Alright friends, settled in with my coffee this morning ready to dig into something that’s always bugged me: Judas. Everyone knows the name, the “traitor,” but I wanted to understand the guy beyond just that label. Needed to see the steps that led there. No fancy research, just me, my worn Bible, and maybe a couple quick online looks.
Just Starting With the Basics
First thing I did was flip through the Gospels to find where Judas shows up. Had to remind myself he was one of the twelve handpicked disciples, right there alongside Peter, James, John… the crew Jesus trusted most. Mark, Matthew, Luke, John – all mention him, usually listed last and tagged with “who betrayed him.” Feels deliberate, that placement.
Then I looked for clues about who he actually was. Found he was from Kerioth (hence “Iscariot,” probably). Different background than the Galilean fishermen, a southerner. Maybe felt like an outsider? John calls him a thief, saying he stole from the group money bag he managed. Small details, but they start painting a picture.
Zeroing In On the Key Moment
Next, I focused hard on the betrayal night itself. Matthew tells it clearly: Judas went straight to the chief priests. The question why did he do it? Matthew says he asked, “What are you willing to give me?” Got thirty silver coins. Bargained the price! Later, at the Last Supper, Jesus tells them one will betray him, and Judas straight-up asks, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” even after accepting the payment. The sheer audacity, the deception right at the table… it chills me.
- Signal at Gethsemane: He arrives with the soldiers, identifies Jesus with a kiss. “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kisses him. Such intimacy twisted into betrayal.
- Regret & Tragedy: Matthew also shows Judas later throwing the coins back, confessing he “betrayed innocent blood,” then despairing and taking his own life. Acts confirms his grim end. This part hits hard – the finality, the irreversible despair.
Trying to Grasp the “Why?”
This is where I really wrestled. John suggests Satan “entered into” Judas after the supper. Heavy stuff. But what opened the door? Disillusionment if Jesus wasn’t overthrowing Rome like Judas might have hoped? Greed over the money? Jealousy of the other disciples? The Gospels don’t give a single clear answer, which kinda makes him more tragically human, honestly.
I found myself feeling a complex mix – disgust at his actions, but also this profound sadness for a man chosen by Jesus, who saw miracles firsthand, yet fell so catastrophically. It wasn’t impulsive; it involved meetings, planning, deliberate choices. Steps leading him to that garden and that kiss.
Reading Luke 22:3-6 and Matthew 26:14-16, 47-50, 27:3-5 – going over the cold transaction of betrayal – makes it real. It’s not a legend; it feels like a devastatingly personal tragedy involving flawed people. My takeaway? Makes me think hard about loyalty, expectations, and the choices we make when things don’t go how we planned. The Judas story… it’s not just history; it’s a raw human failure story.
