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The Mistakes
Of Judas
“. . . Jesus . . . became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you,
that one of you will betray Me’” (John 13:21).

Judas’ betrayal of Jesus is surely one of the gradually split off farther and farther from Him.
saddest narratives in all of human history. Let The departure occurred subtly, with numerous
us ask some questions about this series of little decisions preparing him for the ultimate,
events. What brought it about? Was Judas a devastating betrayal. He cracked the door of
traitor from the beginning? Did Jesus deliber- his heart a little to a dark passion, later allowed
ately invite a thief and a turncoat into the circle the evil aspiration to enter his heart for brief
of His closest companions? Judas’ tragedy is visits, and finally offered the awful passion a
both a mystery and a common occurrence; for permanent place in his spirit.
it arose out of the conception, birth, and growth Here, then, are the signposts that are scat-
of evil in a man’s heart even as he lived and tered along Judas’ road to ruin.
walked with Jesus. He did not check the inordinate interest in
The Son of God—who knows the hearts of money that developed within him. He permitted
all men—chose Judas and eleven other men to the love of riches to enter him; then, slowly but
become His apostles (Luke 6:13–16). After a surely, it did its deadly work within him. He
night of prayer, He selected these men from His apparently did not realize that any man who
disciples because, in His eyes, they possessed loves money—even an apostle of Christ—is in
the qualities He needed in the men whom he serious danger. From an early point in Jesus’
would prepare to assist Him in fulfilling His ministry, Judas had served as treasurer for the
mission. In His selection, Jesus did not overlook apostles. Coins must have rattled constantly in
a character flaw or a diseased heart in Judas. the pouch at his side. Later in Jesus’ ministry,
He saw in him potential and dedication, and when Mary poured an expensive ointment
He knew what He was doing when He picked upon the feet of Jesus, Judas cried, in effect,
Him. In addition, Judas accepted his post as “How wasteful! We should sell it and give the
an ambassador of Christ with gladness, en- money to the poor!” (John 12:5). John said of
thusiasm, and a sincere commitment. No one him, “Now he said this, not because he was
in the apostolic band doubted his sincerity or concerned about the poor, but because he was
questioned his ability. They even trusted him a thief, and as he had the money box, he used
to be in charge of handling the group’s funds to pilfer what was put into it” (John 12:6). Over
(John 13:29). time, his desire for material possessions had
How did Judas descend from a talented, grown until it finally took control of him .
aspiring apostle to a crafty, deceptive ­traitor— When Judas held the coins, all was well; but
from a sincere, confident devotee of Christ to when the coins took hold of Judas, devastation
a conniving devil? The Scriptures suggest that followed. Avarice grew from a small corner
he did it by moving down a road that at first within his heart to a mountain that filled his
only diverged somewhat from Christ but soul.
 Judas never learned how to listen fully to the finalize his plans to deliver Jesus over to the
truth. He had the privilege of hearing Christ authorities.
speak and teach, but he did not let the Lord’s A brief time later, Judas—at the head of the
words captivate his heart. He heard them, yet arresting party—approached Jesus at the gate
he did not hear them. We say, “The words went of the garden. Jesus met this mob, identified
in one ear and went out the other.” Judas heard Himself, and literally handed Himself over to
Jesus declare, “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a them (John 18:4–8). He made it unnecessary
rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mat- for Judas to identify Him, but Judas chose to
thew 19:23). He heard Him warn, “Beware, and carry through with what he had agreed to do
be on your guard against every form of greed; and stepped forward. It may well be that Je-
for not even when one has an abundance does sus rebuked him before and after the betrayal
his life consist of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). kiss. Luke wrote, “And he approached Jesus
He listened to Him say, “For what will it profit to kiss Him. But Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, are
a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?’”
his soul?” (Matthew 16:26a). He most likely said, (Luke 22:47c, 48). According to Matthew, it
“Amen,” when he heard these statements; but was following the kiss that Jesus said to him,
he did not allow them to constrain him to root “Friend, do what you have come for” (Mat-
out the materialistic infection that was taking thew 26:50a). In other words, Judas cast aside
over his heart. Paul spoke of those who were our Lord’s rebukes, reprimands, and gestures
“always learning and never able to come to the of grace, and went ahead with each part of the
knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). betrayal plan. He waded through all that Jesus
Judas did not heed Christ’s warnings. Appar- could do to prevent him from committing that
ently, Judas was warned periodically through- terrible deed.
