Why did Judas betray Jesus?

This unhappy man is seen now as acting in contrasting greed and avarice. He had been stealing from the common fund of the disciples (Jn.12:6), and now sees three hundred denanii slip through his fingers. His intuition is keen enough also to discern that popular opinion, influenced by chief priests and scribes) is turning against the Lord: the cause appears to be lost In callous unbelief he decides to sell out cheap. Little does he consider that in selling the Lord for money he is selling his own soul to Satan. Chief priests, who ought to have had honest concern for the spiritual help of souls, were instead glad to welcome a man who would betray his friend for money, and they strike this unholy bargain with him. How cold and hard have become the consciences of spiritual leaders in Israel! Blinded willingly by Satanic power, their hatred toward the blessed Lord of glory impels them on toward the pit of their own destruction. Judas watches for a time that he might betray his Master, but it is God who has set the time. How good that He is above all circumstances!

A little leaven leavens the whole lump. John tells us that Judas found fault with Mary's act. Mark says that there were "some," and Matthew that the Lord's "disciples" had indignation, saying, "To what purpose is this waste?" John discovers the root of the defection in the covetous heart of Judas; and it would seem that his affected piety and concern for the poor influenced all the disciples. What a contrast! The odour of Mary's ointment filled the house; the evil thought of Judas spread its malign influence over the hearts of all the disciples! We are thus on the one hand encouraged, and on the other, admonished. The wickedness, however, of Judas only brought out the expression of the Lord's appreciation of what Mary had done. To gain his own ends, or rather disappointed because he could not, he speciously assumed the mask of a philanthropist, and would have it believed that the benefit of the poor should occupy the first place in the hearts of the Lord's disciples. It was simple hypocrisy, as John tells us, "Not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein." What a solemn warning! An evil tendency nursed may so develop as to overmaster us entirely, and lead to the commission of the most appalling sins, as in the case of this man. Covetousness, the love of money which is the root of all evil, led Judas on from step to step, blinding his soul, until he consummated his frightful iniquity in betraying his Lord for thirty pieces of silver. By transgression he fell, that he might go to his own place.

John 12:4-6. Alas! amidst the fragrance of love there lurks the guile of the traitor. Jesus is the Light, and in His presence all are manifested in their true colours. That which was the expression of the love of a devoted saint becomes the occasion of exposing the lust of a heartless sinner. While Mary is delighted to expend that which is "very costly" on the One Who is of infinite worth, Judas is coolly calculating the price of the ointment — three hundred pence was the yearly wage of a working man, a sum which would provide for the necessities of a poor man's household for a year — regretting only that, under the profession of giving to the poor, he has not been able to add this sum to his unlawful gains. This man, who cares neither for Jesus nor the poor, is governed by the love of money to obtain which he is ready to steal from the bag and betray Christ.

"Now the feast of unleavened [bread] which [is] called passover was drawing nigh,528 and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might kill him, for they were afraid of the people. And Satan entered into Judas who is called Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve; and he went away and spoke with the chief priests and captains529 as to how he should deliver him up to them. And they rejoiced and engaged to give him money; and he agreed fully,530 and was seeking an opportunity to deliver him up to them away from [the] crowd." When the will is thus engaged on the one side and on the other nearness to the Lord was enjoyed without self-judgment, nay, in conscious hypocrisy and the habitual yielding to covetousness; Satan readily found means to effect his own designs, as a liar and murderer, against the Son of God. Yet how reassuring it is to observe that both man and the devil were powerless till the due moment came for the execution of God's purposes, which their malice even then only subserved, unconsciously and in a way which they counted most sure to hinder and nullify them. But He catches the wise in their own craftiness. "Called": so ℵBDLX, 69, Memph. Arm. "Surnamed" is found in ACPR, etc., Syrsin.

It may be well here to note that the English Version misleads if it be inferred from verse 3 that it was at this time Satan entered into Judas; for we know from John 13:27 that it was only after the sop, the latter Gospel also distinguishing this full action of the enemy from the earlier occasion when he had put it into the betrayer's heart. The truth is that Luke has no expression of time here, using only a particle of transition, and therefore contents himself with the broad fact without entering into the detail of its successive stages, which found their fitting place with him whose task of love was to linger on the person of the Lord.

Sitting in council, but evidently having elaborated no settled plan for the accomplishment of their purpose, from a most unexpected quarter assistance was proffered. Judas appeared before them, and offered himself for the unholy work. Surprised doubtless, but delighted at that, in their eyes, most opportune intervention, the bargain was soon struck, and for the paltry reward of thirty pieces of silver the wretched man was to seek an opportunity to betray his Master in the absence of the multitude. No one had attempted his seduction. No one, that we read of, had even approached him to sound him on the subject. Voluntarily he offered himself, for Satan had entered into him (Luke 22:3). The love of money was strong within him. "He was a thief," writes John (12:6), "and having the bag, bare [i.e., purloined] what was put therein." But covetous though he was, no reward had been offered for the Lord's apprehension to tempt his cupidity. He offered himself, smarting evidently under that justly deserved rebuke administered publicly four days previous at Bethany. He asked, as Matthew (26:15) states, "What will ye give me?" That question showed that none had tempted him by a pecuniary consideration.

