And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.
Luke 22:4 describes Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, going on his own to the chief priests and captains and rulers to offer and negotiate how he might betray Jesus to them secretly. He had already begun arranging the betrayal, though the agreement was not yet fully completed. The Jewish rulers sought such secret treachery because they were afraid to seize Jesus openly for fear of a public tumult. Many who had witnessed His mighty works believed Him to be the prophet of the Most High and would have been greatly incensed at any attempt upon His liberty, so the scribes and priests decided open violence would not be good policy and treachery must serve their purpose.
The plan Judas proposed was to lead them to one of Jesus' quiet resorts for prayer and retirement where they could seize Him without a multitude to oppose them and make sure of their prey. Judas acted from greed for gain, ever greedy for gain, and love of money had perverted his nobler nature and made him a fit agent for Satan to use. He made a contract with the priests and rulers to hand over his Master into their hands for thirty pieces of silver, so the Lord of life and glory was sold by one of His own disciples to shame and ignominy and death for a paltry sum of money.
The betrayal was the work of Satan, who first blinded the eyes of the Jews so they would not receive Jesus as Saviour and then led them through envy because of His mighty works to desire His life. Satan then entered one of Christ's own followers and led him on to betray Jesus into the hands of His enemies that they might crucify the Lord of life and glory. Judas's decision followed his annoyance at Jesus' implied rebuke of his covetous spirit when Mary anointed her Lord with costly ointment, when he yielded to the tempter and gave Satan easy access to his mind. His decision also grew from rejecting Jesus' humility in washing His disciples' feet, since he thought a king who did so could not bring the worldly honor he wanted, so he resolved to disown Jesus and betray Him.
When he communed about how he might betray Jesus, he had no thought that Jesus would permit Himself to be taken, but thought Jesus would display divine power to deliver Himself from His enemies. The priests would thus be cheated of their bribe, and he himself would secure the money to use for some purpose of his own. His example shows how yielding to the great deceiver can lead a person into grave sin. It shows how someone not wholly consecrated to God may do Satan's work while believing he serves Christ.
Luke 22:4 describes Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, going on his own to the chief priests and captains and rulers to offer and negotiate how he might betray Jesus to them secretly. He had already begun arranging the betrayal, though the agreement was not yet fully completed. The Jewish rulers sought such secret treachery because they were afraid to seize Jesus openly for fear of a public tumult. Many who had witnessed His mighty works believed Him to be the prophet of the Most High and would have been greatly incensed at any attempt upon His liberty, so the scribes and priests decided open violence would not be good policy and treachery must serve their purpose.
The plan Judas proposed was to lead them to one of Jesus' quiet resorts for prayer and retirement where they could seize Him without a multitude to oppose them and make sure of their prey. Judas acted from greed for gain, ever greedy for gain, and love of money had perverted his nobler nature and made him a fit agent for Satan to use. He made a contract with the priests and rulers to hand over his Master into their hands for thirty pieces of silver, so the Lord of life and glory was sold by one of His own disciples to shame and ignominy and death for a paltry sum of money.
The betrayal was the work of Satan, who first blinded the eyes of the Jews so they would not receive Jesus as Saviour and then led them through envy because of His mighty works to desire His life. Satan then entered one of Christ's own followers and led him on to betray Jesus into the hands of His enemies that they might crucify the Lord of life and glory. Judas's decision followed his annoyance at Jesus' implied rebuke of his covetous spirit when Mary anointed her Lord with costly ointment, when he yielded to the tempter and gave Satan easy access to his mind. His decision also grew from rejecting Jesus' humility in washing His disciples' feet, since he thought a king who did so could not bring the worldly honor he wanted, so he resolved to disown Jesus and betray Him.
When he communed about how he might betray Jesus, he had no thought that Jesus would permit Himself to be taken, but thought Jesus would display divine power to deliver Himself from His enemies. The priests would thus be cheated of their bribe, and he himself would secure the money to use for some purpose of his own. His example shows how yielding to the great deceiver can lead a person into grave sin. It shows how someone not wholly consecrated to God may do Satan's work while believing he serves Christ.