Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 14:10
And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.
10, 11. The Compact of Judas with the Chief Priests
10. And Judas Iscariot ] The words “ to the burying ” must have fallen like the death knell of all his Messianic hopes on the ears of Judas Iscariot, “the only southern Jew among the Twelve,” and this, added to the consciousness that his Master had read the secret of his life (Joh 12:6), filled his soul with feelings of bitterest mortification and hostility. Three causes, if we may conjecture anything on a subject so full of mystery, would seem to have brought about his present state of mind, and precipitated the course which he now took: (1) avarice; (2) disappointment of his carnal hopes; (3) a withering of internal religion.
(i) Avarice. We may believe that his practical and administrative talents caused him to be made the almoner of the Apostles. This constituted at once his opportunity and his trial. He proved unfaithful to his trust, and used the common purse of the brotherhood for his own ends (Joh 12:6). The germs of avarice probably unfolded themselves very gradually, and in spite of many warnings from his Lord (Mat 6:19-34; Mat 13:22-23; Mar 10:25; Luk 16:11; Joh 6:70), but they gathered strength, and as he became entrusted with larger sums, he fell more deeply.
(ii) Disappointment of his carnal hopes ] Like all his brother Apostles, he had cherished gross and carnal views of the Messianic glory, his heart was set on the realization of a visible kingdom, with high places, pomp, and power. If some of the brotherhood were to sit on thrones (Mat 19:28), might he not obtain some post, profitable if not splendid? But the issue of the Triumphal Entry, and the repeated allusions of his Master to His death and His burying, sounded the knell of all these temporal and earthly aspirations.
(iii) A withering of internal religion ] He had been for three years close to Goodness Incarnate, but the good seed within him had become choked with the thorns of greed and carnal longings. “The mildew of his soul had spread apace,” and the discovery of his secret sin, and its rebuke by our Lord at Bethany, turned his attachment to his Master more and more into aversion. The presence of Goodness so close to him ceasing to attract had begun to repel, and now in his hour of temptation, while he was angry at being suspected and rebuked, and possibly jealous of the favour shewn to others of the brotherhood, arose the question, prompted by none other than the Evil One (Luk 22:3), Why should he lose everything? Might he not see what was to be gained by taking the other side? (Mat 26:15).
went unto the chief priests ] Full of such thoughts, in the darkness of the night he repaired from Bethany to Jerusalem, and being admitted into the council of the chief priests asked what they would give him for betraying his Master into their hands.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
See Poole on “Mat 26:17“, and following verses to Mat 26:19.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. And Judas Iscariot, one of thetwelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto themthatis, to make his proposals, and to bargain with them, as appears fromMatthew’s fuller statement (Mat 26:14;Mat 26:15) which says, he “wentunto the chief priests, and said, What will ye give me, and I willdeliver Him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty piecesof silver.” The thirty pieces of silver were thirty shekels, thefine paid for man- or maid-servant accidentally killed (Ex21:32), and equal to between four and five pounds sterling”agoodly price that I was prized at of them!” (Zec11:13).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve,…. Apostles of Christ; who was the principal person that had indignation at the woman, and murmured against her, for the profusion of the ointment:
went unto the chief priests; as soon as this affair was over, and Christ had defended the woman’s conduct to his shame and silence: he immediately went out of the house, where they were, and set out from Bethany to Jerusalem; and understanding the chief priests were in consultation together at Caiaphas’s house, how to apprehend Jesus, and put him to death, went directly to them, unsent for, and unthought of by them:
to betray him unto them; which Satan had put into his heart, and what his avarice and revenge for the late action of the woman, and Christ’s defence of it, prompted him to; [See comments on Mt 26:14].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He that was one of the twelve ( ). Note the article here, “the one of the twelve,” Matthew has only , “one.” Some have held that Mark here calls Judas the primate among the twelve. Rather he means to call attention to the idea that he was the one of the twelve who did this deed.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
JUDAS COVENANTS TO BETRAY JESUS, V. 10, 11
1) “And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve,” (kai loudas Iskanoth ho eis ton dodeka) “And Judas Iscariot, the one of the twelve,” (the Judas who was one of the twelve apostles), as prophesied, Psa 41:9; Psa 55:12-14.
2) “Went unto the chief priests,” (apelthen pros tous archeireis) “Went directly to the chief priests,” the administrative priests of Jewery who met in a former session of collusion for the betrayal, seizure, and murder of Jesus, Mar 14:1; Mat 26:14; Luk 22:4.
3) “To betray Him unto them– (hina auton paradoi autois) “In order (for the purpose) that he might betray Him (Jesus) give Him over to them,” as foretold also by Jesus, Joh 13:18-19. The spirit of the traitor is described Jer 9:4; Jer 9:9.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
14. THE TREACHERY OF JUDAS Matthew 14:10-11
TEXT 14:10-11
And Judas Iscariot, he that was one of the twelve, went away unto the chief priests, that he might deliver him unto them. And they, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently deliver him unto them.
THOUGHT QUESTIONS 14:10-11
761.
Was the betrayal of Judas at all related to the incident which just preceded it? Discuss. Cf. Mat. 26:14.
762.
What possible motive or motives did Judas have in the betrayal? Suggest at least two.
763.
Just what agreement did Judas make with the chief priests?
764.
Did the priests pay him at the time of his agreement with them?
765.
How could these religious men act in such an irreligious mannerdiscuss the chief contributing cause to such a condition.
766.
Did the betrayal of Judas include delivering Jesus into their hands?
COMMENT
TIMELate Saturday evening, April 1, A.D. 30.
PLACESTemplethe house of Caiaphas.
PARALLEL ACCOUNTSMat. 26:14-16; Luk. 22:3-6.
OUTLINE1. The man of the betrayal, Mar. 14:10 a. 2. Those who paid, Mar. 14:10 b – Mar. 14:11 a, 3. Waiting and watching, Mar. 14:11 b.
ANALYSIS
I.
THE MAN OF THE BETRAYAL, Mar. 14:10 a.
1.
Judas Iscariot.
2.
One of the Twelve.
II.
THOSE WHO PAID, Mar. 14:10 b Mar. 14:11 a.
1.
Chief priests.
2.
They were pleased.
3.
Money promised.
III.
WAITING AND WATCHING, Mar. 14:11 b.
1.
Waiting as a supposed friend.
2.
Watching as a traitor for the best time to deliver Him up.
EXPLANATORY NOTES
I.
THE MAN OF THE BETRAYAL, Mar. 14:11 b.
Mar. 14:10-11Volunteering to betray. The and connects this with the preceding paragraph, not only historically but psychologically. His present action was (immediately) determined by the gift of Mary and the mild rebuke of the Master.
To deliver up Christ to his enemies. Whether he fully realized how much was involved as a result of this step is uncertain. He might imagine that not death, but the checking of his Master upon the career he had marked out, would ensue. But there is recklessness as to any consequences, provided he himself should be no loser. In robbing the alms from the bag, he was guilty of a breach of trust; in this new development of his master passion the unfaithfulness culminated. It is manifest that the spiritual side of Christs ministry had for him no value. It was only the earthly rewards that might attend on discipleship that made it attractive to him. Was it to force the hand of the ideal, unpractical Christ that he sought to deliver him up? A miracle of deliverance might then result in a realization greater than his most brilliant hopes could depict, and thus his (passing) act of villainy be condoned. Or was it in sheer disgust and desperation respecting the course affairs seemed to be taking that he conceived of his deed? We cannot tell. In a mind like that of Judas there are depths beyond depths.
II.
THOSE WHO PAID, Mar. 14:10 b Mar. 14:11 a.
That selfishness was at the root we may be sure. Avarice is the direction it took. He proposed money, and asked how much (Mat. 26:15). Thirty pieces of silver a small sum? Yes, but he might be at that moment in real or fancied need, or the amount might be looked upon as a mere instalment of further reward, when he might have made himself useful, perhaps necessary, to the rulers. Fear of consequences, if he followed Christ further in the direction in which he was moving, may also have influenced his mind. And there can be no question as to the immediate impulse of wounded feeling, through baffled dishonesty and the sense that Christ saw through him. Falling short of the higher illumination and power of the Spirit, he was at the mercy of his own base, earthly nature.
III.
WAITING AND WATCHING, Mar. 14:11 b.
The background to all this mental and spiritual movement on the part of Judas is the attitude of the chief priests and scribes, seeking how they might take Christ. But for opportunity afforded the treachery of Judas might have remained an aimless mood or a latent disposition, instead of becoming a definite purpose. In this consists the danger of unspiritual states of mind: they subject those in whom they are indulged to the tyranny of passing influences and circumstances.M. (Bickerstetb)
FACT QUESTIONS 14:10-11
930.
Show the psychological connection of this act to the gift of Mary and the rebuke of Jesus.
931.
Does one sin lead to another in the life of Judas? Discuss.
932.
What had no attractionwhat had great attraction in the life of Judas?
933.
How could it be said by some that Judas was attempting to force the hand of an unpractical Christ?
934.
Show how selfishness turned to avarice.
935.
Show how fear of consequences in following Christ and wounded feelings could have contributed to the motive for betrayal.
936.
Except for something the treachery of Judas might have remained an aimless mood or a latent dispositionwhat was it?
Please note the vast import of this for us.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(10, 11) And Judas Iscariot.See Notes on Mat. 26:14-15.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Judas Moves to Betray Jesus (14:10-11).
‘And Judas Iscariot, he who was one of the twelve, went away to the chief priests that he might deliver him to them.’
There is a deliberate contrast here between the sacrificial love that Mary showed, and the base betrayal by one of the chosen twelve. The one with a heart full of love and gratitude. The other only mercenary and out for what he could get.
‘One of the twelve.’ What an ominous sound that has. One of the most highly favoured of men. He had left all to follow Jesus. There is no reason to doubt his sincerity nor his dedication. He had been out on their preaching and healing missions and had cast out evil spirits, and there is nowhere any criticism of his effectiveness. What then had caused him to behave in this way? There is only one possible answer. Unknowingly he was following for the wrong reasons. His motive power was self-advancement and the propagation of a righteous, and even religious, cause. It was not true faith in Jesus. Thus when things seemed to be taking a wrong direction, a direction different from the one he was expecting, he decided to opt out in a way which brought the greatest advantage to himself. The definite article (literally ‘the one of the twelve’) may be seen as differentiating him from the eleven as the traitor.
