Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,
One of the twelve disciples, Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and rulers to offer to betray Jesus into their hands for a secret arrest without tumult. He went on the second night before the Passover, leaving the supper at Simon's house to renew his purpose at the high priest's palace where the council was assembled, and proposed leading them to one of Jesus' quiet resorts for prayer where He could be seized without the multitude. His ruling love of money had overbalanced love for Christ and made him a fit agent for Satan, and stung by Christ's rebuke of his covetous hypocrisy over Mary's costly offering, which he had resented and claimed should have been sold while stealing himself, he yielded to revenge and the tempter instead of repenting. There he contracted to hand over his Master for thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave, reasoning that Christ would escape as before and display His power so that he would keep the money and gain advantage either way. God overruled the betrayal by His own disciple to accomplish redemption without lessening its guilt, and it stands as the extreme warning that cherishing selfishness and covetousness sells the Lord for earthly gain.
Setting and Action
Then one of the twelve, Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and rulers to offer to betray Jesus into their hands. He made the offer secretly, moved by greed for gain, and there entered into a contract to hand over his Master for thirty pieces of silver. The Jewish rulers were seeking a secret way to seize Jesus because they feared a tumult among the people. Though Jesus knew Judas’s character, gave him lessons and opportunities to recognize and correct his faults, and knew he was stealing money intended for the poor, Judas would not overcome his covetousness and love of money, but agreed to sell his Lord for a small sum far less than the ointment he had begrudged Mary for giving Jesus.
He went on the second night before the Passover to renew his contract to deliver Jesus into their hands. At the feast in Simon’s house he had opportunity to reflect on the deed he had covenanted to perform, but his purpose was unchanged, and he rose from the table and went to the palace of the high priest where the council was assembled. He planned the betrayal during the supper period, immediately after being reproved, and after he departed to carry out the betrayal Jesus spoke of His coming glorification and gave the command to love one another. For thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave, he sold the Lord of glory to ignominy and death.
The chief priests wanted to take Jesus without provoking the people, who were His friends, and without opposition from the multitude. Judas proposed to lead them to one of Jesus’s quiet resorts for prayer, retirement and meditation, so they could seize Him in the absence of the multitude and without a crowd to resist. In that quiet place they could arrest Him without opposition.
Jesus knew Judas’s hypocrisy and theft from the money intended for the poor, yet did not expose him so as not to give him an excuse for his later betrayal. With prophetic eye He discerned beforehand that this companion, who lived with Him and received lesson upon lesson, would deliver Him into the hands of sinners to be scourged and crucified. Although Jesus knew Judas had sold Him, He still washed his feet. His life had been kept by God’s power until His work was finished and the time for decision had come.
Motives for Betrayal
Judas went to the chief priests because a natural strong love for money fostered into ruling avarice overbalanced his love for Christ. That love of money perverted his nobler nature, enslaved him, and made him a fit agent for Satan to use in the betrayal, for by becoming the slave of one vice he gave himself to Satan to be driven to any lengths in sin. He had not always been wicked and corrupt enough for such a deed, but he fostered the evil spirit until he could sell his Lord for thirty pieces of silver, about three pounds ten shillings, the price of a slave, and betray Him with a kiss, valuing Jesus only enough to sell Him for a few pieces of silver despite having witnessed His teaching, patience, compassion, and power. His course warns that greed can enslave and lead to grievous sin, and that those who claim to follow Christ may use that name to conceal devotion to self and money and sell integrity for worldly gain.
His covetousness was exposed over Mary's costly offering, which he resented as waste and said should have been sold for the poor, though he did not care for them. He had been stealing money intended to help the poor, and his appeal to concern for the poor concealed a selfish desire to possess the ointment for his own use. He sold his Lord for thirty pieces of silver, far less than the ointment he had begrudged Mary for giving Jesus, thus valuing Jesus at the price he received and weighing the Son of God's life against money, joining revenge with greed. That cold, calculating spirit that grudges or withholds gifts for Christ's cause under plausible excuses stands condemned, for true faith is shown by works and by giving to the cause of truth. Jesus knew his hypocrisy and theft yet did not expose him, so as not to give him an excuse for the betrayal.
