Judas Iscariot went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. ... When it was evening, Jesus reclined at table with the twelve. And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” [Matthew 26:14-16,20-21 ESV]
A modern day theory purports that Judas was merely forcing Jesus' hand.
The idea is that he wanted Jesus to overthrow the reign of Rome over the Jews.
The theory seems palatable until you read about Judas taking money for the betrayal.
When someone is paid to betray a friend they prove themselves to be no friend at all.
And their motives do not seem noble at all - in fact their intentions seem a bit sleazy.
I think that Judas must have been sleeping when Jesus was teaching.
I wonder what it would have been like to hear that a betrayer was seated at the table?
None of the disciples, save one, had a clue what that betrayal would look like.
I imagine most of them felt that the betrayal meant that they would commit a sin.
No one could imagine that one of their own would betray Jesus to the religious elders.
No one, except a disappointed man with bad intentions - a man disappointed with God.
Speaks to me of how disappointment can lead us down a dark path.
Lord, I sometimes get disappointed with life. Teach me to stay off the dark path.
... this devotion is part of the Red Letters series. Click here to read more.
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