Why Choose Judas?

Why Choose Judas?

Mark 14:10-11, NIV

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. 11They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

Setting the Scene

The Gospels, written years after Judas Iscariot’s death, consistently list him last among the twelve disciples.

We are stunned that someone who was given so much and had seen so much would turn his back on Jesus and betray him. We have considered possible explanations to help us understand his motivation, but they do not diminish his responsibility for his actions.

Judas made a crucial decision. He turned away from the opportunity to be a faithful disciple and instead looked for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to his enemies. Judas betrayed everything that Jesus stood for and the message he must have heard many, many times. He heard the parables of the Kingdom and everything Jesus taught about the difference between the world’s way of doing things and the Father’s way. He probably understood as little as the other eleven, but he was the one who turned that lack of understanding into treacherous action.

As we wonder over the tragedy of Judas’s actions, we must consider our own attempts at faithfulness. Perhaps we may simply have lacked opportunity—we haven’t had the chance (or been faced with the risk) of betraying what we say we believe. We may not even risk letting others know what we believe. Which is the greater betrayal—falling short in following or never giving any real appearance of following at all?

Getting Personal

Which of Jesus’ teachings do you imagine was the most difficult for Judas to accept?

In what ways have you demonstrated that your loyalty to Christ is real?

Obedience and loyalty are not the means of salvation, but they demonstrate that we are saved. If we are not intent on actually following Jesus, it makes little sense to claim to be a Christ-follower. Pretending to be something we are not is a form of betrayal.

Talking to God

Admit your moments of disloyalty, when what you do doesn’t measure up to what you say you believe. Thank God for his patience with you and his great love for you. Ask him to develop your deep loyalty to him.