Then one of the twelve disciples—the one named Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What will you give me if I betray Jesus to you?” They counted out thirty silver coins and gave them to him. From then on Judas was looking for a good chance to hand Jesus over to them.— Matthew 26:14-16 GNT
Jesus’ public ministry began at His baptism, but His public miracles began at the wedding in Cana when He turned water into wine. Other significant miracles include raising the dead, restoring sight to the blind, making the cripple walk, and making the mute speak, to name a few. All these miracles and more were signs and evidence that prove Jesus was sent by God as the Christ, the anointed one, and the Messiah.
Contrary to what some commentators say, I believe Judas was a believer at least at first. He believed Jesus was the promised Messiah who would deliver Israel and this influenced his association with Jesus and the decisions that shaped his destiny.
Having walked with Jesus for three years, why did Judas Iscariot turn? Who did he think Jesus was? Why, or how, did he become corrupt enough to betray Jesus to the religious leaders?
Perhaps Judas became disillusioned or disappointed with Jesus’ mission, especially when Jesus repeatedly spoke of suffering, humility, and death. Jesus’ refusal to become a political Messiah could have felt like a waste of Judas’ time and betrayal of his own hopes.
By betraying Jesus to the religious leaders, Judas was probably expecting Jesus to resist the arrest and fight back. Judas probably wanted to force Jesus’ hand to introduce His Kingdom by taking action against His enemies, triggering a revolution that would then draw in the Roman authority. But this was not God’s timing and plan.
Judas’ remorse was genuine when he attempted to return the money to the religious leaders. He realised his plan had not worked, and he had caused an innocent man to be arrested and face execution.
Regardless of our views of Judas Iscariot as a person, we can learn lessons from his personality, character, and actions that led to his slow spiritual erosion and decline. His story teaches us how anyone can drift from a position of sincerity into self‑deception if certain inner tendencies go unchallenged.
Judas’ downfall may have begun long before the betrayal of Jesus. A person’s inner motivations, thoughts, and actions reveal patterns that quietly shape their destiny. For example, when we let small compromises become habits, those unchecked habits will reshape our character negatively.
A small private, hidden sin can easily and quickly become a settled identity if not curtailed. The Apostle John said of Judas that he usually helped himself from the money bag. “…not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. He carried the money bag and would help himself from it.” John 12:6 (GNT)
Was Judas helping himself for his own personal needs or for the needs of the poor in society? We will explore this in the next article.
Stay blessed,
LaraLex
Hills and Valleys 