Up until this man became the traitor of Jesus, the name of Judas was common among the Hebrews. The interesting thing about him in the beginning was that he did not receive a personal call as did Matthew or the fishermen. Reading Scripture, he was one among many followers of Christ.
According to John 6:64, Jesus knew in advance those who called themselves disciples but were unbelievers and who among them would betray him. After Judas joined the disciples, he was chosen to keep the money for the group and was later called a thief. All through his travels with Jesus, Judas persisted in failures.
Think about it. This man traveled with Jesus for over three years. He heard his teachings. He saw his miracles. Yet, he must have reinterpreted them a different way other than what Jesus intended.
He was convinced that Jesus would make a good earthly Messiah. That is basically the reason he betrayed him. It was not his intention to see Jesus murdered. Instead, it was his intention to back Jesus into a corner so that he would have to declare himself what Judas wanted him to be.
Jesus sent out Judas with the other disciples to evangelize. He preached. Scripture says that the body of disciples performed miracles. That leaves us uncertain whether Judas actually was able to perform a miracle or not. Oddly enough, even if he did perform miracles, that still made no difference because God can use unbelievers to do his work as well as believers.
Asking for 30 pieces of silver, Judas was virtually insulting his Messiah. That was a minimal amount of money in those days. It was the price that a man would have to pay a master if his ox killed the master’s slave. He was saying to the enemies of Jesus by taking that amount of money his Rabbi was a minimal consequences in his teachings and actions.
At the Last Supper Jesus knew that he was going to be betrayed by Judas and told him to leave and do his dastardly act. If the betrayer had any conscience at all, while looking into the eyes of Jesus, he could have reneged on his contract with the enemies and not betrayed our Lord. Instead, he eagerly left the room to go straight to the enemies.
It is apparent to this writer that Judas never really was a convert. He never really put his spiritual faith in Jesus. He was simply along for the ride, for the political thrill of it all. It was exhilarating for him to see the miracles without applying them to the divinity of Christ. Because Judas was not a believer in the ministry of Jesus, Satan was easily able to enter into him for the evil deed to be done (John 13:27).
Judas knew where to take the enemies so that Jesus could be arrested for it was the same place he took his disciples to pray. The result is that Judas turned that sacred spot into a place of blasphemy and heresy. Instead of being with the other disciples at the place of prayer, he was with the enemies at the place of treachery. One can’t help but wonder what Judas did when earlier he was with the other disciples and Jesus for prayer in the garden. Did he pretend to pray? Did he even pray at all ever? Obviously, if he prayed, it must’ve been centered around his preconceived notion that Jesus should be the earthly Messiah.
According to Matthew 27: 3-10, Judas repented of his betrayal, taking 30 pieces of silver back to the enemies. He even declared I have sinned betraying innocent blood. Judas lost control of the situation when he thought he had it all figured out. By the time he realized the consequences of his betrayal, it was too late. The chief priests did not offer to help Judas in repentance but were glad that he did betray Jesus.
One may wonder why Judas hanged himself. Like Peter who denied Christ three times, he could have genuinely repented. He must’ve been in a total state of desperation mentally and spiritually. Likely, he felt guilty and shameful.
Judas trapped himself So that he felt there was no way out. All through his walk with Jesus, this man was pretending. He operated by his own agenda. He tried to enforce that agenda on others. He is a prime example of a person who cannot play religion. To follow Jesus requires our all including our own plans and intentions.
Christian Writer 