Note. What Caused Judas to Betray Jesus?
The first indication of his motive given in the Gospels is that he had become dishonest. He had been unable to prevent his fingers straying into the common purse which he controlled (Joh 12:6). This demonstrates a specific weakness in his character, the love of money. And if John knew about it, it may suggest that suspicions had already been aroused, and if so it is likely that Judas may have known about those suspicions. This in itself may have produced a growing resentment. No one is more resentful than a guilty person who convinces himself that he has been ‘justified’ in what he has done and is fighting against being exposed.
On the other hand it may be that his false dealings only came to light once someone else took over the common purse and discovered that funds had gone missing. This is often the case in such matters. Possibly it was John himself who took it over and thus had cause to know the position.
It really does not seem likely that John would have said this about Judas if he had not had very good cause to know that it was true. He was a gracious and loving person, not at all the kind who would have been willing to say such a petty thing of someone without a certainty of its accuracy. And it is strange but true that someone who sacrifices for a cause can indeed then rob that cause because of some quirk in his nature that convinces him that he ‘deserves it’. This would not be the only time in history that it has happened. Thus it is a warning to all that the first temptation and the first ‘small’ sin leads on to bigger things. We must all learn to say ‘no’ immediately.
Secondly the petty theft in itself suggests that he had in fact begun to regret his commitment. It demonstrated that his commitment to discipleship had been weakened, that his first enthusiasm had dimmed. It is quite possible that he had come to see that Jesus was not quite the kind of Messiah he had expected, and that the future was not quite as rosy as he had hoped. Jesus’ talk about being ‘the servant of all’ might not have gone down very well with him either (Mar 10:44), and Jesus’ gentle chiding against seeking greatness may have added to his uncertainty. And Jesus’ talk of His future suffering may have disillusioned him further. He may have come to the conclusion that following Jesus was not going to make him rich and great in a good cause after all.
Thirdly it is very unlikely that agents of the Jewish authorities had refrained from questioning the disciples about their Master. They had done it before (Mar 2:16). They were likely to have done it again. And this may have brought home to Judas that his discipleship was putting him in disfavour with these powerful authorities. It was one thing to be at odds with the local Pharisees, but a very different thing to be at odds with these powerful religionists in Jerusalem. Indeed it is very possible that agents of the chief priests had even been threatening him with the consequences of following Jesus. They may well have discerned that he was vulnerable.
So if he was under deep conviction over his stealing, and his possibly being on the way to being discovered, was regretting his commitment to a cause which no longer looked quite so promising, and was becoming fearful of what might happen to him and his fellow disciples in the future, it could well be that the suggestion that he could be helpful to the authorities, and gain by it, would look a worthwhile option.
It may be therefore that he now decided to retrieve his position, gain the favour of the authorities and bankroll himself at the same time. Certainly he seems to have bargained for as much as he could get (Mat 26:15). And it may be that his disgruntlement with Jesus’ reaction to ‘the waste’ of the precious ointment was one final spur that caused him to act, a sense that Jesus was somehow not consistent, when he himself had been willing to sacrifice so much.
Yet it is not just as simple as that for why then kill himself when he had achieved his purpose? It would appear in fact that there had been a great and conflicting battle raging in his mind, in which he eventually came down on the side of betrayal, which led to him becoming fixed on a course of action which he continued on with a set mind until it came to fruition. But that once his mind cleared his better nature exerted itself and he could not cope with what he had done, possibly even resulting in clinical depression.
That is the human side of things. But then another explanatory factor comes in. We are told that the Devil put it in his heart (Joh 13:2) and that ‘Satan entered into him’ (Luk 22:3; Joh 13:27). The resentment, the disillusionment, had opened up a way by which the Tempter could begin to work in him. Once faith begins to die, disillusionment can quickly take over. In this case the pressure must have been immense, for Satan probably thought that here was a way by which he could nullify what Jesus had come to do. Thus he would bring all his evil power to bear on Judas. But we must remember that Satan could only enter into him because he was already disposed that way beforehand. He had to be given access. The resentment and disillusionment came first. He had ceased to use the shield of faith (Eph 6:16).
Judas was not deliberately a Traitor from the beginning. He no doubt originally meant well. And we must give credit for the fact that ‘when he saw that Jesus was condemned’ he reacted in remorse (Mat 27:3). This suggests either that he did not expect Jesus to be condemned, (he may have convinced himself that He would just get a synagogue beating and a warning), or that he had not thought through the consequences of his actions until he suddenly realised what he had done. It may even be that the chief priests given him an assurance that they meant Jesus no real harm or assured him that He would get a fair trial. There is no hint of it, but it is possible. Or had he assumed that his action would spur Jesus into fulfilling His Messiahship in the way that people expected? He knew something of Jesus’ powers and what He could do. But there is no hint of that either, and his careful plans to ensure that Jesus really was arrested militate against it.
So the position from his point of view seems to be that his betrayal was simply a controlled response to resentment he had been feeling, exacerbated by guilt over his own dishonesty, and combined with the sense that things were not turning out as he had expected and that the future did not look bright, a response which grew and grew until he did what he did, stoked by a willing Satan. And that once he had done it he then came to his senses, realised what he had done and regretted it bitterly.
But we must remember that he was given plenty of opportunity to change his mind, and that he was betraying someone Who had only sought to do him good. He must therefore have hardened himself considerably to be able to resist Jesus’ references to what he was doing (Mat 26:25) and His offer of reconciliation (the giving of the sop of friendship – Joh 13:26-29). It was not just a spur of the moment thing that can be easily understood.
Indeed the action was so extreme that it demands that the explanation be complicated and deep rooted. Thus a number of the factors as described above, and possibly others, must all have conspired together to bring it about. But the warning is that a heart open to greed, resentment and disillusionment lay at the root of it all. How careful we should be that we do not let resentment harden our hearts when the opportunity of repentance comes, for if we do the sin may grow until it destroys us.
However, there is one more factor that we have not yet looked at, a totally different standpoint from all we have considered. And that is that Jesus knew from the beginning who would betray Him (Joh 6:64). He was the great discerner of hearts. So, not too far from the beginning He could say, “Have I not chosen you, and one of you is a devil?”, that is a tool open to the Devil’s manipulation (Joh 6:70-71). The Scriptures themselves made clear that betrayal would come through an intimate friend (Joh 13:18), something of which Jesus was always aware. And Jesus knew men’s hearts (Joh 2:25). So while the appointment of Judas to discipleship may have been made not knowing what would happen, it is clear that Jesus soon began to discern weaknesses in Judas that made Him regret what He had done. And yet in His graciousness He bore with him, possibly hoping that he might yet win through..
Here then we enter into that paradox that no man can fully comprehend. The working out of the sovereign purposes of God within the freely conducted affairs of men. Within those purposes God allows men to make decisions and gives even the worst an opportunity for good. So to this one whose character was lacking and whose motives were doubtful Jesus was willing to give every opportunity to make good, even though He knew all the time that it would not be so. But such men have to be given a chance, for how else could it be revealed that it was not so? Thus are we reminded that God allows the incomprehensible, He allows men rein to demonstrate the truth about themselves.
Judas is ever the reminder to us that it is possible to be highly thought of by men in spiritual things, and yet unacceptable in the sight of God, and that each of us must ‘examine ourselves’ to see whether we are ‘in the faith’, that is, whether our faith is truly in Jesus or whether it is just fixed on a good cause (2Co 13:5).
End of note.
‘Went to the chief priests.’ Judas went to those whom he knew were enemies of Jesus and had power to act. He had it all worked out. They were the ones who had the real money.
‘That he might deliver Him to them.’ His purpose was betrayal. But sinful man was in fact being made to fulfil the purposes of God (Mar 9:31), as he has through the ages, for in we know that in the first place it was God Who delivered Jesus into men’s hands (Isa 53:10). But we must not see Judas as just a tool. He knew what he was doing. He was handing Jesus over to those who hated Him and planned His death.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
The Preparation for, and the Celebration of, the Passover. Judas offers to betray Jesus:
v. 10. And Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went unto the chief priests to betray Him unto them.
v. 11. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray Him. The public reprimand which Judas had received in the house of Simon in Bethany, when he voiced his displeasure over the woman’s deed of kindness, seems to have been the direct motive for his betrayal. His downward road was similar to that of many that do not cling to the Savior with all simplicity of heart. The fact that he was treasurer of the disciples taught him to crave money and nourished his pride. Soon he loved money, he worshiped gold, he was most anxious to possess all that he could. Ordinary, honest methods of obtaining it did not appeal to him anymore, they were too slow; so he became a thief. And now Christ’s defense of the woman had roused his anger. One of the Twelve he had been chosen, one of the Twelve he still was, in appearance, but he now went to the chief priests in order to betray his Lord and Master to them. And they? On this matter, where it concerned the murder of an innocent person, they were only too glad to give him audience; they were filled with hellish glee as they contemplated the destruction of the hated Nazarene. They gave him the assurance that they would give him silver, that they would pay him well for his nefarious deed. And Judas, hardened against all the warnings of his conscience, against all appeals of his better nature, from that hour deliberately sought opportunity, how he might betray Jesus at a most convenient time. Judas is a terrible example of the power of Satan over the heart that deliberately leaves and rejects the Lord.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Mar 14:10. To betray him. , deliver him up. See Mat 26:15.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mar 14:10-11 . See on Mat 26:14-16 . Comp. Luk 22:3-6 .
] has a tragic stress.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
(10) And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. (11) And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.
