Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. The thirty pieces of silver represented love for money, hidden envy, unfaithfulness, anxiety, greed, bad exposure, poor mentorship and upbringing, seared conscience, want of money, selfishness, etc. Contrary to our claim that only Judas betrayed Jesus, we always do likewise in different ways whenever we ignore Jesus’ warning about betrayal.
Judas demanded from the Pharisees in Matthew 26: 15, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on, Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him (Jesus) over. See also, Mark 14: 11. Judas placed a price on Jesus’ life just as we place our respective values on Jesus’ words when we disobey him in various forms of betrayal.
The problem is not only the love for money but placing our wants above God’s will. Judas placed his personal interest above everything in the world including the words of Christ Jesus. Our souls in Christ Jesus are worth more than what motivates us to betray Jesus. Jesus said in Matthew 16: 26; Mark 8: 36; Luke 9: 25, what good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? Shifting focus from thirty pieces of silver is worth considering.
Effect of thirty pieces of silver
Jesus never disqualified money or wealth as bad or evil but compromising righteousness because of money. Having money or wealth by God’s way pleases Christ Jesus, but not at the peril of someone’s life however remote it may appear. Judas did not directly kill Jesus but his contract arrangement did. Yet Judas did not live long enough to enjoy the proceeds of betrayal but regret, shame, neglect and death.
Scripture says in Matthew 27: 3, when Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the Chief priests and the elders. Matthew 27: 5 says, so, Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. The Pharisees and Sadducees did not tolerate Judas after he betrayed Jesus because they did not trust him either as a faithful ally for he could also betray them in the future.
Why did Jesus caution Judas?
Some betrayals may be too late to correct. Jesus said in Matthew 26: 24, the Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born. Jesus was referring to eternal death as a consequence of betrayal in any form and not only to Judas. Do we price Jesus’ blood on the cross for a disheartening worthless thirty pieces of silver?
Judas told Jesus he was not the one to betray him. However, he committed suicide for that betrayal, and for helping an unworthy course of the Chief priests and their elders. Proverbs 19: 22 says, what a person desires is unfailing love; better to be poor than a liar. What Judas needed was to be content with the love of Christ Jesus so he would escape eternal death. Proverbs 22: 1 says, a good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. Good names do not arise from betraying Jesus.
The bait of love for money
Money cannot redeem the soul as it appears to the world today. Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 5: 10, whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. Judas, like all of us, never has enough nor are we ever satisfied with money. Isaiah 52: 3 says, for this is what the Lord says, “You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed.” Only the blood of Jesus can redeem us with eternal peace, not money or anything.
Scripture says in 1Timothy 6: 9-10, those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Many people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. Such was the fate of Judas and many of us. All kinds of evil have befallen us because of our insatiable love for money against Jesus? Rather, let’s wonder about money and betrayal.
Betrayal of the truth
The love for money betrays the truth of God. Matthew 28: 12-15 say, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep… so the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. Many will do anything for money when it comes to keeping their positions or daily bread irrespective of what Jesus says.
The disciples advocated for a cheaper oil from the woman who visited Jesus with the alabaster jar of pure nard perhaps so they would keep the rest in their treasury when they said in Mark 14: 5, it could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor. And they rebuked her harshly. Rather than betraying Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, the woman betrayed money to preserve Jesus. How often do we castigate those who betray money for Jesus rather than Jesus for money?
How we have sold out Christ Jesus
Ananias and Saphirra died because they betrayed the truth for money in Acts 5: 3-10. Peter said, “You have not lied to human beings but to God.” Peter rejected money as a bait from demonic spirits to betray the Holy Spirit in Acts 16: 16. Paul wrote in 1Timothy 3: 3, don’t be a lover of money. We must be lovers of Christ Jesus, not money. How much have each of us sold Christ Jesus for and why?
Hebrews 13: 5 says, keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” Why have we betrayed Jesus when he has not betrayed us and not left us? We need not betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver which in the end will cost our lives. Let’s betray the thirty pieces of silver for Christ Jesus for eternal life.
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, by your Holy Spirit, quench our desires for anything by which we may betray you. Let our faithfulness to you be pure and true. Let us be content with your love for us knowing you are always with us. Forgive us for devaluing and despising your blood on the cross. Be and remain our most priced treasure to our souls. Hear us in your holy name, Amen!!
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