One of the most difficult
characters of the New Testament is Judas Iscariot. He has left his name in the
English language as a synonym for the word, "traitor." Americans
will always have Benedict Arnold; veterans of World War II will recall
Quisling - but for two thousand years the name Judas means one who betrays. To
this day the name arouses emotions among those who believe. We see the end of
his story here.
(Acts 1:15-26 NIV) In
those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a
hundred and twenty) {16} and said, "Brothers, the Scripture had to be
fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth of David
concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus-- {17} he
was one of our number and shared in this ministry." {18} (With the reward
he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his
body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. {19} Everyone in Jerusalem
heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that
is, Field of Blood.) {20} "For," said Peter, "it is written in
the book of Psalms, "'May his place be deserted; let there be no one to
dwell in it,' and, "'May another take his place of leadership.' {21}
Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the
whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, {22} beginning from John's
baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must
become a witness with us of his resurrection." {23} So they proposed two
men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. {24} Then
they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two
you have chosen {25} to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to
go where he belongs." {26} Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to
Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
Betrayal
As interesting as Judas' betrayal
might be, it will help us grow not at all unless we look at it with intention.
Let us examine it in this light: what might have motivated this betrayal - and
what might we do to prevent such things in our own time.
Bitterness
Judas was the only disciple of
the twelve who was not from Galilee. As such, he was an outsider. In all the
lists of the disciples, he is always listed with the "last third."
These lists are consistent in grouping the twelve disciples into three groups:
the inner, middle and outer groups. The order within the groups changes, but
the groups don't - and Judas is always in the last group. Perhaps this sense
of being the last man in grew into bitterness in him.
Can we see something like this
today? I think so. Consider that there is no salvation outside the church;
there is no "solo" Christianity. Therefore anyone who wants to be
saved must come to the church. But suppose the church (that's us) finds him so
unlovely that we do not accept him as brother? Do we reject others because
they are new? Or based on race, or age, or physical appearance, or criminal
record? Or any other such criterion? It is not for nothing that James
commands us to be impartial!
Fear
It has also been suggested that
things were getting hot in Jerusalem, and that Judas feared for his own skin.
This may be. We must remember that courage is the root of all virtue, and
perhaps under Judas that root had dried up and died. For this reason, we are
called to "en-courage" one another.
Did you think of it that way? By
encouraging, we also "en-courage." How? Perfect love casts out
fear! When someone is loved and supported, it becomes easier to do that which
requires courage. Therefore, we should encourage one another.
Shame
We know that Judas had his hand
in the till - he was skimming money from the community purse. It may be that
he feared exposure, and who more likely to know that he was such a secret
sinner than the Lord himself? The skeleton in the closet may look dry and
dusty, but it (like Ezekiel's bones) may rise up and be mighty.
Sometimes we give the skeleton
its power. By our censorious attitudes ("I could forgive anything
but…") we say to the sinner, "Better keep that skeleton in the closet
where it belongs." In short, we are discouraging confession and
repentance! If the church visible (that's us) will not forgive, then how can
the sinner conceive that the church invisible will? Or, for that matter, that
the Father will? Far better that we encourage all to repent - by the acts of
forgiveness and reconciliation.
Pride
It has been suggested that Judas
may have been trying to force Christ into bringing in his earthly kingdom.
There is an air here of man giving advice to God. After all, could not Christ
bring down twelve legions of angels to conquer the earth? Why won't the man
see the obvious - that the authorities will kill him if he doesn't! Perhaps
this is the jealousy of those who are merely bright against the truly great.
It is thought that Saltieri poisoned Mozart out of jealousy. I cannot say -
but the story is possible.
There is a cure for this too. Do
we teach the omnipotence of God - but not the omniscience? Do we say "God
can do anything" and mean, "all you need to know is how to manipulate
the Almighty?" We must also teach and believe the omniscience of God.
More than that, we must in Christian charity learn and teach that pride is a
dreadful sin - not, as our world proclaims, a sign of greatness. Thus we must
also grapple with it, and correct our brothers who have fallen into it.
Satan
The New Testament has little to
say about motives. It simply states
that "Satan entered into him." The same word (Greek diabolos)
is translated "devil" when Christ says (about a year before this)
that "one of you is a devil."
The word in the original means an accuser, particularly a false accuser.
Perhaps we shall never know.
In all this we must remember one
thing. It is not the case that Judas is not responsible for his own sin.
Satan enters only where invited; the Spirit bars all other entrance. Faust
had to ask for damnation; indeed, to pursue it diligently. We are not
proclaiming that another person's betrayal is the victim's fault. Rather, this
is a case of snatching a brother from the flames.
Steps in the Return
It is not sufficient to
"blame." God wants us to return the sinner to him. This, in the case
of betrayal, begins with anguish.
Anguish
Some have the conception that a
real Christian would not be upset at being betrayed. After all, we know that
we will have trouble in this world. But consider: it is normal to be in
anguish when you have been betrayed.