If we compare what is here said, with what is related, Joh 13:27 , of the devil’s entering into Judas, we shall discover somewhat of the deliberate act of this son of perdition. No doubt the woman’s pouring the ointment on CHRIST’s head, acted as an incentive upon the mind of Judas, as we know the grace the LORD gives his people, calls forth the greater malice of their enemies. Act 7:54 . Judas must have gone away from Bethany into Jerusalem, immediately after this transaction of the ointment, for the Chief Priests were at this time in council, (see verse 1,) and the traitor now joined the party; though to cover his diabolical purpose, he soon after returned and joined the disciples, and sat with them at the supper. Reader! pause over the view! Oh! who shall calculate the enormity of sin! Oh! who shall calculate the preciousness of distinguishing grace! See Joh 13:18 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.
Ver. 10. See Trapp on “ Mat 26:14 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
10, 11. ] COMPACT OF JUDAS WITH THE CHIEF PRIESTS TO BETRAY HIM. Mat 26:14-16 . Luk 22:3-6 . The only matters requiring notice are, the elliptical , ‘ hearing the proposal ,’ and , implying, as does in Luke, that the money was not paid now , either as full wages or as earnest-money, but promised; and paid (most probably) when the Lord was brought before the Sanhedrim, which was what Judas undertook to do. The before untranslatable in English: ‘ that one of the twelve’ is too strongly demonstrative: and yet is demonstrative, and expresses much.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mar 14:10-11 . Judas offers to betray his Master (Mat 26:14-16 , Luk 22:3-6 ).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mar 14:10-11
10Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to betray Him to them. 11They were glad when they heard this, and promised to give him money. And he began seeking how to betray Him at an opportune time.
Mar 14:10 “Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve” There are several theories concerning Iscariot (the word is spelled differently in various Greek manuscripts). It could refer to
1. a man of Kerioth, a city of Judah
2. man of Kartam, a city of Galilee
3. the bag used to carry money
4. the Hebrew word for “strangling”
5. the Greek word for assassin’s knife
If #1 is true he was the only Judean in the Twelve. If #4 or #5 is true he was a zealot like Simon.
There has recently been released an interesting, but highly speculative (depreciates John’s Gospel), book that interprets Judas in a positive light. The book is entitled Judas, Betrayer or Friend of Jesus? by William Klassen, Fortress Press, 1996.
“who was one of the twelve” He was a member of Jesus’ hand-picked disciples. He was part of the mission trips and present at Jesus’ teaching sessions, miracles, and the Last Supper.
This phrase has the definitive article “the one.” There have been several suggestions as to the meaning of this: (1) Judas was a leader of the Apostolic group. He kept the money for the group and he had the seat of honor at the Last Supper or (2) it refers to the murmuring in Mar 14:4.
“went off to the chief priests” Luk 22:4 adds and “temple police.” Judas asked how much they would give him (cf. Mat 26:15). It was the price of a gored slave (cf. Exo 21:32; Zec 11:12).
Mat 26:16 tells us it was “thirty pieces of silver.” This fulfilled the prophecy of Zec 11:12-13 (cf. Mat 27:9-10). Jesus was the rejected “Shepherd.” The Gospel writers quote chapters 9-14 of Zechariah as a prophetic source or typology in relation to Jesus’ ministry.
1. Mat 21:4-5 quotes Zec 9:9
2. Mat 24:3 quotes Zec 12:10
3. Mat 26:15 quotes Zec 11:12-13
4. Mat 26:31 quotes Zec 13:7
5. Mat 27:9-10 quotes Zec 11:12-13
“betray” This is the Greek term “to give over” (paradidmi). The English Bibles always translate it “betray,” but this is not an established meaning. It can have a positive meaning of “entrust” (cf. Mat 11:27) or “restore” or “command” (cf. Act 14:26; Act 15:40), as well as negative sense of “to hand someone over to the authorities” or “to put someone in Satan’s hands” (cf. 1Co 5:5; 1Ti 1:20), or for God to abandon someone to his own idolatry (cf. Act 7:42). It is obvious that context must determine the meaning of this common verb. Betrayal fits Judas’ actions.
Mar 14:11 “they were glad” It does not say they were surprised. Judas’ motivation has always been a source of speculation. These religious leaders would have seen his defection from the Apostolic group as vindication of their murderous scheming!
“at an opportune time” Luk 22:6 adds “apart from the crowd.” They were afraid of Jesus’ popularity with Galilean pilgrims present in Jerusalem for the feast (cf. Mar 11:18; Mar 12:12; Mat 26:5; Mat 27:24).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
went = went off (smarting under the rebukes of verses: Mar 14:6-9).
unto. Greek. pros. App-104. Not the same word Mar 14:34.
to betray = to the end that he might deliver up.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
10, 11.] COMPACT OF JUDAS WITH THE CHIEF PRIESTS TO BETRAY HIM. Mat 26:14-16. Luk 22:3-6. The only matters requiring notice are,-the elliptical ,-hearing the proposal,-and , implying, as does in Luke, that the money was not paid now, either as full wages or as earnest-money,-but promised; and paid (most probably) when the Lord was brought before the Sanhedrim, which was what Judas undertook to do. The before untranslatable in English: that one of the twelve is too strongly demonstrative: and yet is demonstrative, and expresses much.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mar 14:10-11
3. THE AGREEMENT WITH JUDAS
Mar 14:10-11
(Mat 26:14-16; Luk 22:3-6)
10 And Judas Iscariot, he that was one of the twelve, went away unto the chief priests,–The high priests. The ruling man of the Sanhedrin. Luke (Luk 22:4) says he went also to the captains. On account of the great wealth deposited there, and its great sacredness, it was necessary to guard the temple by night. Accordingly men were stationed around it, whose leaders or commanders were called captains. (Act 4:1.)
that he might deliver him unto them.–Treacherously, of course. A comparison of all the accounts will show that when his avarice was thus disappointed he went at the first opportunity to the priests. Jesus was about to be put to death, he had not been permitted to enrich himself, there was now no probability that he would become the treasurer of his Master as an earthly king. Probably he had heard it rumored that the chief priests desired to put him to death and their purpose to “take Jesus by subtlety.” (Verse 4.) If so, he felt he could make a profitable agreement with the enemy.
11 And they, when they heard it, were glad,–The chief priests and captains. His proposition was an unexpected one, so it was received with joy.
and promised to give him money.–Matthew says: “Thirty pieces of silver.” That is, the price of a slave. (Exo 21:32.) They did not pay him then probably for fear he would deceive them. When the wicked deed was committed, and before he was sensible of its guilt, they paid him. (Mat 27:3; Act 1:18.) Each piece of silver amounted to about fifty cents, the whole sum being about fifteen dollars.
And he sought how he might conveniently deliver him unto them.–Matthew says: “From that time he sought opportunity to deliver him.” He sought a convenient time when he thought it would be safe both to himself and them. “In the absence of the multitude.” (Luk 22:6.) The popular commotion was what both parties desired to avoid. (Verse 2.)
So far as I know, Judas had no particular malice, spite, or ill will against Jesus, but a base and unworthy spirit of covetousness possessed him, and this made him sell Jesus. Covetousness is the root sin. An eager and insatiable thirst after the world is the parent of the most monstrous sins.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
CHAPTER 64
Furnished and Prepared
And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him. And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.
(Mar 14:10-16)
In Mark 14 we have come to that solemn evening which preceded the most significant event in history. We should always read the things recorded here with great care, asking God the Holy Spirit to be our Teacher, asking him to inscribe the lessons in these verses upon our hearts with the finger of omnipotent grace. From old eternity, before the worlds were made, the Lord God ordained the sacrificial, sin-atoning death of his darling Son at Calvary. He predestined the time, place, and means of his Sons death as well as its sure accomplishments. God set forth his Son to be the propitiation for our sins, to satisfy his justice for the sins of his people, to put away our sins, so that he might be both just and the Justifier of all who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.The holy, just, and true God demands satisfaction for sin. Satisfaction could be made only by the sacrifice of his dear Son. Therefore, as it is written, When the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.The Lord Jesus lived as our representative for 33 years in perfect righteousness. He worked out a perfect righteousness for us. But his obedience in life alone could never save anyone. Justice must be satisfied. Our debt had to be paid. Our sins must be punished to the full satisfaction of divine justice. Therefore, In due time Christ died for the ungodly.The time had come for the observance of the passover. Therefore, the Master sent two of his disciples to Jerusalem in preparation for this ordinance of divine worship. What are the lessons set before us in this passage of Inspiration by God the Holy Spirit?
False Faith
First, Judas is held before us as a glaring example of false faith. There are many in the visible church of God like Judas, many profess faith in Christ who do not possess faith in Christ.
And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him (Mar 14:10-11).
Like Judas, many men and women feel much, experience much, and do much in religion in the name of Christ, whose faith is but a false faith, a satanic delusion. It is impossible to imagine a greater, more glaring example of this fact than Judas Iscariot. J. C. Ryle rightly observed, If ever there was a man who at one time looked like a true disciple of Christ, and bade fair to reach heaven, that man was Judas. Judas was personally chosen by Christ himself to be an apostle. He was a close companion of the Son of God for three years. He was an eye-witness to the mighty works and miracles of the Lord Jesus throughout his earthly ministry. Judas was a fellow-laborer with Peter, James, and John for three years. He was doctrinally orthodox, as doctrinally orthodox as the rest of those men who were personally taught the gospel by the lips of the Lord Jesus. He was sent forth with the others to preach the gospel and perform miracles in the name of Christ. Judas was highly regarded by all the other apostles, so highly regarded that he was made the church treasurer, so highly regarded that even when the Lord Jesus said One of you shall betray me, not one of them suspected Judas! Yet Judas was apostate, a child of the devil all along. He departed from the faith completely. He betrayed the Son of God with the kiss of a friend!If we compare Marks account with what we are told in Joh 13:27 of Satan entering into Judas, it seems obvious that Marys act of pouring her ointment out upon her Saviors head caused such rage in Judas that it became the incentive that moved him to perform his vile deed. How often that grace the Lord gives his chosen stirs the malice of the reprobate (Act 7:54). Judas must have gone from Bethany into Jerusalem, immediately after the Lords commendation of Mary for her good work. Remember, the chief priests were in council at Jerusalem when this took place (Mar 14:1). Once Judas made his hellish deal with the chief priests, to cover his diabolical purpose, he returned to the disciples and sat with them at the supper.How can we account for the conduct of this man? Was he once saved and then lost at last? Nonsense! Those who speak like that know nothing of the grace of God. When God saves, he saves forever (Ecc 3:14). He gives eternal life; and those to whom he gives eternal life shall never perish (Joh 10:28).Judas was a tare sewn among the wheat, a goat among the Lords sheep, a wolf in sheeps clothing. He had the garments of religion, but not the garment of salvation. He had the doctrine of Christ, but not Christ. He had the religion of Christ, but not redemption.Though he professed to be a disciple of Christ, Judas was a covetous man. The love of money was the cause of his fall. Covetousness was his ruin. That same groveling covetousness which enslaved Balaam and turned Gehazi into a leper brought Judas to utter apostasy and to hell. The Holy Spirit tells us plainly that He was a thief (Joh 12:6). Judas stands before us as a glaring commentary on 1Ti 6:10. The love of money is the root of all evil!Do not be content with anything short of the true grace of God in Christ. Great knowledge, great gifts, great experiences, great privileges, an outwardly holy life, church membership, power in prayer, preaching, and witnessing are all useless things, if we are not converted. We must be born again, made righteousness, and converted by the grace of God.