Stung by Christ's rebuke of his hypocrisy and covetous spirit before others, and annoyed at that implied rebuke, he opened his heart to revenge, envy, and anger against correction instead of repenting. Stung by the knowledge of his sin and provoked to madness because his guilt was known, he rose from the table and went to the palace of the high priest where the council was assembled and planned revenge there, acting like one bereft of reason and imbued with Satan's spirit. He had indulged sin and refused correction, though he had been accepted despite defects of character so that he might learn from teaching and example, recognize error, repent, and with divine help purify his soul by obeying the truth; instead he yielded his mind to evil and turned angry when reproved, as those who cherish sin turn against those who correct them for their good. That same spirit of Judas appears when a checked wrong course that can no longer be continued is answered with retaliation in threatening attitude and abusive letters instead of thorough confession that would bring forgiveness, the opposite of the spirit of Jesus.
He persisted in selfishness, ambition, divided heart, love of worldly praise, superficial religion, and scheming carnal desire for gain, despite efforts to awaken his conscience and lead him to repentance. From a selfish, avaricious spirit that takes all it can get for labor and gathers from any source without regard to justice and without the mercy and love of God, he turned from plain counsel to follow human imagination and desire, firmly setting himself not to be changed by the lessons and example of Christ nor to heed the light coming in every lesson. He hid his wrongdoing, judged others, and refused to confess or surrender, though he had freely joined the disciples and shared their opportunity to learn, and would have been transformed only by willingness to learn; without repentance there is no forgiveness. His choice was like Lot choosing Sodom as home for its wealth, attractions, and loveliness, which did not enrich him but ended with fire consuming all his gains so that he went out empty-handed, and those who continue such a course with years of light will find no excuse to stand the test of judgment. He was a speculator who thought he could manage the finances of the church and so make money, and though he had wonderful advantages through three years with Christ, daily listening to His instruction and witnessing His marvelous works, his love of gain grew stronger and stronger until he sold his Master for thirty pieces of silver and ruined himself; had he been willing to renounce all selfishness the Lord would have used him to advance His kingdom. His sad history teaches that sacrificing principle and integrity for worldly gain, in dishonest business and speculation for selfish gain, is betraying the Lord like Judas, crucifying Christ afresh and putting Him to open shame, for love of money can lead a person to sell the soul for gain.
Satan worked through him in this going to the chief priests, for he yielded to the tempter and gave Satan easy access to his mind when the inspiration of Satan came upon him. He offered to hand Jesus over to His enemies and agreed for a few pieces of silver, planning the betrayal during the supper period, with love of money leading him to deliver his Lord while Satan worked through him. Imbued with Satan's spirit he sold his Lord, showing how even one of the twelve may disappoint Christ by yielding to temptation. So men who stay connected with God's work while rejecting its warnings remain until Satan moves them to sell their Lord and destroy His cause by exposing sacred truth and inner corruption to enemies who have no sense of its importance or sacredness, proving they never respected the sacred work and should have been separated from it long before.
Bargain and Expectations
There he made a contract to hand over his Master, the Lord of life and glory, to ignominy and shame and death for thirty pieces of silver. That sum was about three pounds ten shillings, the price of a slave. It was a paltry, trifling, small sum for such a deed.
He made a sharp, self-serving bargain because he did not believe Christ would permit Himself to be taken. He thought He would escape as before and gain a new opportunity to display divine power in delivering Himself from His enemies, while the priests would be cheated of their bribe and he would secure the money for his own use. He reasoned that if Christ was to be crucified the event had to come to pass, and if He was not to die the betrayal would only force Him to deliver Himself, so that in either case he would gain by his treachery. He expected by this clever bargain to recover the ground he had lost and to be rewarded, while the people lost their money. The other disciples did not suspect his purpose.
