How would you like to be named “Judas”? It’s not very likely that you’d plant that name on your new baby! It was a fairly common name in New Testament times; it was simply the Greek version of “Judah,” one of the tribes of Israel and a beautiful portion of the land of the Israelites. This week’s focal text looks at the one sometimes called “Judas Iscariot.” (Some students of the Bible think the name “Iscariot” was added by biblical writers after the death of Jesus; the word “Iscariot” means “betrayer” or “assassin.”)
This man had evidently been one of the most trusted disciples. After all, he was given the role of treasurer (John 12:6). When Jesus told His followers that one of them would betray Him, they had no idea which one it might be (John 13:22). Evidently, even though Judas had pilfered from their common treasury (John 12:6), no one suspected that he might betray the Lord.
Even after Jesus identified Judas as the one who would turn Him over to the authorities (John 13:27), some of the disciples still thought Jesus was simply sending Judas off on some errand (John 13:29). The writer of the Gospel of John is clear that it was Satan that now made disciple Judas become betrayer Judas (John 13:27).
There is, of course, a lot more to the story of Judas [thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15), the betrayal of Jesus (Matthew 26:48-49), the suicide of Judas (Matthew 27:5) or perhaps the accidental death of Judas (Acts 1:16-18)], but the challenge of this episode is to ask ourselves when we have been willing to turn against Jesus.
Have I betrayed Him when I chose worldly values instead of His servant values? Have I betrayed Him when I identified as part of His inclusive family in the Church and yet found ways to make some more valuable than others? Have I betrayed Him when I listened more to the cultural power brokers than I did to His message of love?
My name may not be “Judas,” but I am as tempted as the disciple with that name. And what about you?
What Someone Else Has Said: Reinhold Niebuhr (Leaves from the Notebook of a Tamed Cynic, Living Age Books) wrote: “....the author is not unconscious of what the critical reader will divine, a tendency to be most critical of that in (others) to which (one) is most tempted (one’s self.”)
Prayer: As you prepare this lesson, let your prayer begin: “Master, let me walk with Thee. Keep me from magnetic sin which attracts me...”
