God will give ear and humble them, He Who is enthroned from of old, because they do not change and do not fear God.
My companion stretched out his hand against his friends. He violated covenant. His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords. (vs. 19-21)
Betrayed with a kiss. The man spent three years with Jesus. Was entrusted with the money for the ministry. His breath must have been taken away when the blind man saw "men as trees walking" then, touched a second time, "saw all men clearly." How could he not have marveled at the sight of a dead child rising from the funeral bier to the keening joy of his widowed mother? Did he notice how fine the wine was at Cana? Demons cried out as they loosed the enslaved. Did Judas not marvel at the moment? In Bethany, Lazarus lay dead for four days. Already his body was decaying. Stank. The sisters are in mourning for their brother and for the lost hope in Jesus Who could've healed Lazarus. With a "Come forth!" their brother rises from his death, still wrapped awkwardly in his grave clothes, and walks out of his tomb! Judas saw this!
Six days before Judas would betray Jesus, they were all in Bethany again. Where Lazarus was raised. Mary and Martha made dinner for the group. Lazarus was sitting near Jesus when Mary took an expensive alabaster jar of imported perfume and broke it open. Half a liter of this fragrant nard filled the room with its sweetness. Worth three hundred denarii, the perfume was the equivalent of a year's work for the common laborer. Mary poured the liquid on the head and feet of Jesus. Extravagant. Like her thankfulness. How many day's wages was the restoration of her brother back to life worth? Then she does another unthinkable thing. Mary undoes her hair. Its ebony strands reaching to the floor as she kneels at the feet of Jesus. Tears of gratitude mingle with the nard as Mary wraps her tresses around the soles of His feet, sopping up the oily residue of her anointing.
"Hmmm." Judas seething. "Why was this ointment not sold and given to the poor?" Or put into the ministry purse instead of being wasted on Jesus. His heart not seeing what the others saw. In fact, he was accustomed to taking what he wanted from the ministry and buying stuff for himself. An uncanny lack of understanding of the events taking place around him.
Tired of it all. The sham. Jesus wasn't the Messiah. He was an itinerant preacher with no real place to lay His head. Judas thought this phenomenon would make him rich. Jesus would establish rule and Judas would be Treasurer in Chief. Instead, just more of the simple dinners and dusty road trips. The Pharisees were offering money - thirty silver pieces. Looked like a better deal. A few kind words. A kiss on the cheek. Done!
How could Judas have spent so much time with Jesus and had this in his heart all along? Even better question: How could Jesus have known what was in the heart of this disciple and allowed him the privilege of experiencing God with us up close? Could Jesus have said that one thing that would've turned Judas around? Is there anything Jesus could have done to change the mind and heart of the one who betrayed Him with a kiss?
Judas had a heart problem. He used a different lens to view the miraculous events that were a part of his daily life with Christ. If Judas was dipping into the funds all along, he couldn't have had any understanding of who Christ was. Stealing from God? Missing the point. Doing always what was best for old Judas. The touch of Christ on his arm, the voice of Jesus in his ear, the compassion of the Savior toward his needs left Judas unchanged. What then is left? What can then be done? Though Judas played the game up to the end, saying all the right things, feigning loyalty, his hypocrisy finally drove him to betrayal.
"Greetings, Rabbi!" Jesus looked up to see Judas coming with a big crowd of the elders and chief priests carrying swords and clubs. Words of a friend sealed with a kiss. Jesus surrounded and dragged off to court. Words softer than oil were drawn swords.
Of course, three days later, Jesus was alive again and Judas dead by suicide, his blood and guts spilled on a field rendered useless thereafter. Not the way Jesus would've had it. Judas had every opportunity to believe and understand. Persisted instead in his own folly. Judging Jesus by his own set of standards. Not fearing God to the point he could actually betray His Son. But when you are dealing with the Sovereign Lord of All, Who can shake the earth and blacken the sky at His outrage over the death of His Only Son, it is quite a dangerous thing to thumb your nose at Him. Our God is just as jealous over us. We who are joint heirs with Christ. For he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2).
Jesus didn't exact retribution from Judas. But God did. The Ancient of Days Who judges then, now and for eternity will also judge for us. His love and watchcare will not allow forever the treachery of false covenant. We will probably not be able to come up with that perfect thing to say that will change the minds of those who are set against us. To change their minds or perspective. If they are also set against God. Vindication is His. We must never forget He sees. And rescues. Let Him.
