These days I have been thinking a lot how Jesus felt about Judas betraying him.
Why did Judas betray Jesus?
It it doesn't make sense - just as most evil doesn't make sense.
Why deliberately do something we know is wrong?
Why does anyone ever betray anyone?
It’s hard to understand why betrayal happens.
Judas walked with Jesus on the earth for three-and-a-half years.
He saw the miracles Jesus performed. He heard Jesus teach.
But Judas refused to change.
Judas
saw absolute miracles over and over again, yet it was not enough to
secure Judas’ complete devotion and loyalty to Jesus. He met Jesus, but
stayed the same.
In some ways it seems as though Judas didn’t hear a word Jesus said about the forgiveness of sins or salvation in the three and a half years he walked with Him.
Judas' real problem was that he was only interested in himself, and what
he could gain by following Jesus. Instead of committing his life to
Jesus, he allowed greed and envy to rule his heart and mind.
"Betrayal is an act of selfishness. It chooses something the betrayer wants over respect for and loyalty to another person or a group of people. In a situation that presents a trade-off between something the betrayer wants and hurting another person, the betrayer is willing to trade in that relationship to get what they want. They choose selfish gratification over love."
-Phil Waldrep (Beyond Betrayal)
The only explanation the other disciples ever gave for what Judas did was that“Satan entered
into him”.
As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”
-John 13:27
Jesus knew that Judas would betray him. He told him:
“What you are about to do, do quickly.”
It must have hurt Jesus to know that Judas would betray him. Yet there is no indication that Jesus ever mistreated Judas. There is no clue that Judas was ever left out or neglected.
Jesus knew Judas would betray Him, but He loved Judas anyway.
Judas stands forever as a warning -- a warning of the dangers of
stubborn unbelief. And in the end, Judas lost everything -- even his
life. Some of the most tragic words in the Bible are these: "So Judas
threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged
himself" (Matthew 27:5).
"Jesus
offered Judas hope, mercy and grace, and gave him a chance to make the
right the choice. As long as you have breath, you have hope. Jesus loves
you no matter where your heart is. There is no condemnation or
judgment. Jesus isn’t holding a grudge. Choose right now to surrender
all to Him and allow His grace to change you."
-Jentezen Franklin
♥