When Jesus instead meekly submitted to abuse and suffered Himself to be tried and condemned to death, Judas recognized the full extent of selling his divine Master to shame and death. He remembered the tenderness and kindness of Jesus toward him. He despised the covetousness that had tempted him for a few pieces of silver. He was overcome with hopeless remorse and anguish and could not bear to live to see Him crucified.
Providence and Doctrine
One of his own disciples sold him to his jealous enemies, as Joseph had been sold by his brothers. The chief priests and elders were jealous of him and secretly sought to seize and kill him, fearing he would draw the people from them and become king. His betrayal and killing did not prevent him from becoming Redeemer and ruler over the world. God overruled the actions of his enemies to bring about his purpose through the innocent sufferer, without lessening their guilt.
He had joined Judas to himself and the other disciples throughout his public ministry, though Judas cherished selfishness, giving him the same opportunities, education and training as John, Peter and the rest to improve in character building. The grace of Christ received into the heart would have converted him from selfishness and worked wonderful changes in him. But he was a hearer and not a doer, failing to receive the words, to let Christ mold his character, to correct his course and to recognize the importance of being shaped by Christ's example. He treasured his defects as precious treasure and arose in opposition to the light until they poisoned the whole man in principle, spirit, life and character, and the painstaking lessons and efforts of the divine Teacher were lost upon him. This extreme history stands as a warning to refine, change and overcome defects instead of indulging what feeds appetite and strengthens the passions.
Having his name among the twelve did not make him a Christian, for only doing the Word makes sons and daughters of God. Though chosen as one of the disciples and given power to heal the sick and cure diseases, he was not rejected for being imperfect but failed because he was not converted daily to be an instrument sanctified and polished for the Master's use, staying subject to temptation and leaving old hereditary and natural tendencies for Satan to use to dishonor the Master and imperil his own soul. He lived with Jesus, received lesson upon lesson, line upon line and precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, and shared wonderful advantages during three years of instruction and miracles, daily listening to his teaching and witnessing his marvelous works, yet was not transformed in character. He freely joined the disciples and shared their opportunity to learn, but he would have been transformed and used to advance the kingdom only if he had been willing to learn, to renounce all selfishness, to be molded, and to repent, for a person cannot be forgiven without repentance. His going to the chief priests is the pattern of those who have knowledge of the truth without being sanctified by it, including church members with names on church books, who work out wrong characters, do more harm because of that knowledge, depart from the faith, confederate with apostates, and betray sacred trusts.
Even the best religious culture and the highest advantages have no power to sanctify man or to keep him and nations from degeneracy. The shame and guilt of the selfishness and covetousness by which he sold his Lord for thirty pieces of silver belong to man alone. By uncontrollable fits of passion man gives evidence that he cannot be trusted and would do the same as Judas did.
His going to the chief priests began the act by which he sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. His betrayal is an example of how one deliberate sin can turn a person's gifts and otherwise honorable qualities into enticements to sin. It stands as a warning of the ruin that can follow from one wrong act, and that one wrong act can bring shame and loss, for he sold the Lord of glory for thirty pieces of silver.
He was a covetous member of the church Christ formed on earth, whose covetousness and love of money had grown through indulgence until he agreed to sell his Lord for a small sum, though he was given lessons and opportunities to recognize and correct his faults and chose not to overcome them. His presence did not invalidate the church, just as the presence of unfaithful members in later ages does not mean God has no church. His betrayal does not mean there were no genuine disciples among the twelve, nor is the presence of false followers a reason to refuse to follow Christ. Such failure of one of his own workers is a disappointing result that causes great sorrow and calls for correction of errors, yet the work of the ministry retains its sacred, holy character and is not to be belittled or ignored because of it.