Beware of covetousness! Covetousness is a sin that eats like a cancer. It is the most heart-hardening of all idolatries. If we indulge this lust of the flesh, there is no end to the wickedness into which it will lead us. May God give us grace to be content with such things as we have (Heb 13:5). Money is not the one thing needful. Christ is!How do we account for Judas behavior? Judas was a sinner, a fallen child of Adam, apt to be taken captive by Satan at his will. Who can comprehend the enormity of the fall? Let all who have experienced Gods rich mercy in Christ ever give thanks to him for his precious, free, distinguishing grace (Joh 13:18; 1Co 4:7).Christ is God
Second, we have before us another of those many displays of the fact that the man Christ Jesus really is himself God.
And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.(Mar 14:12-16).
Throughout his earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus Christ claimed that he is God. The Scriptures everywhere assert that he is God. In fact, if he is not God, he was not a good man, but a liar and an imposter; and we are yet in our sins. He who is our Savior and Redeemer must also be our God. Only one who is both God and man could put away sin.Frequently, this man, Jesus of Nazareth, demonstrated in the clearest manner possible the attributes of divinity, by which he enforced his claims. Who but the omnipotent God could raise the dead with nothing but the words of his mouth, the touch of his hand, or the will of his heart? Who but the Creator God could multiply a few loaves and fishes to feed thousands so completely that none wanted another bite and twelve baskets of fragments remained? Who but the all-knowing, omniscient God could have known that his disciples, upon entering Jerusalem, would find a man carrying a pitcher into a specific house, with a room large enough for him and his disciples to keep the passover together? Jesus Christ the man is himself God over all and blessed forever!
Preparation for Worship
Third, we have before us an example of the fact that the worship of God requires preparation and sacrifice. In order to keep the feast of the passover and worship God, our Lord and his disciples must go to Jerusalem. There it was common practice for people to prepare and rent out rooms to the multitudes who came in from outside the city. Our Lord and his disciples did not live in luxury. They purposefully avoided anything like a show of wealth. However, when it came to worshipping God, keeping the feast of the passover, no ordinary place would do. He sent his disciples ahead of time to find the finest, most well-prepared, well-furnished place in town. One of the old writers suggested that the words furnished and prepared, mean that the room was beautifully adorned and laid with carpets. Once the disciples found this large upper room, beautifully adorned and laid with carpets, they were commanded There make ready for us. Robert Hawker reminds us that the keeping of the passover required considerable preparation. He wrote
By the disciples making ready the Passover, I should apprehend they bought a lamb to celebrate this feast; and as the law enjoined, they must have carried it to the court of the temple for slaughter, and there burnt the fat upon the altar, sprinkling the blood upon it, before they brought it home to the house where it was to be eaten. And I should apprehend also, that the roasting it whole, and the bitter herbs, and bread and wine, were all included in what is said of the disciples making ready before that Jesus came in the evening to sit down with the twelve. See Exodus 12 throughout. Deu 16:1-8.
In all this we have a vivid portrayal of something woefully neglected in our day Preparation for Worship! How little thought is given to the seriousness of public worship and our need to prepare ourselves for the worship of God! This is a matter about which much needs to be said.
As the passover had to be kept at Jerusalem, if we would worship God, we must come to the place where he has established his worship. I know that God is Spirit, and we worship him in Spirit. But I also know that we must worship him in truth. We cannot worship God in falsehood. We cannot worship God apart from the ministry of his Word in the assembly of his saints, where he has established his Word and his worship.
God detests profaneness, irreverence and carelessness in his presence. We cannot and will not worship him without preparation (Ecc 5:1-2; Jas 1:19-21). When we come together with Gods saints for public worship, we should remember that we are coming into the house of God to hear from and worship God Almighty in all the splendor, beauty and glory of his holy being. We must see that we give him the reverence of our hearts.
Let us ever come to Gods house prepared to worship. We should prepare our hearts, our bodies and our minds to worship God. This may mean cutting out some weekend recreation, or curtailing our hours of work in order to get enough rest so that we do not come to the house of God tired and sleepy. If people stay up late on Saturday night, sleep late on Sunday morning, and rush into the house of God without thought or preparation of heart, they are not likely to worship God. More often than not, their minds will wander in a thousand directions until, weary from lack of rest, they go to sleep. God deserves better!
We ought to come to the house of God, the seat of public worship, promptly. Men and women have a thousand excuses for being late for worship services, but these same people get to work every day on time, get their children dressed, fed and off to school on time, and get to an appointment at the doctors on time. Why do people persistently come to the house of God late? – Because they do not consider the worship of God to be a matter of great importance. If our souls, the gospel of Christ, the worship of Christ and the glory of Christ are important to us, we will arrange to come to the house of God with promptness.
Would you be late for an appointment with the President of the United States, the Queen of England, or any dignitary? Tardiness for such an appointment would be embarrassing to you and intolerable before your royal host. Dare we treat the King of heaven with less regard?
We should always come praying for grace to worship. We should seek grace from the Lord to worship in the Spirit. We are to pray for God to speak to our hearts through his Word, in the prayers that are offered and by the songs that are sung. We are to pray for those who lead the congregation in worship, that they may be led of the Spirit, and for the man who preaches the gospel, that he may preach in power. We should pray for ourselves and our brethren, that we may see, hear, worship and obey the Lord Jesus Christ.
We should always come to the house of God for prayer and praise. We must be prepared to worship when we come. We are to put the cares of the world, as much as possible, out of our minds, and sit before the throne of God with humility, wonder, attention and reverence. No disturbances or distractions of any kind are to be tolerated. It is unthinkable that men and women who hold God in reverence would run in and out, talk, allow their children to play, or disrupt the worship of God with crying babies, while the Word of God is being read, the praise of God is being sung, the message of God is being delivered, or the throne of God is being supplicated!
The keeping of the passover involved considerable personal sacrifice; and we can never worship God without personal sacrifice. Read Malachi 1 and understand this: God almighty will not be worshipped with our leftovers! He deserves the best of our time, our attention and our property. If we bring less, we need not expect the God of Glory to receive it!
Christ our Passover
Fourth, let us rejoice to remember that Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us That fact is stated in 1Co 5:7; and it is beautifully illustrated here. It was no accident that our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified on the very day that the paschal lamb was sacrificed. This was not a fluke, a matter of lucky timing, or the result of blind fate or chance!
This came to pass as it did by the hand of God. He predestinated it in eternity and arranged it in providence. It was thus arranged because God would make it manifest that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world, is the true Passover, of whom the Old Testament paschal lamb was but a type, picture, and prophecy. Indeed, all the laws, ordinances, and sacrifices of Old Testament worship pointed to Christ, were fulfilled by Christ, and have been forever abolished by Christ as a way, means, or grounds of worship.
The passover was a reminder of deliverance from bondage, darkness, and tyranny, according to the promise of God made with a covenant head long before the bondage ever began. The passover was a reminder of special, particular redemption by the lifes blood and violent death of an innocent lamb. The passover was a reminder of blood sprinkled, applied to every house in Israel, by the commandment of God.
In Exo 12:23 we read, For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you. Most of the commentators I have consulted give the impression that as the destroyer went through the land of Goshen, whenever he saw the blood of the lamb applied to the door posts and lintel of a house, he simply skipped by that house. But the words pass over mean something else. They mean jump, or leap against. In other words, when the blood was applied to the house, the Lord God himself, Jehovah (God who saves), jumped against the door of that house to protect it from the destroyer! What a picture! Child of God, try to grasp this, He who is himself the mighty God has jumped over your door and stands between you and the destroyer!
None were safe on the night of the Passover, except those who personally ate the slain lamb. And so it is with regard to the crucified Lamb of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. None are safe, except those who eat his flesh and drink his blood. None are safe, except those who personally trust the Son of God.
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever
(Joh 6:53-58).
All for whom the paschal lamb was slain had the blood applied by the fathers hand, ate of the lamb personally, and came out of Egypt by Gods almighty, stretched out arm, at exactly the time God had ordained. That is a very clear and precise picture of our redemption by Christ. It is a threefold redemption: Redemption by Divine Purpose, Redemption by Divine Purchase, and Redemption by Divine Power.
Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible
Judas: Mat 26:14-16, Luk 22:3-6, Joh 13:2, Joh 13:30
one: Psa 41:9, Psa 55:12-14, Mat 10:4, Joh 6:70
to betray: Joh 13:2
Reciprocal: 1Sa 23:23 – take knowledge Est 5:14 – the thing Pro 3:9 – General Pro 17:23 – General Zec 11:12 – So Mat 27:3 – Judas Mar 14:41 – the Son Luk 22:4 – went Luk 22:47 – Judas Rom 1:32 – have pleasure in them
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
BETRAYED FOR MONEY
And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray Him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money.
