Mateus 26

Mateus 26

Wesley wrote over 6,000 hymns you know! Some say he wrote over 9,000! Now the hymn written by Mr. Watts: “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” I love all 4 stanzas, but 1 and 4 are especially meaningful to me!” (Worship as you listen to Kathryn Scott's beautiful version of this timeless hymn)... When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of Glory died My richest gain I count but loss And pour contempt on all my pride Forbid it Lord that I should boast Save in the death of Christ my God All the vain things that charm me most I sacrifice them to His blood See from His head His hands His feet Sorrow and love flow mingled down Did ere such love and sorrow meet Or thorns compose so rich a crown Were the whole realm of nature mine That were an offering far too small Love so amazing so divine Demands my soul, my life, my all Matthew 26:14 Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests one: Mk 14:10+ Lu 22:3-6+ Joh 13:2,30+ Judas: Mt 10:4+ Joh 6:70,71+ John 18:2+ Related Passages: Mark 14:10+ Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to betray Him to them. Luke 22:3-6+ And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. 4 And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. 5 They were glad and agreed to give him money. 6 So he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the crowd. John 6:70-71+ Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” 71 Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him. ONE OF THE TWELVE ......NOT! Note that this verse fits nicely with Mt 26:5+ where the chief priests were hesitating to arrest Jesus in the crowds of the Passover. And here their golden opportunity drops into their lap in the form of a disgruntled, disloyal disciple of Jesus! Little did they know that this was simply another manifestation of God's perfect providence assuring the Lamb of God would die as the true Passover Lamb! Then one of the twelve (See twelve disciples - Judas always last in the list of 12!), named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests (archiereus - see chief priests) - Note the verb went How tragic that Judas' means praise and yet it came to stand for a life wasted and ruined. No one names their child "Judas!" How might the mention of Judas link to the preceding context of one of the greatest acts of human devotion ever done for Christ? Of course the question in part contains the answer, for now we embark on the darkest of dark tales of the most un-devotional act ever done against Jesus! There is another link perhaps in that Mary's costly (literally and figuratively) act was this last straw with Judas who was likely the first disciple to question "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii, and given to poor people?" (Jn 12:5+) Judas was in it for the money and if this loss of 100 denarii of perfume was not enough to tip him over the edge, it surely was a contributing factor motivating him to seek to make up for this loss by receiving thirty pieces of silver! Judas knew were the money was, the corrupt chief priests (archiereus) who ran the lucrative (bizarre) bazaar, selling animals and changing money in the Temple! (See more discussion on why Judas betrayed Jesus) Edwards agrees explaining that "Judas was now totally disenchanted with the Lord's methods and decides to salvage what profit he can from his poor investment of the past three years. Judas makes the supremely tragic choice of silver over the Savior, as multitudes have offer him." (The Gospel according to Mark) Daniel Akin - Extravagant acts of love will stand in stark contrast to those of betrayal. Some people find Jesus useful because of what they think they can get from Him. Others find Jesus beautiful because they get Him. This woman found Jesus beautiful and gave all she had to Him. In contrast Judas found Jesus useful and sought to get all he could for Him. Arthur Carr - St Mark, like St Matthew, connects the treachery of Judas with the scene in Simon’s house. His worldly hopes fell altogether at the thought of “burial.” It is a striking juxtaposition: as Mary’s is the highest deed of loving and clear-sighted faith, Judas’ is the darkest act of treacherous and misguided hate. The motive that impelled Judas was probably not so much avarice as disappointed worldly ambition. Jesus said of him that he was a “devil” (diabolus or Satan), the term that was on a special occasion applied to St Peter, and for the same reason (cf Mt 16:23+, Mk 8:33+). Peter for a moment allowed the thought of the earthly kingdom to prevail; with Judas it was the predominant idea which gained a stronger and stronger hold on his mind until it forced out whatever element of good he once possessed. “When the manifestation of Christ ceased to be attractive it became repulsive; and more so every day” (Neander, Life of Christ, Bohn’s trans., p. 424). Of the twelve (all 4 Gospels = Lk 22:47+, Mt 26:14, 47+, Mk 14:10, 43+, Jn 6:71+) - The related phrase ("one of the twelve") is used of only one other disciple, Thomas, called Didymus (Jn 20:24+). There were apparently more disciples of Jesus than the inner circle of 12 (cf "seventy other" in Lk 10:1+), so the fact that Judas was in this inner circle giving him close continual contact with Christ makes his treacherous betrayal all the more despicable, unimaginable and inconceivable! Since Judas was one "of the twelve," he clearly had exposure to light that only a few humans have had (really just the other 11 disciples). To sin against such light is all the more heinous. But even worse is that sin against such light results in a far greater degree of eternal punishment for Judas! (cf Chorazin, et al Lk 10:13-15+, Mt 11:21-24+). Indeed, Jesus declared "The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born." (Mt 26:24+) Double woe! THOUGHT - The spiritual lesson for us from these verses is: Since it is possible to be religious and yet to be in league with Satan, we must guard against evil religion. Satan uses religion more than any other tool to keep men in his domain of darkness.