds had gone missing. This is often the case in such matters. Possibly it was John himself who took it over and thus had cause to know the position.

It really does not seem likely that John would have said this about Judas if he had not had very good cause to know that it was true. He was a gracious and loving person, not at all the kind who would have been willing to say such a petty thing of someone without a certainty of its accuracy. And it is strange but true that someone who sacrifices for a cause can indeed then rob that cause because of some quirk in his nature that convinces him that he ‘deserves it'. This would not be the only time in history that it has happened. Thus it is a warning to all that the first temptation and the first ‘small' sin leads on to bigger things. We must all learn to say ‘no' immediately.

Secondly the petty theft in itself suggests that he had in fact begun to regret his commitment. It demonstrated that his commitment to discipleship had been weakened, that his first enthusiasm had dimmed. It is quite possible that he had come to see that Jesus was not quite the kind of Messiah he had expected, and that the future was not quite as rosy as he had hoped. Jesus' talk about being ‘the servant of all' might not have gone down very well with him either (Mark 10:44), and Jesus' gentle chiding against seeking greatness may have added to his uncertainty. And Jesus' talk of His future suffering may have disillusioned him further. He may have come to the conclusion that following Jesus was not going to make him rich and great in a good cause after all.

Thirdly it is very unlikely that agents of the Jewish authorities had refrained from questioning the disciples about their Master. They had done it before (Mark 2:16). They were likely to have done it again. And this may have brought home to Judas that his discipleship was putting him in disfavour with these powerful authorities. It was one thing to be at odds with the local Pharisees, but a very different thing to be at odds with these powerful religionists in Jerusalem. Indeed it is very possible that agents of the chief priests had even been threatening him with the consequences of following Jesus. They may well have discerned that he was vulnerable.

So if he was under deep conviction over his stealing, and his possibly being on the way to being discovered, was regretting his commitment to a cause which no longer looked quite so promising, and was becoming fearful of what might happen to him and his fellow disciples in the future, it could well be that the suggestion that he could be helpful to the authorities, and gain by it, would look a worthwhile option.

It may be therefore that he now decided to retrieve his position, gain the favour of the authorities and bankroll himself at the same time. Certainly he seems to have bargained for as much as he could get (Matthew 26:15). And it may be that his disgruntlement with Jesus' reaction to ‘the waste' of the precious ointment was one final spur that caused him to act, a sense that Jesus was somehow not consistent, when he himself had been willing to sacrifice so much.

Yet it is not just as simple as that for why then kill himself when he had achieved his purpose? It would appear in fact that there had been a great and conflicting battle raging in his mind, in which he eventually came down on the side of betrayal, which led to him becoming fixed on a course of action which he continued on with a set mind until it came to fruition. But that once his mind cleared his better nature exerted itself and he could not cope with what he had done, possibly even resulting in clinical depression.

That is the human side of things. But then another explanatory factor comes in. We are told that the Devil put it in his heart (John 13:2) and that ‘Satan entered into him' (Luke 22:3; John 13:27). The resentment, the disillusionment, had opened up a way by which the Tempter could begin to work in him. Once faith begins to die, disillusionment can quickly take over. In this case the pressure must have been immense, for Satan probably thought that here was a way by which he could nullify what Jesus had come to do. Thus he would bring all his evil power to bear on Judas. But we must remember that Satan could only enter into him because he was already disposed that way beforehand. He had to be given access. The resentment and disillusionment came first. He had ceased to use the shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16).

Judas was not deliberately a Traitor from the beginning. He no doubt originally meant well. And we must give credit for the fact that ‘when he saw that Jesus was condemned' he reacted in remorse (Matthew 27:3). This suggests either that he did not expect Jesus to be condemned, (he may have convinced himself that He would just get a synagogue beating and a warning), or that he had not thought through the consequences of his actions until he suddenly realised what he had done. It may even be that the chief priests given him an assurance that they meant Jesus no real harm or assured him that He would get a fair trial. There is no hint of it, but it is possible. Or had he assumed that his action would spur Jesus into fulfilling His Messiahship in the way that people expected? He knew something of Jesus' powers and what He could do. But there is no hint of that either, and his careful plans to ensure that Jesus really was arrested militate against it.

So the position from his point of view seems to be that his betrayal was simply a controlled response to resentment he had been feeling, exacerbated by guilt over his own dishonesty, and combined with the sense that things were not turning out as he had expected and that the future did not look bright, a response which grew and grew until he did what he did, stoked by a willing Satan. And that once he had done it he then came to his senses, realised what he had done and regretted it bitterly.

But we must remember that he was given plenty of opportunity to change his mind, and that he was betraying someone Who had only sought to do him good. He must therefore have hardened himself considerably to be able to resist Jesus' references to what he was doing (Matthew 26:25) and His offer of reconciliation (the giving of the sop of friendship - John 13:26). It was not just a spur of the moment thing that can be easily understood.

Indeed the action was so extreme that it demands that the explanation be complicated and deep rooted. Thus a number of the factors as described above, and possibly others, must all have conspired together to bring it about. But the warning is that a heart open to greed, resentment and disillusionment lay at the root of it all. How careful we should be that we do not let resentment harden our hearts when the opportunity of repentance comes, for if we do the sin may grow until it destroys us.

However, there is one more factor that we have not yet looked at, a totally different standpoint from all we have considered. And that is that Jesus knew from the beginning who would betray Him (John 6:64). He was the great discerner of hearts. So, not too far from the beginning He could say, “Have I not chosen you, and one of you is a devil?”, that is a tool open to the Devil's manipulation (John 6:70). The Scriptures themselves made clear that betrayal would come through an intimate friend (John 13:18), something of which Jesus was always aware. And Jesus knew men's hearts (John 2:25). So while the appointment of Judas to discipleship may have been made not knowing what would happen, it is clear that Jesus soon began to discern weaknesses in Judas that made Him regret what He had done. And yet in His graciousness He bore with him, possibly hoping that he might yet win through..

Here then we enter into that paradox that no man can fully comprehend. The working out of the sovereign purposes of God within the freely conducted affairs of men. Within those purposes God allows men to make decisions and gives even the worst an opportunity for good. So to this one whose character was lacking and whose motives were doubtful Jesus was willing to give every opportunity to make good, even though He knew all the time that it would not be so. But such men have to be given a chance, for how else could it be revealed that it was not so? Thus are we reminded that God allows the incomprehensible, He allows men rein to demonstrate the truth about themselves.

Judas is ever the reminder to us that it is possible to be highly thought of by men in spiritual things, and yet unacceptable in the sight of God, and that each of us must ‘examine ourselves' to see whether we are ‘in the faith', that is, whether our faith is truly in Jesus or whether it is just fixed on a good cause (2 Corinthians 13:5).

End of note.

‘Went to the chief priests.' Judas went to those whom he knew were enemies of Jesus and had power to act. He had it all worked out. They were the ones who had the real money.

‘That he might deliver Him to them.' His purpose was betrayal. But sinful man was in fact being made to fulfil the purposes of God (Mark 9:31), as he has through the ages, for in we know that in the first place it was God Who delivered Jesus into men's hands (Isaiah 53:10). But we must not see Judas as just a tool. He knew what he was doing. He was handing Jesus over to those who hated Him and planned His death.