Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus Matthew 26:2-5; 14-16

2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”

3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the courtyard of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4 and they conspired to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. 5 But they said, “Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

14 Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What will you give me if I betray him to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.

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How could one of Jesus’s closest friends betray him? He had traveled with him, followed in his footsteps, sat under his teachings, stayed up late talking in the night. How could he turn his back on him like this?

It wasn’t one choice that Judas made, it was a series of bad decisions: Conferring with the chief priests; agreeing to their terms; working to seek the opportunity and moment to betray Jesus. 

While it’s easy to vilify Judas, we know that Judas isn’t responsible for Christ’s death. The cross was the result of sin: yours, mine, and ours. Still, Judas’ shocking betrayal reminds us to consider our own motives and where our loyalties lie.

When I think of my years as both camper and faculty at Pinecrest, every time I left camp, my faith was renewed and my deep desire to be a part of those “loyal sons and daughters [sic], living the Christian way” was strengthened to serve Christ and the Church for the long year between camp sessions.

Perhaps what I am most grateful for today is that I know, in Jesus Christ, that God never betrays us. While we have times in our lives when we fall short of our own hopes and dreams; God never loses their passionate desire to love us into being our very best selves, God always wills life – abundant life – for us and for this world God still so loves.

After all, Jesus fed Judas at that last supper and sets a place at that same table for each of us – week after week.

Who do you know that is dealing with the burden of betrayal or bad choices? How can we embody the love of Christ in ways that bless and reconcile?

Let us pray: For the gift of love that never lets us down, we give you thanks, O God; help us to live into the love of Christ with our words and our deeds. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Bill Gohl

Bishop of the Delaware-Maryland Synod and Member of St. Mark’s (Baltimore, MD)

Camper – ‘89, ‘90 & ‘91; Faculty – 6 times between 2000 and 2015