Warnings for Believers
Judas going to the chief priests warns that selfish, covetous people may trade good principles and a generous spirit for earthly gain and be sifted out from God's people. Sacrificing principle and integrity for worldly advantage, speculation for selfish gain, and dishonest business sells the Lord and sacrifices Christ. Deceptive and corrupt dealings sell out the Lord, while the influence of such sin spreads and corrupts others. Those who trade their security in God's kingdom for selfish advantage value that kingdom even less than Judas valued his Lord. His divided heart, love of worldly praise, superficial religion, and selfish desire for gain turned religious profession without a life shaped by Christ into betrayal.
Without reformation by the baptism of the Holy Ghost, love of the world and worldly gain overcomes profession of religion and church membership and leads to betrayal of Christ. Members and workers in institutions will then be lost as surely as Judas was lost, and will sell the Lord as readily when Satan comes with his tempting bribe of worldly advantage. Love of money can lead a person to sell the soul for gain, as the scheming, carnal desire for gain corrupted a disciple who had the same opportunity as the others to learn from Christ.
Betraying a sacred trust for worldly advantage barters things of eternal importance for temporal benefit. Sacrificing honor and integrity through deception and underhanded plans betrays Christ and sacred interests. Pursuing revenge to ward off financial embarrassment, hurting and robbing the cause of God, makes one a traitor and betrayer working under the inspiration and power of Satan. Such a course decides eternal destiny, standing on a precipice that forever separates from God and brethren and severs the last binding link, and it must be halted at once by humbling the heart as a little child before God to receive forgiveness. Words and deeds of betrayal, even under a cloak of righteousness, are grievous sins registered in heaven, and continuing in them ends in selling the Lord as Judas sold Him. Betraying Christ Himself and betraying His cause to His enemies irrespective of consequences brings reproach upon the truth, driven by the same evil power that moved the priests and teachers to taunt Christ on the cross.
To betray Christ is to betray His truth and His cause. That betrayal grows from a spirit cherished for many years and shows itself in a self-willed course, pressing one's own way in controversy and lawsuit. The One with whom the betrayer is in controversy reads every motive and impulse of the heart, and this course endangers shipwreck of faith. Those who stay connected with God's work while rejecting warnings remain until Satan moves them to sell their Lord and destroy His cause by exposing sacred truth and inner corruption to enemies who have no sense of its sacredness. Such an end proves they never respected the sacred work and should have been separated from it long before.
Those who accuse fellow believers serve Satan as Judas did when he betrayed Christ, even when they do so ignorantly. Professed believers who use a brother's faults to harm him and justify themselves do Judas-like work. In harming Christ's people they act against Christ Himself. Satan is pleased to employ professed believers in this accusing work, he is no less active now than in Christ's day, and those who lend themselves to it manifest his spirit.
Those appointed to care for vulnerable people betray them into the enemy's hands when harsh, unchristlike words drive them toward spiritual danger. Striving for higher position acts like Judas and is contrary to the humility and consecration God requires. Those given sacred responsibilities must not trust their own wisdom, rely on supposed sufficiency, or refuse counsel, reproof, and instruction, lest failure to learn end in betraying the Lord. Responding to disappointment and reproof with revenge and bitterness, and sowing bitterness, follows his example and receives the same reward. The spirit of Judas threatens and retaliates with abusive attitude and letters when a wrong course is checked, opposite to thorough confession that would bring the Lord's forgiveness.
Temptation tests whether one will follow inclination or principle, and lack of moral firmness leaves one vulnerable to betraying the Lord as Judas did. Judas represents disloyalty, in contrast to humble, faithful work that builds up the church and seeks souls. Even selling a meetinghouse can feel like selling the Savior whom Judas went to the chief priests to betray.
Sacrificing principle for worldly gain is betraying the Lord like Judas, crucifying Christ afresh and putting Him to open shame. Selling Christ for money remains the example of betraying the Lord and His cause to its enemies. His turning against Jesus took place during Christ's greatest trial. His sad history stands as the lesson, after wonderful opportunities through three years with Christ, daily hearing instruction and witnessing marvelous works, yet as a speculator seeking to manage church finances for gain and unwilling to renounce selfishness.
