Portraits: Judas Iscariot.
Matthew 26:45b-50 (CSB), “‘…See, the time is near. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up; let’s go. See, my betrayer is near.’
While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, suddenly arrived. A large mob with swords and clubs was with him from the chief priests and elders of the people. His betrayer had given them a sign: ‘The one I kiss, he’s the one; arrest him.’ So immediately he went up to Jesus and said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kissed him.
‘Friend,’ Jesus asked him, ‘why have you come?’
Then they came up, took hold of Jesus, and arrested him.”
John 12:4-6 (CSB), “Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot (who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.”
It’s possible to be around Jesus, yet still let “the worries of this life and deceitfulness of wealth” overwhelm one’s acceptance of the gospel.
Matthew 26:14-16 (CSB), “Then one of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?’ So they weighed out thirty pieces of silver for him. And from that time he started looking for a good opportunity to betray him.”
You cannot serve both God and money. One will be trusted, the other used!
Matthew 27:1-5 (CSB), “ When daybreak came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put him to death. After tying him up, they led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.
Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, was full of remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders. ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood,’ he said.
‘What’s that to us?’ they said. ‘See to it yourself!’ So he threw the silver into the temple and departed. Then he went and hanged himself.”