Mar 14:10-11
It is impossible to conceive a more striking proof of the lengths a man may go in a false profession of religion than the history of Judas Iscariot. If ever there was a man who at one time looked like a true disciple of Christ, and bade fair to reach heaven, that man was Judas. He was so like his fellow disciples that they did not suspect him of being a traitor. And yet this very man turns out at last a false-hearted child of the devildeparts entirely from the faithassists our Lords deadliest enemies, and leaves the world with a worse reputation than any one since the days of Cain.
I. How can this conduct of Judas be accounted for?There is only one answer to that question. The love of money was the cause of this unhappy mans ruin. That same grovelling covetousness which enslaved the heart of Balaam, and brought on Gehazi a leprosy, was the destruction of Iscariots soul.
II. The need of humility.Learn from this melancholy history to be clothed with humility, and to be content with nothing short of the grace of the Holy Ghost in our hearts. Knowledge, gifts, profession, privileges, church-membership, power of preaching, praying, and talking about religion are all useless things if our hearts are not right.
III. Above all, beware of covetousness (Luk 12:15).It is a sin that eats like a canker, and once admitted into our hearts may lead us finally into every wickedness. Let us pray to be content with such things as we have (Heb 13:6). The Christian ought to be far more afraid of being rich than of being poor.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Chapter 4.
Judas’ Crime
“And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray Him unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.”-Mar 14:10, Mar 14:11.
Remembrance of the Just and the Unjust.
We pass now from Mary and her devoted act to Judas and his treachery. In the last clause of the previous paragraph, Jesus, speaking of Mary, had declared that her name and her deed should never be forgotten: “Wheresoever the Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, that also which this woman hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.” But there are two kinds of remembrance: there is a remembrance of honour and glory; there is also a remembrance of infamy and shame. It was the former remembrance Christ promised to Mary, and she is enjoying it today. But the remembrance of her arch-critic Judas is just as sure. Only while it is an immortality of honour that Mary enjoys, an immortality of infamy and shame is the portion of Judas. Wherever the Gospel goes, the name of Judas goes too, to be remembered with loathing and contempt. He and his traitor’s deed are for ever coupled together. Just as we never think of Mary without thinking also of her broken alabaster box, so we never think of Judas apart from his crime. He is always Judas Iscariot, “which also betrayed Him.”
The Start-and the Finish.
Judas and Mary are as the poles asunder. The one illustrates the heights to which love can rise: the other the depths to which hate can stoop. Dr Bruce says somewhere in his Training of the Twelve that he would be compelled to believe in heaven and hell if only to find a place for Mary and Judas respectively. And he is right. Mary and Judas are types of heaven and hell; for heaven is love, and hell is hate; and Mary is the incarnation of love, while Judas is the incarnation of hate. Nevertheless, though in these verses Mary and Judas are as far as the poles asunder, as far apart as heaven and hell, they may have been much alike at the start.
Both were blessed with similar advantages in their upbringing: and both at the start had their feet set in the same direction. For did Mary love to sit at the Lord’s feet and hear His word? Judas too was sufficiently earnest in his devotion to Jesus to be chosen as one of the Twelve who should be with Him, the Twelve whom He would send forth to preach His Gospel. And yet there was all the difference between heaven and hell separating them at the finish. Mary for love brought her alabaster box and broke it; Judas in his hate went away unto the chief priests, that he might deliver his Master unto them.
Together-Apart.
This is no isolated instance. Every age and every walk of life will furnish illustrations of men who started from the same mark but who finished far asunder. There were two famous brothers in the last century-John Henry Newman and Francis W. Newman-whose intellectual development worked out in precisely opposite directions. They began together; but one became the advocate of authority and the other of freedom, until they ended up with all the difference between Romanism and agnosticism between them. In the highest realm of all-in the region of morals and the spiritual life-the same amazing differences are to be found. Out of the very same household there will issue a Jacob and an Esau: a Reuben and a Joseph.
The Divide.
As you ride by rail between Dolgelley and Bala you come to a point in the hills which forms the watershed. And just at that point two streams take their rise. They have, it is practically true to say, the very same birthplace-but one tiny stream turns to the right and the other turns to the left and so the Dee and the Mawddach, born together, are the entire breadth of Wales apart at the finish. One falls into the sea facing the cold, grey north; the other ends its course facing the golden west. And that is how it is with men. They start together and the divergence sets in and they finish far apart.
“So from the heights of will,
Life’s parting stream descends
And as a moment turns its slender rill,
Each widening torrent bends.
From the same cradle side,
From the same mother’s knee,
One to long darkness and the frozen tide,
One to the peaceful sea.
The Decisive Factor.
I dwell upon this to emphasise once again the old point-human destiny is not at the mercy of conditions. Environment is not the decisive factor, else men starting alike should finish alike, sharing the same advantages they should meet with a like success. Man himself is the decisive factor. You remember that verse in Omar Khayyam:
“I sent my soul through the Invisible,
Some letter of the after-life to spell;
And by and by my soul return’d to me
And answer’d “I myself am Heav’n and Hell.”
Yes, that is true. “I myself am Heav’n or Hell.” It is from the height of will life’s parting stream descends. Life is a sort of raw material. The stuff of devilry and the stuff of sainthood are both in it. And it depends on ourselves-on the set of our wills-whether we end with Mary or with Judas-in heaven or in hell: amongst those who win eternal glory and renown, or amongst those who have a portion of shame and everlasting contempt.
The Way of the Fall.
“And Judas Iscariot, he that was one of the Twelve, went away unto the chief priests.” He flung himself out of Simon’s house with a fierce and bitter anger in his heart. Christ’s commendation of Mary and His implied rebuke of Himself were the last straw. There and then Judas made up his mind to renounce his allegiance and to go over to the camp of Christ’s enemies and foes. It was “the last straw”; for the perversion and apostasy of Judas were not sudden and unexpected. A whole train of circumstances led up to the betrayal. There is a history of moral deterioration behind Judas’ appalling crime. The fact is, that a man becomes neither a saint nor a devil all at once. “Heaven is not reached at a single bound,” says J. S. Holland.
“But we build the ladder by which we rise
From the lowly earth to the vaulted skies,
And we climb to its summit round by round.”
And the story of every saint illustrates the truth of those lines. Sainthood is no sudden attainment. It is by little and little we get the victory over our sins. It is by little and little we grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And if men do not leap into sainthood at one bound, neither do they fall into devilry by one appalling and awful lapse. Behind every shameful apostasy and fall there is a history of deterioration and degeneration.
The Way of Judas.
There is such a history behind Judas’ fall. The presence of Judas among the Twelve at all is a mystery. It presents problems difficult if not impossible to solve. I reject absolutely the suggestion that Christ chose Judas to be one of the Twelve just because He foreknew that he would eventually become a traitor-that is to introduce an element of artificiality that is altogether alien to the character of Jesus. I reject absolutely also the suggestion that Judas deliberately became a follower of Jesus with treacherous intent. In spite of the difficulties with regard to our Lord’s knowledge of man which the view I hold involves, I believe that Judas, when he became a disciple, was as much in earnest as either Peter or John. I believe more; I believe that Jesus saw in him the material out of which an Apostle might have been made-the clay out of which a vessel unto honour might have been shaped. “Of Judas even in his darkest hour,” says Professor Tasker in a most illuminating article, “the words of Lavater are true: he ‘acted like a Satan, but like a Satan who had it in him to be an Apostle.'”
The Motives of Judas.
But how was it that the man who had in him the makings of an Apostle became a Satan? How was it that this Judas who had in him the makings of a saint sank so low that the gentle Jesus said of him, “he hath a devil”? I dismiss entirely as unworthy of serious notice the suggestion that Judas was inspired by good motives in his dealings with the priests; that his real purpose was, not to betray Jesus Christ to death, but to hasten on His Messianic triumph by constraining Him to declare Himself. That theory owes its popularity to De Quincey, and it has been reproduced in our own day in the writings of perhaps the most widely-read lady novelist. But while the theory may do for a work of fiction, it is absolutely impossible to one who takes the Gospel seriously. To hold the belief that Judas was an honest but misguided man you must brush aside the Gospel story, and the stern and solemn words of our Lord Himself. Assuming then, as beyond dispute, that the betrayal was a deed of deliberate wickedness, I want to ask what were the motives that prompted Judas to do it. How was it that the man who might have been a saint became a devil? I agree with Professor Tasker that the answer is not to be given in a single word. This appalling deed had more than one evil root. The Gospels perhaps lay the most emphasis upon Judas covetousness. But that was not the only evil passion at work in Judas’ heart. In and by itself it scarcely accounts for the heinousness of Judas’ deed. In addition to covetousness ambition and jealousy ran riot in Judas’ soul, and it was as the result of the joint action of covetousness and ambition and jealousy that Judas was hurried into the crime of history.
-His Covetousness.
First of all, the Gospels assert that Judas was a covetous man. In his early days, he had perhaps been known as a hard business man remarkably keen at a bargain. Under the spell of Christ’s speech, a “new affection” sprang up in Judas’ soul, and for the time it expelled his selfish greed and made Judas willing like the rest of the disciples to leave all and follow Christ. But though for the moment subjugated and overcome, Judas’ love of money was not wholly eradicated. His heart was like the thorny ground Christ spoke of in the parable-good ground enough, but not clean. The thorn root of covetousness was hidden there. And by and by as Luke says, as he went on his way his heart was “choked” with the cares and riches of this life. The Apostles made him Treasurer of their little band, and Judas’ temptation came to him along the line of his duty. The handling of money stirred up the latent passion for money. There began a system of petty pilfering. He used to take what was put there. He became a thief. The thought of the opportunities of aggrandisement that would have been his if Mary had only put her 300 shillings into the purse of which he had the custody-angered him and maddened him. He went immediately off to the high priests to make money out of his Master. First a covetous heart; then the pilfering from the bag; then the selling of his Master for thirty pieces of silver-a slave’s ransom-that is the story of Judas’ crime.
As a matter of fact, Mammon is a mighty power, and for money, men still deny and betray their Lord, and crucify Him afresh and put Him to an open shame.
-His Ambition.