out Jesus’ ministry, as is illustrated by John Judas did not take advantage of his golden op-
6:70. (See also vv. 64, 71.) At the end, when his portunities. What would it have been like to
sin had progressed and was at the point of have daily associations with Jesus, the Son of
controlling him, Jesus confronted him with it. God? How could one live in this kind of fel-
In spite of his close association with Jesus, lowship and not grow into the likeness of
Judas ignored Him because of a hardened heart. Christ? It is difficult to comprehend that one
He cherished his sinister ambition more than could be in this relationship and still resist the
his relationship with Christ. He had gone to powerful influence of Jesus’ life, allowing the
the Sanhedrin perhaps as early as Tuesday devil to control him. Even so, Judas went down
evening (see Matthew 26:14–16) and worked in history as one who managed to throw away
out an agreement to identify Jesus for them. He this magnificent privilege. Beyond these twelve,
had made up his mind, and he was settled in no member of the human race has ever had
his decision. such a life with Jesus. Judas’ situation simply
At the Last Supper, Jesus affirmed that one has no parallel. He threw away the priceless
of the apostles would betray Him (John 13:21). life that he was able to lead as an apostle. Peter
Each one of them asked, “Lord, is it I?” When said of him, “For he was counted among us and
Judas looked at Jesus, asking if he would be received his share in this ministry . . . from
the one, Jesus said, “You have said it yourself” which [he] turned aside to go to his own place”
(Matthew 26:25). After this exchange, Satan (Acts 1:17–25).
entered Judas’ heart (John 13:27a); that is, he Judas did not grasp the dimensions of what
intensified the temptation for Judas to carry was happening. He did not recognize that the
through with what he had planned to do, and greatest event in history was taking place. Jesus
he constrained him not to be deterred from his had told His apostles that He would “suffer
plan. Jesus said to him, “What you do, do many things from the elders and chief priests
quickly” (John 13:27b). At this point, Jesus knew and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on
that the decision had been made in Judas’ mind the third day” (Matthew 16:21b). At the Last
and that the betrayal would be taking place Supper, Jesus gave the apostles a cup and said,
shortly. Judas went out into the dark night to “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood
of the covenant, which is poured out for many edly he would have been forgiven. Furthermore,
for forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:27b, 28). his story would have been the greatest story of
Perhaps Judas did not understand what Jesus repentance in the Bible. Had he truly repented,
was doing or did not believe that Jesus could we would be telling today the story of Judas’
really be arrested or convicted when he made his return to the Lord, even as we tell the story of
bargain with the Sanhedrin (Matthew 26:14–16). the prodigal son’s going back to his father ’s
Throughout these events , Judas saw only silver home.
coins, not the crimson blood of Jesus flowing Giving in to his grief, Judas said to himself,
for the salvation of the world. Instead of eternal “I must end my miserable life.” As the trials of
life, he was thinking of earthly gain. Jesus moved forward, Judas made his way to
Judas did not seek repentance. When Judas be- a tree, perhaps one with a branch reaching out
came aware that Jesus was going to be crucified, over a cliff. With trembling hands, he threw a
he returned the money to the priests (Matthew rope over the limb and tied the remainder of
27:1–10). They refused it; but he threw it down the rope to the tree’s trunk. He tied a slipknot
on the temple floor, crying, “I have sinned by in the rope and put the loop around his neck.
betraying innocent blood” (v. 4a). Judas’ heart We can imagine him glancing back a final time
broke in remorse, but he did not seek true re- toward the place where Jesus was being tried
pentance. If he had thought about it , he could and then looking at the ground below. Closing
have remembered Jesus’ teachings concerning his eyes and taking a deep breath, he jumped
repentance. He could have looked back on our from the edge. The rope tightened, and Judas
Lord’s words about the prodigal son (Luke went to his own place—to the destiny where
15:11–32), about forgiving a brother seventy his decisions had brought him.
times seven (Matthew 18:21, 22), and about the Eddie Cloer
woman taken in adultery (John 8:1–11). He knew
that Jesus exemplified perfectly the teachings v- v- v- v- v
that He gave; but, for some reason, Judas did
not seek repentance before God. Judas Iscariot was not chosen to be a traitor as
Judas caved in because of the weight of his grief. an actor might be chosen to play a part. No, Judas
All of us recognize that agonizing sorrow is a chose to be a traitor. It is true that Judas fulfilled
heavy burden to bear, but we must also realize the Scriptures quoted by Jesus, but having him
that it must not be allowed to dominate us. Peter fulfill these Scriptures was not Jesus’ motive when
repented (Matthew 26:75), but Judas regretted He chose Judas to be an apostle. Furthermore, Judas
(Matthew 27:5). Peter had godly sorrow, but did not become a follower of Jesus with a treacher-
Judas had the sorrow of this world (2 Corinthi- ous intention already in his heart. The evil actions
ans 7:10). Peter ’s sorrow turned his feet toward of Judas—like all human evil—was a result of wrong
Jesus, but Judas’ sorrow put a rope about his choices; they were not foreordained. God structured
neck. Peter ’s sorrow resulted in repentance, the events of the passion through His foreknowledge
while Judas’ sorrow ended in death. and providence for the fulfillment of His divine will,
Had Judas chosen to repent by turning to yet the betrayal itself came to pass through Judas’
Jesus and laying His guilt before Him, assur- yielding to temptation.