(Vv. 10, 11). The "good work" of Mary is immediately followed by the evil work of Judas. Urged on by the enmity of the devil without, and the covetousness of the flesh within, Judas, without conscience toward God, went to the chief priests to betray the Lord into their hands. They, equally without conscience or fear of God, promised to give him money. To gain the bribe, Judas pursues his evil work of seeking to betray the Lord at a moment convenient to the chief priests.

With Judas, the motive was plain, his heart was held by the lust for money, and even the amount he received had been long since written on the prophetic page (Zech. 11:12). Even Pilate knew the motive of the leaders of Israel: it was envy (Matt. 27:18); and the Lord had but lately spoken the parable that exposed their hearts, when He spoke of the wicked husbandmen who said of God’s Son, “This is the heir; come let us kill Him, and let us seize on His inheritance” (Matt. 21:38).

Immediately after this, away goes Judas, saying to himself, "I have lost that money; I must make it up." The love of money was his ruin, and he sold his soul for gold. The thought entered the wretched man's mind clearly at this moment to sell his Master, so that he might recoup himself for the money just lost. Having made up his mind, what did he do? Evidently he walked straight into the midst of the priestly conclave gathered together at that time. Verse 3 records the conclave; verses 6 to 13 relate Mary's love; and verse 14 shows Judas visiting the priests, and making his bargain. They were considering how they could get hold of Jesus, and Judas at the moment was considering how much money he could make by giving Him up.

Is Judas' brother in this meeting tonight? Is the man whose only desire is to make money here tonight? Ah! man, God gives you a warning tonight. God has told this story of Judas to warn money-lovers. Well, Judas, the traitor, enters the company of the bloodthirsty religionists of the day. Truly was it a hellish conclave! He is a bargaining sort of a man, and he says, "What will ye give me, and I will deliver him to you?" They were delighted to see him. What will you give me? How much do you think He is worth? What will you give for my Master, the Son of God? What will you give for Him? Such was the haggling that heaven heard. And the reply? "Thirty pieces of silver!" Why, the meanest and most miserable slave in the slave-market would have brought more money. That is why it says so ironically in Scripture, "A goodly price that I was prized at of them" (Zech. 11:13). Think of it! Thirty pieces of silver! And yet for those paltry thirty pieces of silver will that poor man — now filled with the devil — really sell the Son of God, his Master, to the priests, and his own soul to the devil at the same moment.

We can discern three steps in his fall. First there was the unjudged covetousness which led him to become even a thief (John 12:6). Then came the action of Satan, putting it into his mind to recoup himself in part (John 13:2), since the three hundred pence which the ointment represented had not come into his hands; and he finally settled for ten per cent of this sum. Lastly Satan entered into him. The master spirit of evil took personal control, that there might be no slip in the arrangements that should encompass the Lord's death.

The Lord accepted the situation and bade him act quickly. It seems that even Satan could not freely move in the matter without Divine permission; but that granted, under the imperative control of Satan, Judas rose and left. He went out into the night, in more senses than one.

Men love something. Trace the course of Judas: what was it that led him astray? He loved money, not so uncommon an evil. In this he was the world's prudent man - "men will praise thee when thou doest well to thyself." But observe the progress of corrupt nature; a little circumstance in John 12:3, 6, may help us to see the connection. The lust there, Satan suggests a way to gratify it. Well, he goes on, and what is his next step? Satan puts it into his heart to betray his Master. Judas (it may be, thinking that the blessed One would have been delivered in some way, as at other times, and thus he get his money, and yet save his character) consents. Man will excuse himself by any folly. Sin has its progress with a defiled conscience. Hypocrisy now enters; he sits with Jesus at the table (goes on with religiousness), even after he had sold Him. Mark, too, it was "after the sop" that Satan entered, never nearer to Christ in form. Now he is hardened against even the relentings of nature, goes out and betrays the Son of man with a kiss. Here then is the progress of corrupt nature towards this fearful consummation - firstly, lust; secondly, a means of gratifying it in his office of bearer of the bag; all this goes on along with religiousness, in the very company of Christ, from day to day; thirdly, he is led to the ultimate character of his crime, at a time and in circumstances of most blessing to a true disciple; fourthly, the heart is hardened, so that the betrayal takes place even with a kiss, the token of affection. Sinning and religiousness go on together. Again we say, and here we have an illustration of it, that where the power of godliness is not, nearness to godly things is only the more dangerous.