by David Chadwick
God has written the greatest story ever told. Jesus Christ is the ultimate hero and Satan is the ultimate villain in God’s story. Within the Bible, there are countless other heroes, big and small, who help advance God’s mission in the earth. There are also villains.
Judas is today’s bad guy. With a significant role in the crucifixion of Jesus, he is a well-known villain in God’s story.
One of the original 12 disciples, chosen by Jesus, Judas could have been from the Judean city of Kerioth near Jerusalem. “Ish” means “son” in Hebrew. It could very well be that he was a “son” from the city of Kerioth. If so, that would mean that he was the only disciple who was not from Galilee. Perhaps he felt like an outsider from the beginning.
Judas oversaw the money bag. But we know from John’s witness in John 12:6 that he also had a greedy love of money. John refers to him as a thief who pilfered money from the purse. This man, who had an unhealthy love of money, ended up being the one who sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver–the price one would pay for a slave.
Before Judas’s betrayal, Jesus continued to love and serve him. He washed his feet in John 13. He placed Judas on his left side, a seat of honor, in the Last Supper. Until the very last moment, Jesus was reaching out to Judas, giving him every opportunity to repent. But it appears Judas opened his heart to Satan before the meal (Luke 22:1-17) and eventually fully gave himself over to Satan during the meal, in the ultimate fulfillment of his betrayal (John 13:27).
Judas probably wanted to force Jesus to declare his Messiahship when he turned him over to the authorities, but in the face of betrayal, Jesus continued to walk with self-control and patience. Judas was the ultimate instigator to the perfect plans and timing of God. And Jesus stewarded every step with precision and perfection.
As we reflect on the story of this bad guy named Judas, remember that no one suddenly becomes godless overnight. It’s a journey of one decision after another that leads to the final condition of rebellion against Jesus. It’s a slow fade. It’s a series of decisions that blaspheme the Holy Spirit.
Make sure to keep your heart close to Jesus every second, every minute. For the devil is like a roaring lion, watching each and every moment for a chance to pounce on you. Judas was careless. It’s why he is called a “son of perdition” by Jesus in John 17:12 (KJV). Because of this, he was vulnerable to being used by Satan.