One of the twelve disciples, Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and rulers to offer to betray Jesus into their hands for a secret arrest without tumult. He went on the second night before the Passover, leaving the supper at Simon's house to renew his purpose at the high priest's palace where the council was assembled, and proposed leading them to one of Jesus' quiet resorts for prayer where He could be seized without the multitude. His ruling love of money had overbalanced love for Christ and made him a fit agent for Satan, and stung by Christ's rebuke of his covetous hypocrisy over Mary's costly offering, which he had resented and claimed should have been sold while stealing himself, he yielded to revenge and the tempter instead of repenting. There he contracted to hand over his Master for thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave, reasoning that Christ would escape as before and display His power so that he would keep the money and gain advantage either way. God overruled the betrayal by His own disciple to accomplish redemption without lessening its guilt, and it stands as the extreme warning that cherishing selfishness and covetousness sells the Lord for earthly gain.
Setting and Action
Then one of the twelve, Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and rulers to offer to betray Jesus into their hands. He made the offer secretly, moved by greed for gain, and there entered into a contract to hand over his Master for thirty pieces of silver. The Jewish rulers were seeking a secret way to seize Jesus because they feared a tumult among the people. Though Jesus knew Judas’s character, gave him lessons and opportunities to recognize and correct his faults, and knew he was stealing money intended for the poor, Judas would not overcome his covetousness and love of money, but agreed to sell his Lord for a small sum far less than the ointment he had begrudged Mary for giving Jesus.
He went on the second night before the Passover to renew his contract to deliver Jesus into their hands. At the feast in Simon’s house he had opportunity to reflect on the deed he had covenanted to perform, but his purpose was unchanged, and he rose from the table and went to the palace of the high priest where the council was assembled. He planned the betrayal during the supper period, immediately after being reproved, and after he departed to carry out the betrayal Jesus spoke of His coming glorification and gave the command to love one another. For thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave, he sold the Lord of glory to ignominy and death.
The chief priests wanted to take Jesus without provoking the people, who were His friends, and without opposition from the multitude. Judas proposed to lead them to one of Jesus’s quiet resorts for prayer, retirement and meditation, so they could seize Him in the absence of the multitude and without a crowd to resist. In that quiet place they could arrest Him without opposition.
Jesus knew Judas’s hypocrisy and theft from the money intended for the poor, yet did not expose him so as not to give him an excuse for his later betrayal. With prophetic eye He discerned beforehand that this companion, who lived with Him and received lesson upon lesson, would deliver Him into the hands of sinners to be scourged and crucified. Although Jesus knew Judas had sold Him, He still washed his feet. His life had been kept by God’s power until His work was finished and the time for decision had come.
Motives for Betrayal
Judas went to the chief priests because a natural strong love for money fostered into ruling avarice overbalanced his love for Christ. That love of money perverted his nobler nature, enslaved him, and made him a fit agent for Satan to use in the betrayal, for by becoming the slave of one vice he gave himself to Satan to be driven to any lengths in sin. He had not always been wicked and corrupt enough for such a deed, but he fostered the evil spirit until he could sell his Lord for thirty pieces of silver, about three pounds ten shillings, the price of a slave, and betray Him with a kiss, valuing Jesus only enough to sell Him for a few pieces of silver despite having witnessed His teaching, patience, compassion, and power. His course warns that greed can enslave and lead to grievous sin, and that those who claim to follow Christ may use that name to conceal devotion to self and money and sell integrity for worldly gain.
His covetousness was exposed over Mary's costly offering, which he resented as waste and said should have been sold for the poor, though he did not care for them. He had been stealing money intended to help the poor, and his appeal to concern for the poor concealed a selfish desire to possess the ointment for his own use. He sold his Lord for thirty pieces of silver, far less than the ointment he had begrudged Mary for giving Jesus, thus valuing Jesus at the price he received and weighing the Son of God's life against money, joining revenge with greed. That cold, calculating spirit that grudges or withholds gifts for Christ's cause under plausible excuses stands condemned, for true faith is shown by works and by giving to the cause of truth. Jesus knew his hypocrisy and theft yet did not expose him, so as not to give him an excuse for the betrayal.
