Psalms 41:9; 55:12-14
Jesus experienced feelings of pity and concern for Judas when He first saw him. As ambitious Judas pressed his way into the presence of Jesus, instantly He knew this was the man who would one day betray Him. Jesus read him like an open book. To outward appearances this stately looking person had all the qualifications for political success in the coming kingdom. But Jesus in the book of Psalms read about his true heart sentiments.
Judas became a leader and the treasurer of the little band of Christ’s disciples. Contrary to appearances, Judas was merciless. The poor were not helped by him, except to further his own interests. He despised the very people Christ blessed—the broken in heart and the heavy laden.
The canker of covetousness was detected by Christ from the first. “Foxes have holes and birds have nests,” Jesus said, “but the Son of man has nowhere to lay His head.” From the psalms Jesus learned the character of His betrayer. He knew he would be a close ally, an associate.
Psalm 109, especially verses 6-20, outlines the character and consequential destiny, not only of Judas but also of his posterity. Verse 8 was quoted by Peter to the believers when Matthias was chosen to take Judas’ place among the eleven apostles. “Let another take his office” (Acts 1:20). Three times the psalms concerning Judas are referred to in Acts 1. Along with Psalm 109:8, Psalm 69:25 is also quoted: “Let his habitation be desolate, and let no one live in it.”
Peter said earlier:
“Men and brethren, this Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus: for he was numbered with us and obtained a part in this ministry” (Acts 1:16,17).
This was in reference to Psalm 41:9 that prophesied of Judas’ treatment of Jesus. “Even My own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate My bread, has lifted his heal against Me.” Remember, this betrayal was not by an enemy, not by a stranger, but by a close friend. Hardest to bear is the reproach and betrayal of a friend! The thought is captured in Psalm 55:12-14:
“For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; then I could bear it. Nor is it one who hates me who has magnified himself against me; then I could hide from him. But it was you, a man my equal, my companion and my acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked to the house of God in the throng.”
When Judas led the multitude of rabble to the place of prayer in the garden of Gethsemane, and there betrayed Jesus to them by that infamous kiss, Jesus asked “Friend, why have you come?” (Matthew 26:50). That question was unanswered, but you can be sure it never left Judas’ mind until he died.
In return for Christ’s unconditional love, Judas became His accuser. The destiny of Judas written in advance is found in Psalm 109: 6-15, the judgment of Judas and his descendants is there depicted. He opposed the mercy and grace of God as manifested in the life and actions of Jesus. The children of Judas, following his example, likewise opposed the grace of God that brings salvation to every person (Titus 2:11). The Psalmist predicted the misery and the destruction of Judas, the ringleader motivated by malice and revenge. No one, not even Jesus, escaped the malevolence of this deceptive “son of perdition.”
It was Satan who influenced Judas against the Savior. Satan stood “at his right hand,” suggesting to that keen mind of Judas thoughts which the fallen angel himself harbored ever since the days of his rebellion in heaven. Satan worked out through Judas his own feelings of revenge against Christ.
Like Judas, Lucifer at one time was drawn to the Son of God. Like Judas, he nursed feelings against Christ. Like Judas, he deceived some of Christ’s closest friends. And like Judas on earth, Lucifer accused and betrayed Christ when they were friends together in heaven.
And in Christ’s treatment of Judas we can understand how He dealt with Lucifer in heaven. On the evening of the last supper (for Judas as well as Christ) Jesus knelt before Judas to wash his feet. The Spirit of God in union with Jesus impressed powerfully the heart of Judas, drawing him to repent and return to God. Jesus there revealed to Judas and to the observing universe, the principle of leadership He employed in heaven, which is service. Christ, Master of all, is Servant of all. Judas and Lucifer before him perceived and understood the lesson. Both rejected this aspect of the character of God. Both accused Christ of rulership that was unacceptable to themselves. To cover themselves they accused Christ of their own selfishness. An accuser usually denounces another of the very thing which he desires and of which he is guilty.
By specific actions, Lucifer in heaven and Judas on earth disqualified themselves for companionship with Christ or with heaven. Each case was one of apostasy rather than of hypocrisy. Even so, Christ loved them. In the context of Lucifer’s defection in heaven, Ezekiel wrote of Christ’s lamentation for him in Ezekiel 28:12-19.
Read it from God’s point of reference—with a broken heart. A lamentation is a deep grief, mourning and sorrow, as one hurts when a loved one dies. When Lucifer left Him, God wept. So it was with Jesus and Judas. Judas, His friend, sent arrows of agony into the heart of Christ as He reached out to him with agape love that was resisted and beaten back time after time. He would not let Christ save him.
Jesus did not refuse to ordain Judas to the gospel ministry, nor refuse him the power to work miracles, to cast out demons, and to heal the sick. Neither did He refuse the traitor’s kiss of betrayal.
Judas’ love of money and of the world overbalanced his love for Jesus. From time to time he responded partially to Christ’s constraining love. But he would not fully surrender to its sovereignty. Avarice finally became the ruling motive in his life.
Judas opened his heart to unbelief. “The god of this world” blinded his mind “lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ … should shine on” him (2 Corinthians 4:4, 5). Blindness came, not because he had no chance to believe, but rather because he closed his eyes to believing. Then he went blind, spiritually.
The turning point for Judas came about one year before he betrayed Jesus. At that time he probably did not know to what extent he would go. Jesus declared to His disciples then that one of them was governed by the devil. He said “one of you is a devil,” referring to the spiritually- blind Judas (John 6:70,71). This was a day or two after Jesus fed the multitude by the miracle of the fishes and the loaves.
In the synagogue at Capernaum Jesus preached His discourse about the “bread from heaven,” a message of righteousness by faith. That message caused a terrible shaking among those who followed Him. Those who followed from fear or because of the hope of reward were shaken out, or at least they positioned themselves in such a manner that they could leave at a moment’s notice, as Judas did.
Multitudes left Jesus. As He looked around He saw only His twelve bewildered and shaken ministers. He asked them, “Do you also want to go away?” to which Peter replied, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:66-68). Eleven of his ministers came through the terrible ordeal. One did not. Judas rejected the spiritual food Christ gave. He refused Christ’s gift of righteousness. He spurned and rejected it. Like Esau centuries earlier, he sold his spiritual birthright for a mess of temporal pottage.
From that time until he betrayed Christ, Judas brought confusion into the ranks of Christ’s ministers. Jesus never openly rebuked Judas until the night when Judas got angry as Mary washed Christ’s feet with precious and very costly ointment. Judas criticized Mary for wasting money (that he coveted). But Jesus told him straight, “Let her alone.” Immediately after this, Judas, smarting from Christ’s only rebuke to him, went to the priests to negotiate for money in return for his betrayal of Christ (John 12:3-8; Mark 14:6-11).
But later when Jesus was on trial, the conscience smitten Judas confessed his sin and asked for the release of Jesus. But it was too late. The priests who caballed with him in private now spurned him in public (see Matthew 27:3-5). But his friend, Jesus, whom he betrayed, pitied him and did not reproach him.
If Judas had searched the psalms to learn about Jesus and His mission, he would have learned of his own weaknesses, and he could have been strengthened and healed. Instead of centuries of abhorrence that have followed him, he might be remembered along with the other eleven leaders as a teacher of righteousness. Even so, and in spite of what he did to Him, Jesus loved him to the end. Amazing love! Amazing grace!