There is none like God...Who rides through the heavens to help, through the skies in majesty. The Eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 33
My companion stretched out his hand against his friends. He violated covenant. His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords. (vs. 19-21)
Betrayed with a kiss. The man spent three years with Jesus. Was entrusted with the money for the ministry. His breath must have been taken away when the blind man saw "men as trees walking" then, touched a second time, "saw all men clearly." How could he not have marveled at the sight of a dead child rising from the funeral bier to the keening joy of his widowed mother? Did he notice how fine the wine was at Cana? Demons cried out as they loosed the enslaved. Did Judas not marvel at the moment? In Bethany, Lazarus lay dead for four days. Already his body was decaying. Stank. The sisters are in mourning for their brother and for the lost hope in Jesus Who could've healed Lazarus. With a "Come forth!" their brother rises from his death, still wrapped awkwardly in his grave clothes, and walks out of his tomb! Judas saw this!
Six days before Judas would betray Jesus, they were all in Bethany again. Where Lazarus was raised. Mary and Martha made dinner for the group. Lazarus was sitting near Jesus when Mary took an expensive alabaster jar of imported perfume and broke it open. Half a liter of this fragrant nard filled the room with its sweetness. Worth three hundred denarii, the perfume was the equivalent of a year's work for the common laborer. Mary poured the liquid on the head and feet of Jesus. Extravagant. Like her thankfulness. How many day's wages was the restoration of her brother back to life worth? Then she does another unthinkable thing. Mary undoes her hair. Its ebony strands reaching to the floor as she kneels at the feet of Jesus. Tears of gratitude mingle with the nard as Mary wraps her tresses around the soles of His feet, sopping up the oily residue of her anointing.
"Hmmm." Judas seething. "Why was this ointment not sold and given to the poor?" Or put into the ministry purse instead of being wasted on Jesus. His heart not seeing what the others saw. In fact, he was accustomed to taking what he wanted from the ministry and buying stuff for himself. An uncanny lack of understanding of the events taking place around him.
Tired of it all. The sham. Jesus wasn't the Messiah. He was an itinerant preacher with no real place to lay His head. Judas thought this phenomenon would make him rich. Jesus would establish rule and Judas would be Treasurer in Chief. Instead, just more of the simple dinners and dusty road trips. The Pharisees were offering money - thirty silver pieces. Looked like a better deal. A few kind words. A kiss on the cheek. Done!
How could Judas have spent so much time with Jesus and had this in his heart all along? Even better question: How could Jesus have known what was in the heart of this disciple and allowed him the privilege of experiencing God with us up close? Could Jesus have said that one thing that would've turned Judas around? Is there anything Jesus could have done to change the mind and heart of the one who betrayed Him with a kiss?
Judas had a heart problem. He used a different lens to view the miraculous events that were a part of his daily life with Christ. If Judas was dipping into the funds all along, he couldn't have had any understanding of who Christ was. Stealing from God? Missing the point. Doing always what was best for old Judas. The touch of Christ on his arm, the voice of Jesus in his ear, the compassion of the Savior toward his needs left Judas unchanged. What then is left? What can then be done? Though Judas played the game up to the end, saying all the right things, feigning loyalty, his hypocrisy finally drove him to betrayal.
"Greetings, Rabbi!" Jesus looked up to see Judas coming with a big crowd of the elders and chief priests carrying swords and clubs. Words of a friend sealed with a kiss. Jesus surrounded and dragged off to court. Words softer than oil were drawn swords.
Of course, three days later, Jesus was alive again and Judas dead by suicide, his blood and guts spilled on a field rendered useless thereafter. Not the way Jesus would've had it. Judas had every opportunity to believe and understand. Persisted instead in his own folly. Judging Jesus by his own set of standards. Not fearing God to the point he could actually betray His Son. But when you are dealing with the Sovereign Lord of All, Who can shake the earth and blacken the sky at His outrage over the death of His Only Son, it is quite a dangerous thing to thumb your nose at Him. Our God is just as jealous over us. We who are joint heirs with Christ. For he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2).
Jesus didn't exact retribution from Judas. But God did. The Ancient of Days Who judges then, now and for eternity will also judge for us. His love and watchcare will not allow forever the treachery of false covenant. We will probably not be able to come up with that perfect thing to say that will change the minds of those who are set against us. To change their minds or perspective. If they are also set against God. Vindication is His. We must never forget He sees. And rescues. Let Him.
There is none like God...Who rides through the heavens to help, through the skies in majesty. The Eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 33
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