Stung by Christ's rebuke of his hypocrisy and covetous spirit before others, and annoyed at that implied rebuke, he opened his heart to revenge, envy, and anger against correction instead of repenting. Stung by the knowledge of his sin and provoked to madness because his guilt was known, he rose from the table and went to the palace of the high priest where the council was assembled and planned revenge there, acting like one bereft of reason and imbued with Satan's spirit. He had indulged sin and refused correction, though he had been accepted despite defects of character so that he might learn from teaching and example, recognize error, repent, and with divine help purify his soul by obeying the truth; instead he yielded his mind to evil and turned angry when reproved, as those who cherish sin turn against those who correct them for their good. That same spirit of Judas appears when a checked wrong course that can no longer be continued is answered with retaliation in threatening attitude and abusive letters instead of thorough confession that would bring forgiveness, the opposite of the spirit of Jesus.
He persisted in selfishness, ambition, divided heart, love of worldly praise, superficial religion, and scheming carnal desire for gain, despite efforts to awaken his conscience and lead him to repentance. From a selfish, avaricious spirit that takes all it can get for labor and gathers from any source without regard to justice and without the mercy and love of God, he turned from plain counsel to follow human imagination and desire, firmly setting himself not to be changed by the lessons and example of Christ nor to heed the light coming in every lesson. He hid his wrongdoing, judged others, and refused to confess or surrender, though he had freely joined the disciples and shared their opportunity to learn, and would have been transformed only by willingness to learn; without repentance there is no forgiveness. His choice was like Lot choosing Sodom as home for its wealth, attractions, and loveliness, which did not enrich him but ended with fire consuming all his gains so that he went out empty-handed, and those who continue such a course with years of light will find no excuse to stand the test of judgment. He was a speculator who thought he could manage the finances of the church and so make money, and though he had wonderful advantages through three years with Christ, daily listening to His instruction and witnessing His marvelous works, his love of gain grew stronger and stronger until he sold his Master for thirty pieces of silver and ruined himself; had he been willing to renounce all selfishness the Lord would have used him to advance His kingdom. His sad history teaches that sacrificing principle and integrity for worldly gain, in dishonest business and speculation for selfish gain, is betraying the Lord like Judas, crucifying Christ afresh and putting Him to open shame, for love of money can lead a person to sell the soul for gain.
Satan worked through him in this going to the chief priests, for he yielded to the tempter and gave Satan easy access to his mind when the inspiration of Satan came upon him. He offered to hand Jesus over to His enemies and agreed for a few pieces of silver, planning the betrayal during the supper period, with love of money leading him to deliver his Lord while Satan worked through him. Imbued with Satan's spirit he sold his Lord, showing how even one of the twelve may disappoint Christ by yielding to temptation. So men who stay connected with God's work while rejecting its warnings remain until Satan moves them to sell their Lord and destroy His cause by exposing sacred truth and inner corruption to enemies who have no sense of its importance or sacredness, proving they never respected the sacred work and should have been separated from it long before.
Bargain and Expectations
There he made a contract to hand over his Master, the Lord of life and glory, to ignominy and shame and death for thirty pieces of silver. That sum was about three pounds ten shillings, the price of a slave. It was a paltry, trifling, small sum for such a deed.
He made a sharp, self-serving bargain because he did not believe Christ would permit Himself to be taken. He thought He would escape as before and gain a new opportunity to display divine power in delivering Himself from His enemies, while the priests would be cheated of their bribe and he would secure the money for his own use. He reasoned that if Christ was to be crucified the event had to come to pass, and if He was not to die the betrayal would only force Him to deliver Himself, so that in either case he would gain by his treachery. He expected by this clever bargain to recover the ground he had lost and to be rewarded, while the people lost their money. The other disciples did not suspect his purpose.
