Iscariot, Judas Iscariot

Tuesday of Holy Week

“Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them.  When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money.  So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.”

Mark 14:10-11

Judas was frustrated.

Jesus had finally started acting like a messiah--the triumphal march into the Royal City, flexing his strength and righteous force to cleanse the temple--but after that...

Now Jesus was cowardly and pitiful.

Jesus had overrun the temple, but then he stopped...he cried...then he walked away.

After that, every time the Pharisees and the Priests tested him, he played word games, hiding behind rhetoric.

Just yesterday, in the temple, some of Herod’s men asked Jesus about taxes.

No messiah would allow heathen oppressors to exact taxes on the people of God.

But instead of shouting, “No taxation without representation,” Jesus made it sound like paying exorbitant taxes was ok.  “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s,” he had said (Mark 12:13-17).  

The people don’t want to pay taxes to Rome anymore.  The people can’t afford it.

But Jesus didn’t seem to care.  What kind of messiah doesn’t fight for his people?!?!

Judas was fed up.

Yet, he was certain about who Jesus was.

Judas believed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of David.

So what was Jesus waiting for?

That is when it hit him:

Jesus must be waiting for the enemy to make the first move.

He had demonstrated power the likes of which the world did not know.

He could easily destroy the enemies of Israel--it wouldn’t even be a fair fight.

So he must be waiting for them to provoke him, so that afterwards he can say, “They forced my hand.  I sought peace.  They sought violence.  I gave them what they desired.”

Jesus was smart, quite a politician--leave no room for debate about whether his military action was a Just War or not.

Judas knew what to do next.

It was so simple.

All he had to do was to convince the High Priests to strike.

So, Judas went to the chief priests and offered them a way to get Jesus quietly.

They offered him money.

Bumbling fools!

They were going to pay him to create the circumstances of their own downfall!

Now Judas realized why Jesus had called him.

He had always wondered what gifts he brought to the table.

None of the other disciples had the brains to construct such a plan--a feint within a feint.

None of the other disciples had the perspicacity or the stomach for intrigues such as this.

Judas had found his purpose.

This is why Jesus needed him.

As Judas went into the Upper Room to celebrate the Passover, he wondered whether he should pull Jesus aside and tell him how the chief priests were playing into his hand, tell him how well the plan was working.

But Judas figured Jesus already knew...he seemed to know everything before it happened--he was, after all, the messiah.

And as the supper came to an end, Jesus looked at Judas and said, “Go, do what you are going to do.”

The others thought he meant acquiring more supplies or some other treasurer’s duties.

But Judas understood what he meant.

Jesus was giving the green light.

He knew, and he wasn’t stopping it.

That was all the consent that Judas needed.

He got up and left.

Now was the opportune time.