Every time I read Luke 22, I become very judgmental. I join in the tagging and calling him names. Many of us know him as the betrayer, and that is all that comes to mind when we hear the name, Judas Iscariot.

Here is a little back story. Judas was one of the twelve disciples, and in fact, the closest to Jesus. He was very observant, so when Judas realized that the teachers and chief priests were looking for a way to capture Jesus, and kill him, He availed himself. He met with them and assured them of his help.

The Bible tells us that, satan entered Judas - a portion I consistently overlook, as I continue on with my judgement. I wouldn’t have done what Judas did, I think to myself.

After satan enters Judas, Judas goes away with the chief priests and discusses how he would hand Jesus over to them. They pay him 30 pieces of silver, which he accepts, and starts looking for opportunities to give Jesus to his persecutors.

As he is planning, he realizes that it would be best to hand over Jesus when there is no crowd to fight back - a time when Jesus would be more ‘vulnerable.' I think about how much calculation was involved in this arduous task. But Judas was the man, and he was going to get the job done.

He had so many opportunities to change His mind, and reveal to the others and Jesus what he was planning, but he was determined, and nothing could stop him. Judas was close to Jesus, he was a disciple, ate, slept and walked with Jesus, yet Satan was able to enter him. How could Satan enter someone who was in such close proximity to God?

Soon after Judas had been contracted to sell-out Jesus, the disciples had the Passover meal where Jesus brought up this impending betrayal. In that moment, Judas could have spoken up, but together with the rest of the group he argued that Jesus was going crazy and didn’t know what He was talking about.

Jesus knew the battle He was getting into, and He did only what He knew would see Him through; He prayed. He went with the disciples and asked them to pray that they may not fall into temptation because, He knew what was coming. While Jesus prayed and prayed until his sweat turned into drops of blood, the disciples were sleeping.

Judas was supposed to be with them, but we find that, he was leading a mob towards Jesus by the time they had finished praying. 

When did he leave? How did no one notice that Judas was gone?

Judas kissed Jesus to show the mob their target, finally handing Jesus over to them as he had been paid to do. Was the money worth the look on the faces of Jesus and the other disciples after it was all said and done?

Read Luke 22 for yourself , and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you. 

I’ll share my conversation with the Holy Spirit on this with you in the next post.

Love, 

Alice