When Jesus instead meekly submitted to abuse and suffered Himself to be tried and condemned to death, Judas recognized the full extent of selling his divine Master to shame and death. He remembered the tenderness and kindness of Jesus toward him. He despised the covetousness that had tempted him for a few pieces of silver. He was overcome with hopeless remorse and anguish and could not bear to live to see Him crucified.
Providence and Doctrine
One of his own disciples sold him to his jealous enemies, as Joseph had been sold by his brothers. The chief priests and elders were jealous of him and secretly sought to seize and kill him, fearing he would draw the people from them and become king. His betrayal and killing did not prevent him from becoming Redeemer and ruler over the world. God overruled the actions of his enemies to bring about his purpose through the innocent sufferer, without lessening their guilt.
He had joined Judas to himself and the other disciples throughout his public ministry, though Judas cherished selfishness, giving him the same opportunities, education and training as John, Peter and the rest to improve in character building. The grace of Christ received into the heart would have converted him from selfishness and worked wonderful changes in him. But he was a hearer and not a doer, failing to receive the words, to let Christ mold his character, to correct his course and to recognize the importance of being shaped by Christ's example. He treasured his defects as precious treasure and arose in opposition to the light until they poisoned the whole man in principle, spirit, life and character, and the painstaking lessons and efforts of the divine Teacher were lost upon him. This extreme history stands as a warning to refine, change and overcome defects instead of indulging what feeds appetite and strengthens the passions.
Having his name among the twelve did not make him a Christian, for only doing the Word makes sons and daughters of God. Though chosen as one of the disciples and given power to heal the sick and cure diseases, he was not rejected for being imperfect but failed because he was not converted daily to be an instrument sanctified and polished for the Master's use, staying subject to temptation and leaving old hereditary and natural tendencies for Satan to use to dishonor the Master and imperil his own soul. He lived with Jesus, received lesson upon lesson, line upon line and precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, and shared wonderful advantages during three years of instruction and miracles, daily listening to his teaching and witnessing his marvelous works, yet was not transformed in character. He freely joined the disciples and shared their opportunity to learn, but he would have been transformed and used to advance the kingdom only if he had been willing to learn, to renounce all selfishness, to be molded, and to repent, for a person cannot be forgiven without repentance. His going to the chief priests is the pattern of those who have knowledge of the truth without being sanctified by it, including church members with names on church books, who work out wrong characters, do more harm because of that knowledge, depart from the faith, confederate with apostates, and betray sacred trusts.
Even the best religious culture and the highest advantages have no power to sanctify man or to keep him and nations from degeneracy. The shame and guilt of the selfishness and covetousness by which he sold his Lord for thirty pieces of silver belong to man alone. By uncontrollable fits of passion man gives evidence that he cannot be trusted and would do the same as Judas did.
His going to the chief priests began the act by which he sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. His betrayal is an example of how one deliberate sin can turn a person's gifts and otherwise honorable qualities into enticements to sin. It stands as a warning of the ruin that can follow from one wrong act, and that one wrong act can bring shame and loss, for he sold the Lord of glory for thirty pieces of silver.
He was a covetous member of the church Christ formed on earth, whose covetousness and love of money had grown through indulgence until he agreed to sell his Lord for a small sum, though he was given lessons and opportunities to recognize and correct his faults and chose not to overcome them. His presence did not invalidate the church, just as the presence of unfaithful members in later ages does not mean God has no church. His betrayal does not mean there were no genuine disciples among the twelve, nor is the presence of false followers a reason to refuse to follow Christ. Such failure of one of his own workers is a disappointing result that causes great sorrow and calls for correction of errors, yet the work of the ministry retains its sacred, holy character and is not to be belittled or ignored because of it.
