Articles
The Judas Complex
* * * * * * * * * * *
And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" (Lk. 22:47-48)
* * * * * * * * * * *
One of the most perplexing mysteries of New Testament study is trying to unlock the motivation behind Judas' betrayal of Jesus. Here was a man, personally chosen by Jesus, who saw the miracles, listened to the teachings, and experienced life with the Master Himself, yet was willing to betray Him into the hands of His enemies. For his eleven fellow apostles, the three years living with Jesus changed their lives; but for Judas, it was a descent into hell. What happened that caused one so privileged to come to such a miserable end?
Trying to understand Judas is like trying to go back and reconstruct what was in the mind of a criminal 2,000 years ago. The evidence is meager, but sufficient to provide some clues to what he was thinking.
- We know that Judas was the treasurer for the group (Jn. 13:29), and that he sometimes used his position to pilfer from the money bag (Jn. 12:6).
- When Mary of Bethany anointed the feet of Jesus with "a pound of very costly oil of spikenard," it was Judas who complained about the waste of such a valuable commodity (Jn. 12:4-5). The noble intent behind Mary's sacrifice was completely lost on him.
- When Judas approached the rulers with an offer to deliver Jesus to them, his objective was simple: "What will you give me?" (Matt. 26:15). He was motivated not by principle or a desire for power, but only for money. To Judas, Jesus was not a Savior but an opportunity to pick up a quick thirty pieces of silver.
The evidence is compelling that Judas had a problem with money. Every decision he made was based on a financial calculation. He kept up his charade as an apostle of Jesus right up to the end, when he betrayed Him with a kiss; but his real ambition in life was enriching himself.
Judas is the classic example of what happens when our hearts are consumed by greed. We can keep up appearances as loyal disciples of the Lord, while our real love is the profit motive. Oh, we can be philanthropic alright--but always with an angle: "What will you give me?" We have no scruples about taking advantage of our brethren if the price is right. The mercenary spirit drives everything.
"The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" (1 Tim. 6:10), and the story of Judas is a tragic testimony to the truth of that principle. Money is a necessary tool in a world of commerce, but we must take care to keep its tentacles far away from our heart, lest we, too, become seduced by its power to corrupt.
--David