·
It is normal because you have a sense of personal loss. Perhaps
God has removed the relationship because it needs to be removed - but the sense
of betrayal is based upon the loss of what we thought was a good thing.
·
There is also a sense of righteous indignation. Judas does not
just sell Christ out; he betrays him with a kiss. It is the sense that
something so right - the sign of love, a kiss - is used to do something so
wrong. It is an outrage.
·
It is therefore a sign of the sickness of our time that we are so
little anguished by betrayal. We tend now to greet it with an exasperated
sigh. The story of Judas no longer angers anyone. We need to remember the
reaction of Attila the Hun to hearing that the innocent Jesus had been
crucified: "If I and my soldiers had been there, they would not have
dared!"
Peter, in bringing up the subject
of Judas' replacement, gives us (in passing) the Scriptural answer to our
anguish: the Psalms. Why did God give us the Psalms in the Old Testament?
To say, "that's how I
feel, God."
In a sense we are being given
permission to say to God, "This is how I feel."
·
We are allowed to go to God and say, "I am so wretched and
miserable about this." It is not a requirement that we are constantly
possessed of a happy face.
·
We are allowed to go to God with our thoughts of anger and
vengeance. We can say, "This is what I want you to do to him."
·
We can say to God, "Life is so unjust, so unfair. I don't
like it, and I need to complain about it to someone who can do something about
it!"
To hear God's correction
·
If we can complain, he can correct us - by reminding us that we
are sinners too.
·
We also need to know who rules and reigns. The Psalms complain -
but they also show the glory of God. We need to be reminded more than
instructed.
·
And - perhaps most precious of all - we need to hear that despite
our anguish and low position, despite all persecution and betrayal, God still
loves us and cares for us.
Forgiveness
We can learn a great deal from
Jesus' treatment of Judas.
·
Jesus foresaw the betrayal - and warned Judas that it would be
better for that man not to have been born.
·
Even at the betrayal, Christ reminds Judas' of the authority of
the man of God - note that Judas leaves to betray Jesus only when Jesus
commands him to go.
·
And at the last, when Jesus is betrayed by a kiss, he greets his
betrayer as "friend." What a stunning example for us!
Look at that example. We judge
the depth of a crime by two things: first, the actual type of crime itself, and
second, the innocence of the victim. We view (rightly) that robbery is worse
than jaywalking. We are more upset when a gang member kills a baby than we are
when the victim is another gang member. Is there any crime worse than murder?
Is there any victim more innocent than the sinless Son of God? Yet despite
this, Jesus greets him as "friend."
We can learn from this: there is
no sin so great that God cannot forgive it - and that we should not be willing
to do likewise, even against ourselves. This depends upon repentance, and
unless suicide be repentance Judas never repented. But upon repentance God
will forgive, and so should we.
Reconciliation
If forgiveness is ours, so is
reconciliation. Forgiveness alone is not God's purpose; rather, he intends
reconciliation. So important is this that he has made us the ambassadors of
reconciliation:
(2 Corinthians 5:18-21
NIV) All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and
gave us the ministry of reconciliation: {19} that God was reconciling the world
to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has
committed to us the message of reconciliation. {20} We are therefore Christ's
ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on
Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. {21} God made him who had no sin to be
sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
We are to be the ambassadors of
reconciliation.
·
We are to reconcile ourselves to each other - and quickly.
·
We are to be mediators of reconciliation between other Christian
brothers.
·
We are to be those who reconcile others to God, by bringing to
them the grace of God.
Ours is the royal priesthood of
Christ. We are to bring the grace of Christ to all - even those who have
betrayed us. Consider this: what would you think of a doctor who told you
that he did not want to treat your disease - because it was a frightful disease
and he was afraid he might catch it himself? Apply the same standard to a
minister (paid) for the Gospel - who was unwilling to preach the grace of God
to someone because they were too great a sinner. Then carry the same principle
forward to yourself - and ask if you are permitted to be selective about those
to whom you will bring the grace of God. The minister of God - the royal
priest - brings God's grace to all he meets - and he brings all he meets to God
for grace.
God's reaction
No one is essential to God
Despite our pride of place, there
is not one of us that God cannot do without. Consider: who is this Matthias?
He is never mentioned in the Scripture in any other place. We know nothing
about him. Yet he is considered one of the Apostles. God doesn’t need
anyone; he desires everyone.
God's permanent attitude.
We may sum it up this way:
·
God is always willing to forgive the repentant sinner.
·
God understands our grief at betrayal.
·
God desires that we, like Him, forgive the repentant sinner, no
matter what the sin might have been.
This is a part of God's eternal
plan. Paul mentions this in passing:
(Colossians 1:20 NIV)
and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or
things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Note that he is to reconcile
"all things" to himself. We have the privilege of being a part of
this work; we are the ambassadors of reconciliation. Let us prevent such sin
as we can - bring such sinners as we can back to God - and forgive on every
possible occasion.