But covetousness was not the only passion at work in Judas’ heart. If money had been his one and only aim, he would have demanded a bigger price for his Lord’s life. These high priests cherished so deadly a hatred of Jesus that they would have been ready to pay any price he had asked. But all he asked apparently was thirty pieces of silver-about 4-a slave’s ransom. There was something almost contemptuous in the price asked. At any rate it makes it impossible for us to think that money was the only motive. And so alongside covetousness I see, first of all, ambition. To say that Judas was ambitious is to say about him no more than could be truly said of all the other disciples. Their motives in following Christ were not unmixed and pure. Mingled with a genuine love for Christ, there was a certain hope of reward. They were continually talking about thrones. They believed that when Jesus established His Messianic kingdom, they would all be princes in it. “What shall we have?” was a question often on their lips. In all these ambitious hopes Judas shared. The difference between the eleven and Judas was this, that while in the case of the eleven their love for Christ became stronger than their ambition-in Judas ambition got the better of love. When Jesus began to talk not of triumph but of death, not of a throne but of a Cross, Judas in heart became a deserter. When Mary anointed His head and feet, Jesus had said that it was against His burying she had done it. The word laid in ruins all Judas’ ambitions of place and power. Death and a grave-were they to be the end? Then every hope he had cherished had proved to be delusive and vain. It was defeat and extinction that was in store for Jesus. Why stick any longer to a Person Who had cheated him? And so enraged at the disappointment of his ambitions Judas went away to the high priests and covenanted to deliver Him unto them.
-His Jealousy.
With ambition I will set down jealousy as one of the motives that hurried Judas into this wicked deed. The wording of this passage is peculiar and significant. The R.V. translates it, “he that was one of the Twelve,” but the Greek of the R.V. literally translated reads like this: Judas Iscariot “the one of the Twelve.” The one! And this, according to a distinguished Biblical scholar, can only mean “the first of the Twelve.” Perhaps that translation is scarcely justified; yet as Professor Tasker says, the phrase may preserve a genuine reminiscence of a time in the earlier ministry of Jesus when Judas, the treasurer of the Apostolic company, had a kind of priority. Judas, the leader of the Twelve-the foremost man in the little company-that is how he started. But precedence in the kingdom is settled by character, and gradually Judas saw Peter and James and John admitted into an intimacy with Jesus from which he was excluded. He saw the last become first, and himself-once the first-become last! And Judas became furious with malice and envy. Now jealousy is, we say, as cruel as the grave. In Judas it combined with his covetousness and his ambition to drive him into the murder of the Son of God. It is a tragic story. There are almost fathomless mysteries in it. Explain it wholly perhaps we never can. But this we can say with Dr Bruce, “He was bad enough to do the deed of infamy, and good enough to be unable to bear the burden of its guilt. Woe to such a man! Better for him, indeed, that he had never been born.”
Lessons for Ourselves.
As for the lessons we may take to our own hearts from the story of Judas’ tragic career, they are many. I confine myself to two. (1) Judas is a solemn warning of the dangers of an incomplete conversion. That was the mischief with Judas. He was only half converted. He did not give his Lord an undivided heart. He did not count all things but loss. He did not slay utterly. He left roots of covetousness and ambition in his soul. And this tragedy was the result. (2) And Judas is a solemn illustration of privileges abused. Look at the phrasing of the text: “He that was one of the Twelve.” That constitutes the peculiar enormity of the crime. He was one of the Twelve. Christ was wounded in the house of His friends. It would not have been surprising if one of the priests or scribes or elders had set his mind on betraying Christ. But it was one of the Twelve! Judas had lived in the fellowship of Christ, in the company of Christ; he had enjoyed the unspeakable privileges of hearing Christ’s speech and seeing His wonderful deeds, and yet this was the man who went out and betrayed Him. Opportunities were wasted upon him. Privileges were abused by him. And there he stands a flagrant and terrible example of the failure of the favoured. We are highly favoured even as he. We have the Bible, we have the place of prayer, we have the preaching of the Gospel, we have the knowledge of Christ! If it were in the power of privilege to save, we ought all of us to see salvation. And yet all these privileges may go for nothing: in many cases do go for nothing. Men sin against the light! They misuse the favour and goodness of God. What about our use of these privileges? Are they the savour of life unto life or of death unto death. If the salt hath lost its savour wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is fit neither for the land nor for the dunghill. Men cast it out.
Fuente: The Gospel According to St. Mark: A Devotional Commentary
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Judas was peeved because the ointment was “wasted” on Jesus and he conceived the idea of counteracting the deed through the cowardly betrayal.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
IN these verses, Mark tells us how our Lord was delivered into the hands of His enemies. It came to pass through the treachery of one of His own twelve disciples. The false apostle, Judas Iscariot, betrayed Him.
We ought to mark, firstly, in this passage, to what lengths a man may go in a false profession of religion.
It is impossible to conceive a more striking proof of this painful truth, than the history of Judas Iscariot. If ever there was a man who at one time looked like a true disciple of Christ, and bade fair to reach heaven, that man was Judas. He was chosen by the Lord Jesus Himself to be an apostle. He was privileged to be a companion of the Messiah, and an eye-witness of His mighty works, throughout His earthly ministry. He was an associate of Peter, James and John. He was sent forth to preach the kingdom of God, and to work miracles in Christ’s name. He was regarded by all the eleven apostles as one of themselves. He was so like his fellow disciples, that they did not suspect him of being a traitor. And yet this very man turns out at last a false-hearted child of the devil-departs entirely from the faith-assists our Lord’s deadliest enemies, and leaves the world with a worse reputation than any one since the days of Cain. Never was there such a fall, such an apostasy, such a miserable end to a fair beginning-such a total eclipse of a soul!
And how can this amazing conduct of Judas be accounted for? There is only one answer to that question. “The love of money” was the cause of this unhappy man’s ruin. That same groveling covetousness, which enslaved the heart of Balaam, and brought on Gehazi a leprosy, was the destruction of Iscariot’s soul. No other explanation of his behavior will satisfy the plain statements of Scripture. His act was an act of mean covetousness, without a redeeming feature about it. The Holy Ghost declares plainly “he was a thief.” (Joh 12:6.) And his case stands before the world as an eternal comment on the solemn words, “the love of money is the root of all evil.” (1Ti 6:10.)
Let us learn from this melancholy history of Judas, to be “clothed with humility,” and to be content with nothing short of the grace of the Holy Ghost in our hearts. Knowledge, gifts, profession, privileges, church-membership, power of preaching, praying, and talking about religion, are all useless things, if our hearts are not converted. They are all no better than sounding brass, and a tinkling cymbal, if we have not put off the old man, and put on the new. They will not deliver us from hell.-Above all, let us remember our Lord’s caution, to “beware of covetousness.” (Luk 12:15.) It is a sin that eats like a canker, and once admitted into our hearts, may lead us finally into every wickedness. Let us pray to be “content with such things as we have.” (Heb 13:5.) The possession of money is not the one thing needful. Riches entail great peril on the souls of those who have them. The true Christian ought to be far more afraid of being rich than of being poor.
We ought to mark, secondly, in this passage, the intentional connection between the time of the Jewish Passover and the time of Christ’s death. We cannot doubt for a moment that it was not by chance, but by God’s providential appointment, that our Lord was crucified in the passover week, and on the very day that the passover lamb was slain. It was meant to draw the attention of the Jewish nation to Him as the true Lamb of God. It was meant to bring to their minds the true object and purpose of His death. Every sacrifice, no doubt, was intended to point the Jew onward to the one great sacrifice for sin which Christ offered. But none, certainly, was so striking a figure and type of our Lord’s sacrifice, as the slaying of the passover lamb. It was pre-eminently an ordinance which was a “schoolmaster unto Christ.” (Gal 3:24.) Never was there a type so full of meaning in the whole circle of Jewish ceremonies, as the passover was at its original institution.
Did the passover remind the Jew of the marvelous deliverance of his forefathers out of the land of Egypt, when God slew the first-born? No doubt it did. But it was also meant to be a sign to him of the far greater redemption and deliverance from the bondage of sin, which was to be brought in by our Lord Jesus Christ.
Did the passover remind the Jew, that by the death of an innocent lamb, the families of his forefathers were once exempted from the death of their first-born? No doubt it did. But it was also meant to teach him the far higher truth, that the death of Christ on the cross was to be the life of the world.
Did the passover remind the Jew that the sprinkling of blood on the door-posts of his forefathers’ houses, preserved them from the sword of the destroying angel? No doubt it did. But it was also meant to show him the far more important doctrine that Christ’s blood sprinkled on man’s conscience, cleanses it from all stain of guilt, and makes him safe from the wrath to come.
Did the passover remind the Jew that none of his fore-fathers were safe from the destroying angel, in the night when he slew the first-born, unless he actually ate of the slain lamb? No doubt it did. But it was meant to guide his mind to the far higher lesson, that all who would receive benefit from Christ’s atonement, must actually feed upon Him by faith, and receive Him into their hearts.
Let us call these things to mind, and weigh them well. We shall then see a peculiar fitness and beauty in the time appointed by God for our Lord Jesus Christ’s death on the cross. It happened at the very season when the mind of all Israel was being directed to the deliverance from Egypt, and to the events of that wondrous night, when it took place. The lamb slain and eaten by every member of the family-the destroying angel-the safety within the blood-sprinkled door, would have been talked over and considered in every Jewish household, the very week that our blessed Lord was slain. It would be strange indeed if such a remarkable death as His, at such a time, did not set many minds thinking, and open many eyes. To what extent we shall never know till the last day.