Warnings for Believers
Judas going to the chief priests warns that selfish, covetous people may trade good principles and a generous spirit for earthly gain and be sifted out from God's people. Sacrificing principle and integrity for worldly advantage, speculation for selfish gain, and dishonest business sells the Lord and sacrifices Christ. Deceptive and corrupt dealings sell out the Lord, while the influence of such sin spreads and corrupts others. Those who trade their security in God's kingdom for selfish advantage value that kingdom even less than Judas valued his Lord. His divided heart, love of worldly praise, superficial religion, and selfish desire for gain turned religious profession without a life shaped by Christ into betrayal.
Without reformation by the baptism of the Holy Ghost, love of the world and worldly gain overcomes profession of religion and church membership and leads to betrayal of Christ. Members and workers in institutions will then be lost as surely as Judas was lost, and will sell the Lord as readily when Satan comes with his tempting bribe of worldly advantage. Love of money can lead a person to sell the soul for gain, as the scheming, carnal desire for gain corrupted a disciple who had the same opportunity as the others to learn from Christ.
Betraying a sacred trust for worldly advantage barters things of eternal importance for temporal benefit. Sacrificing honor and integrity through deception and underhanded plans betrays Christ and sacred interests. Pursuing revenge to ward off financial embarrassment, hurting and robbing the cause of God, makes one a traitor and betrayer working under the inspiration and power of Satan. Such a course decides eternal destiny, standing on a precipice that forever separates from God and brethren and severs the last binding link, and it must be halted at once by humbling the heart as a little child before God to receive forgiveness. Words and deeds of betrayal, even under a cloak of righteousness, are grievous sins registered in heaven, and continuing in them ends in selling the Lord as Judas sold Him. Betraying Christ Himself and betraying His cause to His enemies irrespective of consequences brings reproach upon the truth, driven by the same evil power that moved the priests and teachers to taunt Christ on the cross.
To betray Christ is to betray His truth and His cause. That betrayal grows from a spirit cherished for many years and shows itself in a self-willed course, pressing one's own way in controversy and lawsuit. The One with whom the betrayer is in controversy reads every motive and impulse of the heart, and this course endangers shipwreck of faith. Those who stay connected with God's work while rejecting warnings remain until Satan moves them to sell their Lord and destroy His cause by exposing sacred truth and inner corruption to enemies who have no sense of its sacredness. Such an end proves they never respected the sacred work and should have been separated from it long before.
Those who accuse fellow believers serve Satan as Judas did when he betrayed Christ, even when they do so ignorantly. Professed believers who use a brother's faults to harm him and justify themselves do Judas-like work. In harming Christ's people they act against Christ Himself. Satan is pleased to employ professed believers in this accusing work, he is no less active now than in Christ's day, and those who lend themselves to it manifest his spirit.
Those appointed to care for vulnerable people betray them into the enemy's hands when harsh, unchristlike words drive them toward spiritual danger. Striving for higher position acts like Judas and is contrary to the humility and consecration God requires. Those given sacred responsibilities must not trust their own wisdom, rely on supposed sufficiency, or refuse counsel, reproof, and instruction, lest failure to learn end in betraying the Lord. Responding to disappointment and reproof with revenge and bitterness, and sowing bitterness, follows his example and receives the same reward. The spirit of Judas threatens and retaliates with abusive attitude and letters when a wrong course is checked, opposite to thorough confession that would bring the Lord's forgiveness.
Temptation tests whether one will follow inclination or principle, and lack of moral firmness leaves one vulnerable to betraying the Lord as Judas did. Judas represents disloyalty, in contrast to humble, faithful work that builds up the church and seeks souls. Even selling a meetinghouse can feel like selling the Savior whom Judas went to the chief priests to betray.
Sacrificing principle for worldly gain is betraying the Lord like Judas, crucifying Christ afresh and putting Him to open shame. Selling Christ for money remains the example of betraying the Lord and His cause to its enemies. His turning against Jesus took place during Christ's greatest trial. His sad history stands as the lesson, after wonderful opportunities through three years with Christ, daily hearing instruction and witnessing marvelous works, yet as a speculator seeking to manage church finances for gain and unwilling to renounce selfishness.