What was going on in his mind? A follower of Jesus for three years – keeper of the treasury – trusted disciple – led by the devil himself to betray the One and only Son of God. How could he? Why would he betray the man he had come to know as brother? Was the lure of thirty pieces of silver so strong that he couldn’t resist – even though He had God’s richest treasure within his midst? I can’t begin to imagine what Judas was thinking just before he entered the Garden of Gethsemane on that night.  How could anyone possibly explain what he was about to do?  In that moment he would walk up to his friend and betray him with a brotherly show of affection.  It was as if the devil crept into his soul and took up residence, but it was still part of the overall plan woven together by the King of Creation.  It had to be this way.

Judas Iscariot is mentioned a few times in God’s Word, but we don’t have a lot of background information. He was likely an educated man. He was put in charge of the money collected or donated as Jesus spread His message.

“But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?^‘  He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.“ John 12:4-7 ESV

This same disciple would be lured in by the leaders of Sanhedrin to turn Jesus over to them for trial. The cost was thirty pieces of silver – the average cost for a slave in Egypt during the time of the Exodus. They paid their blood money to Judas prior to obtaining Jesus’ arrest. Judas sold out his Savior not only because of his greed, but because Satan had already taken up residence in his heart.

After the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas was remorseful, but we don’t hear that he repented of his sin. Instead, he returned the blood money and hung himself. The devil thought he had won, but it was all part of God’s divine plan for the salvation of mankind.

How does all this apply to us? Are we true followers of Christ? Do we give our all for Him? Is He part of our daily walk or just an occasional visitor? Judas had him right beside him for three years, yet greed overtook him, and he caved. We have Jesus with us today. He is available to us 24/7. He has promised to carry our burdens, to relieve our suffering, to prepare a place in heaven for us. All we need do, is believe in Him and share His blessings with others. Let us ever walk with Jesus.