Let it be a rule with us, in the reading of our Bibles, to study the types and ordinances of the Mosaic law with prayerful attention. They are all full of Christ. The altar-the scape-goat-the daily burnt-offering-the day of atonement, are all so many finger-posts pointing to the great sacrifice offered by our Lord on Calvary. Those who neglect to study the Jewish ordinances, as dark, dull, and uninteresting parts of the Bible, only show their own ignorance, and miss great advantages. Those who examine them with Christ as the key to their meaning, will find them full of Gospel light and comfortable truth. [Footnote: It may be well to observe in this connection, that it admits of much question, whether the common view of the word “passover” is the correct one. At any rate, the following passage from Bishop Lowth, on Isa 31:5, deserves careful consideration. He says:
“The common notion of God’s passing over the houses of the Israelites is, that in going through the land of Egypt to smite the firstborn, seeing the blood on the door of the houses of the Israelites, He passed over, or skipped those houses, and forbore to smite them. But that this is not the true notion of the thing, will be plain from considering the words of the sacred historian, where he describes very explicitly the action: ‘For Jehovah will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when He seeth the blood on the lintels and on the two side posts, Jehovah will spring forward over or before the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come into your houses to smite you.’ Exo 12:23. Here are manifestly two distinct agents, with which the notion of passing over is not consistent; for that supposes but one agent. The two agents are, the destroying angel passing through to smite every house, and Jehovah the protector, keeping pace with him, who, seeing the door of the Israelites marked with blood, leaps forward, throws Himself with a sudden motion in the way, opposes the destroying angel, and protects and saves that house against him, nor suffers him to smite it.” The words of Isa 31:5, ought to be studied attentively, in order to understand the fitness and propriety of this interpretation.]
Fuente: Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels
Mar 14:10-11. See on Mat 26:14-16; Luk 22:3-6. Both accounts are fuller.
He that was one of the twelve, lit., the one of the Twelve, pointing to a well-known one.
That (in order that) he might deliver him up unto them. The definite purpose of Judas is brought out more fully here than by Matthew. The delivery to them involved all the rest of our Lords sufferings.
When they heard it. Hearing the proposal. This is peculiar to Mark.
Promised. The money was probably not paid until the night of the betrayal.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, 1. The person betraying our blessed Redeemer: Judas, Judas a professor; Judas, a preacher; Judas, an apostle; and one of the twelve whom Christ had chosen out of all the world to be his dearest friends, his family and household; shall we wonder to find friends unfriendly or unfaithful to us, when our Saviour had a traitor in his own family!
Observe, 2. The heinous nature of Judas’s sin, he betrayed Jesus; Jesus his Maker, Jesus his Master. It is no strange or uncommon thing for the vilest of sins, and most horrid impieties, to be acted by such persons, as make the most eminent profession of holiness and religion.
Observe, 3. What was the occasion that led Judas to the commission of this sin: It was his inordinate love of money. I do not find that Judas had any particular malice, spite, or ill will, against our Saviour, but a base and unworthy spirit of covetousness possessed him, and this made him sell his Master. Covetousness is the root-sin. An eager and insatiable thirst after the world, is a parent of the most monstrous and unnatural sins; for which reason our Saviour doubles his caution, Take heed, and beware of covetousness Luk 12:15. It shews us both the danger of the sin, and great care we ought to take to preserve ourselves from it.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Mar 14:10-16. Judas went unto the chief priests, &c. Immediately after this reproof, having anger now added to his covetousness. See these verses explained in the notes on Mat 26:14-19. There shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water It was highly seasonable for our Lord to give them this additional proof, both of his knowing all things, and of his influence over the minds of men; follow him If our Lord meant that the man would be coming out of the city as the disciples were going in, his order implied, that they were to turn back with him, the house whither he was carrying the water being somewhere in the suburbs; but if he meant that the man would meet them at the crossing of a street, or the turning of a corner, they were to go with him perhaps farther into the city. The expression used by Luke, , seems to favour this supposition. Say ye to the good man of the house To the master of the family; The Master saith, Where is the guest-chamber, &c. Commentators on this passage tell us, from the Talmudists, that in Jerusalem, at the passover, the houses were not to be let, but were of common right for any one to eat the passover in them. He will show you a large upper room furnished Greek, , stratum, spread, namely, with a carpet; and prepared Having beds or couches placed to recline on. The English word, says Dr. Campbell, which comes nearest the import of the Greek, is carpeted. But when this term is used, as here, of a dining-room, it is not meant only of the floor, but of the couches, on which the guests reclined at meals. On these they were wont, for the sake both of neatness and of conveniency, to spread a coverlet or carpet. As this was commonly the last thing they did in dressing the room, it may not improperly be employed to denote the whole. There make ready for us There provide the unleavened bread, the lamb, and the bitter herbs, and make all things ready against the time of our coming. Christ does not order one or both of these disciples to return and inform him and the others where they had made this preparation, and to direct them to the house. This was unnecessary; for the same prophetic gift which enabled Jesus to predict these circumstances, would easily guide him to the house; and it is a beautiful modesty in the sacred historian not to notice it. His disciples went forth After our Lord had given these particular instructions, the two disciples whom he sent went out from thence, came into the city, and found all the circumstances as Jesus had predicted. It is justly observed by Mr. Scott here, that nothing could be less the object of natural sagacity and foresight than the events here mentioned. Had the two disciples come to the place specified rather sooner or later than they did, the man bearing the pitcher of water would either not have arrived, or would have been gone. But our Lord knew that the owner of a certain commodious house in Jerusalem favoured him; he foresaw that at a precise time of the day he would send his servant for a pitcher of water; that the disciples would meet him just when they entered the city; that by following him they would find out the person whom he intended; and that by mentioning him as the master, or the teacher, the owner of the house would readily consent to accommodate them in an upper chamber. When the disciples found all these circumstances so exactly accord to the prediction, they could not but be deeply impressed with a conviction of their Lords knowledge of every event, and of his influence over every heart.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
TREASON OF JUDAS
Mat 26:14-16; Mar 14:10-11; Luk 22:3-6. But Satan entered into Judas, called Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. There is not an intimation against Judas till about the close of the second year of our Lords ministry. (Joh 6:64-71) Judas had faithfully preached these two years with the other eleven, his financial office infelicitously conducing to that fatal development of money-love. This whole year he has been gradually wrought upon more and more by Demon Avarice. Now, he even has the impudence to speak out overtly at the supper condemnatory of Mary for her lavish prodigality in pouring forty-five dollars worth of Oriental myrrh on the head of the Savior. Of course, this bold step encouraged Satan, who had long been tinkering with him and pulling on him, so that he proceeded at once to enter into him, thus gaining a decisive victory, and taking possession of him.
And having gone away, he spoke with the high priests and captains as to how he might deliver Him to them. These captains were the officers of the temple guards. The holy Temple Campus is said to contain thirty-five acres. Most of it is open pavement, where the Moslem millions now assemble on their great religious anniversaries; but where the children of Abraham, in the good olden time, used to gather, not only from all parts of Canaan, but from their Gentile dispersions in all the ends of the earth. As Jesus was a native Jew, He was never prohibited from coming into this holy area. At present, any Jew entering that holy place would be instantly killed. I have entered it twice, and both times guarded by Turkish soldiers, with loaded guns, so long as I remained in the sacred inclosure. Hence that holy place, from the days of David and Solomon, has been constantly guarded by soldiers. Of course, these temple guards were subject to the ipse dixit of the hierarchy.
And they rejoiced, and contracted with him to give money [i. e., thirty pieces of silver, as Matthew says]. And he promised them, and continued to seek opportunity to deliver Him to them without a mob. Such was the popularity of Jesus with the common people, that they constantly anticipated and feared that, in case of an attempt to arrest Him, a mob would rise, take Him out of their hands, and do them violence.
Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament
Mar 14:10 f. The Betrayal.Judas helps the chief priests in the way they need. He undertakes to hand over Jesus quietly, without attracting the crowd. Schweitzer supposes Judas to have betrayed the Messianic secret which gave the chief priest confidence to put his question in Mar 6:2. But no such betrayal was necessary. Judas explained the time when, and the place where, Jesus could most conveniently be arrested. Mk. gives no hint as to his motive.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
Verse 10
Judas Iscariot was the one chiefly dissatisfied with the honor which Mary had paid to Jesus. (John 12:4-5.)
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
THE PLOT THICKENS
10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.
Now, those that think that He was a believer might suggest that he wanted the money to pay back that which he had stolen from the bag, but that would seem a grasp in the dark. It is his motive of disloyalty that is so very prevalent in the text, not his goodness, repentance and restitution.
Note the gladness and the willingness of the parties to act upon their plot as they thickened it. Note also the specificity of the text. “Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve” leaves little doubt the one that was guilty. Not much of a way that the critics of our day could get around that clear declaration and identification.
Now, Judas might have been a little toward the lazy type in nature. He sought how he could “conveniently betray him.” He did not want to go to too much trouble to get this job of betrayal on the road. And from the lack of mention in the text it would seem that the leaders took care of his minor request.
Sin is always the easy way, the way most convenient and often leads to serious consequences, as did the act of Judas. Luke adds that the act was to be away from the multitude, out of sight, in secret. The leaders are still worried about the public and their reaction to the killing of Christ. Matthew adds that Judas asked what they would give him and they gave him 30 pieces of silver and he closed the agreement.
Barnes suggests that the rebuke of the Lord related to Mary’s offering to Him may have angered Judas and that with his natural bent for covetousness tipped him over the edge with serving this man who he had followed for three years. One might wonder if there were other incidents that caused feelings if not friction between the two over that time period.
Luke mentions that Satan entered into Judas. We have little evidence that Satan actually was ever this involved in his devious activities, but at this time he was giving things his personal attention. The very fact that he entered into Judas would indicate that he was not a believer. There is no indication that Satan can indwell any believer.
One might contemplate the joy, excitement and shock of the Jewish leaders. In quiet they are plotting the death of the Lord, trying to figure out their plot and their plot plops into their midst in the form of Judas. What a relief, no need for all that thinking and planning, we will just let him do the work for us.
The People’s New Testament notes suggest even a more sinister reason behind the offer to betray the Lord. They suggest that the loss of the possible money from the offering of Mary had upset him in that he could not make that gain profitable for himself. They also go on to suggest, and it might well be correct, that he has just realized that his chance of being the Lord’s money keeper in an earthly kingdom was going away. This may have angered him even more than the rebuke in front of the others.
No matter the motivation or the inner character flaws the plot was set into motion and it would end in the arrest and ultimate death of the Lord.
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
14:10 {5} And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.
(5) Covetousness disguised with a zeal of charity is an occasion to betray and crucify Christ.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Judas’ betrayal of Jesus 14:10-11 (cf. Matthew 26:14-16; Luke 22:3-6)
If the preceding incident happened on Saturday evening and Judas betrayed Jesus on Wednesday, Mary’s act of extravagance did not lead Judas to betray Jesus immediately. The Gospel writers did not explain Judas’ reasons for betraying Jesus explicitly. It was evidently Judas’ initiative in offering to betray Jesus that led the Sanhedrin to move up their timetable for Jesus’ execution. If Judas handed Jesus over to them, they could avoid the hostility of the crowds (cf. Mar 14:2; Luk 22:6).
Even though Mary’s act of devotion is the high point of this section, providing an excellent example for disciple readers, the dark undercurrent of betrayal is its dominant feature. The religious leaders, Judas, and even the disciples manifested opposition to glorifying Jesus. This attitude was a source of suffering for the Servant.
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)
CHAPTER 14:10-16 (Mar 14:10-16)
THE TRAITOR
“And Judas Iscariot, he that was one of the twelve, went away unto the chief priests, that he might deliver Him unto them. And they, when they heard it, were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently deliver Him unto them. And on the first day of unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the passover, His disciples say unto Him, Where wilt Thou that we go and make ready that Thou mayest eat the passover? And He sendeth two of His disciples, and saith unto them, Go into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him; and wheresoever he shall enter in, say to the goodman of the house, the Master saith, Where is My guest-chamber, where I shall eat the passover with My disciples? And he will himself shew you a large upper room furnished and ready: and there make ready for us. And the disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as He had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.” Mar 14:10-16 (R.V.)
IT was when Jesus rebuked the Twelve for censuring Mary, that the patience of Judas, chafing in a service which had grown hateful, finally gave way. He offered a treacherous and odious help to the chiefs of his religion, and these pious men, too scrupulous to cast blood-money into the treasure or to defile themselves by entering a pagan judgment hall, shuddered not at the contact of such infamy, warned him not that perfidy will pollute the holiest cause, care as little then for his ruin as when they asked what to them was his remorseful agony; but were glad, and promised to give him money. By so doing, they became accomplices in the only crime by which it is quite certain that a soul was lost. The supreme “offense” was planned and perpetrated by no desperate criminal. It was the work of an apostle, and his accomplices were the heads of a divinely given religion. What an awful example of the deadening power, palsying the conscience, petrifying the heart, of religious observances devoid of real trust and love.
The narrative, as we saw, somewhat displaced the story of Simon’s feast, to connect this incident more closely with the betrayal. And it now proceeds at once to the Passover, and the final crisis. In so doing, it pauses at a curious example of circumspection, intimately linked also with the treason of Judas. The disciples, unconscious of treachery, asked where they should prepare the paschal supper. And Jesus gave them a sign by which to recognize one who had a large upper room prepared for that purpose, to which he would make them welcome. It is not quite impossible that the pitcher of water was a signal preconcerted with some disciple in Jerusalem, although secret understandings are not found elsewhere in the life of Jesus. What concerns us to observe is that the owner of the house which the bearer entered was a believer. To him Jesus is “the Master,” and can say “Where is My guest-chamber?”
[NOTE: Carrying water was women’s work; a man carrying a pitcher of water would be unusual.]
So obscure a disciple was he, that Peter and John require a sign to guide them to his house. Yet his upper room would now receive such a consecration as the Temple never knew. With strange feelings would he henceforth enter the scene of the last supper of his Lord. But now, what if he had only admitted Jesus with hesitation and after long delay? We should wonder; yet there are lowlier doors at which the same Jesus stands and knocks, and would fain come in and sup. And cold is His welcome to many a chamber which is neither furnished nor made ready.
The mysterious and reticent indication of the place is easily understood. Jesus would not enable His enemies to lay hands upon Him before the time. His nights had hitherto been spent at Bethany; now first it was possible to arrest Him in the darkness, and hurry on the trial before the Galileans at the feast, strangers and comparatively isolated, could learn the danger of their “prophet of Galilee.” It was only too certain that when the blow was struck, the light and fickle adhesion of the populace would transfer itself to the successful party. Meanwhile, the prudence of Jesus gave Him time for the Last Supper, and the wonderful discourse recorded by St. John, and the conflict and victory in the Garden. When the priests learned, at a late hour, that Jesus might yet be arrested before morning, but that Judas could never watch Him any more, the necessity for prompt action came with such surprise upon them, that the arrest was accomplished while they still had to seek false witnesses, and to consult how a sentence might best be extorted from the Governor. It is right to observe at every point, the mastery of Jesus, the perplexity and confusion of His foes.
And it is also right that we should learn to include, among the woes endured for us by the Man of Sorrows, this haunting consciousness that a base vigilance was to be watched against, that He breathed the air of treachery and vileness.
Here then, in view of the precautions thus forced upon our Lord, we pause to reflect upon the awful fall of Judas, the degradation of an apostle into a hireling, a traitor, and a spy. Men have failed to believe that one whom Jesus called to His side should sink so low.
They have not observed how inevitably great goodness rejected brings out special turpitude, and dark shadows go with powerful lights; how, in this supreme tragedy, all the motives, passions, moral and immoral impulses are on the tragic scale; what gigantic forms of baseness, hypocrisy, cruelty, and injustice stalk across the awful platform, and how the forces of hell strip themselves, and string their muscles for a last desperate wrestle against the powers of heaven, so that here is the very place to expect the extreme apostasy. And so they have conjectured that Iscariot was only half a traitor. Some project had misled him of forcing his Master to turn to bay.
Then the powers which wasted themselves in scattering unthanked and unprofitable blessings would exert themselves to crush the foe. Then he could claim for himself the credit deserved by much astuteness, the consideration due to the only man of political resource among the Twelve. But this well-intending Judas is equally unknown to the narratives and the prophecies, and this theory does not harmonize with any of the facts. Profound reprobation and even contempt are audible in all the narratives; they are quite as audible in the reiterated phrase, “which was one of the Twelve,” and in almost every mention of his name, as in the round assertion of St. John, that he was a thief and stole from the common purse. Only the lowest motive is discernible in the fact that his project ripened just when the waste of the ointment spoiled his last hope from apostleship, — the hope of unjust gain, and in his bargaining for the miserable price which he still carried with him when the veil dropped from his inner eyes, when he awoke to the sorrow of the world which worketh death, to the remorse which was not penitence.
One who desired that Jesus should be driven to counter-measures and yet free to take them, would probably have favored His escape when once the attempt to arrest Him inflicted the necessary spur, and certainly he would have anxiously avoided any appearance of insult. But it will be seen that Judas carefully closed every door against his Lord’s escape, and seized Him with something very like a jibe on his recreant lips.
No, his infamy cannot be palliated, but it can be understood. For it is a solemn and awful truth, that in every defeat of grace the reaction is equal to the action; they who have been exalted unto heaven are brought down far below the level of the world; and the principle is universal that Israel cannot, by willing it, be as the nations that are round about, to serve other gods. God Himself gives him statutes that are not good. He makes fat the heart and blinds the eyes of the apostate. Therefore it comes that religion without devotion is the mockery of honest worldlings; that hypocrisy goes so constantly with the meanest and most sordid lust of gain, and selfish cruelty; that publicans and harlots enter heaven before scribes and Pharisees; that salt which has lost its savor is fit neither for the land nor for the dung-hill. Oh, then, to what place of shame shall a recreant apostle be thrust down?
Moreover it must be observed that the guilt of Judas, however awful, is but a shade more dark than that of his sanctimonious employers, who sought false witnesses against Christ, extorted by menace and intrigue a sentence which Pilate openly pronounced to be unjust, mocked His agony on the cross, and on the resurrection morning bribed a pagan soldiery to lie for the Hebrew faith. It is plain enough that Jesus could not and did not choose the apostle through foreknowledge of what they would hereafter prove, but by His perception of what they then were, and what they were capable of becoming, if faithful to the light they should receive.
Not one, when chosen first, was ready to welcome the purely spiritual kingdom, the despised Messiah, the life of poverty and scorn. They had to learn, and it was open to them to refuse the discipline. Once at least they were asked, Will ye also go away? How severe was the trial may be seen by the rebuke of Peter, and the petition of “Zebedee’s children” and their mother. They conquered the same reluctance of the flesh which overcame the better part in Judas. But he clung desperately to secular hope, until the last vestige of such hope was over. Listening to the warnings of Christ against the cares of this world, the lust of other things, love of high places and contempt of lowly service, and watching bright offers rejected and influential classes estranged, it was inevitable that a sense of personal wrong, and a vindictive resentment, should spring up in his gloomy heart. The thorns choked the good seed. Then came a deeper fall. As he rejected the pure light of self-sacrifice, and the false light of his romantic daydreams faded, no curb was left on the baser instincts which are latent in the human heart. Self-respect being already lost, and conscience beaten down, he was allured by low compensations, and the apostle became a thief. What better than gain, however sordid, was left to a life so plainly frustrated and spoiled? That is the temptation of disillusion, as fatal to middle life as the passions are to early manhood. And this fall reacted again upon his attitude towards Jesus. Like all who will not walk in the light, he hated the light; like all hirelings of two masters, he hated the one he left. Men ask how Judas could have consented to accept for Jesus the blood-money of a slave. The truth is that his treason itself yielded him a dreadful satisfaction, and the insulting kiss, and the sneering “Rabbi,” expressed the malice of his heart. Well for him if he had never been born. For when his conscience awoke with a start and told him what thing he had become, only self-loathing remained to him. Peter denying Jesus was nevertheless at heart His own; a look sufficed to melt him. For Judas, Christ was become infinitely remote and strange, an abstraction, “the innocent blood,” no more than that. And so, when Jesus was passing into the holiest through the rent veil which was His flesh, this first Antichrist had already torn with his own hands the tissue of the curtain which hides eternity.
Now let us observe that all this ruin was the result of forces continually at work upon human hearts. Aspiration, vocation, failure, degradation — it is the summary of a thousand lives. Only it is here exhibited on a vast and dreadful scale (magnified by the light which was behind, as images thrown by a lantern upon a screen) for the instruction and warning of the world.