Wednesday of Holy
Week
(Isaiah 50:4-9a; Matthew 26:14-25)
Of the four gospels Matthew gives the most complete portrait
of Judas Iscariot. As in Mark and Luke, Judas
is named on Matthew’s list of apostles in the last place because he will betray
Jesus (10:4). In the passage read today,
Judas bargains with the chief priests for thirty pieces of silver in exchange
for handing Jesus over. During the Last
Supper Matthew alone pictures Judas as disobeying Jesus’ explicit directive not
to call anyone “Rabbi.” In Gethsemane Judas again defies Jesus by calling him “Rabbi”
and then treacherously kisses him as a sign to the arresting party that he is
their man (26:47-50). Finally, only
Matthew describes Judas’ returning the money he received from the high priests out
of regret for what he had done. Then,
according to Matthew alone, Judas hangs himself (27:3-5).
Judas betrays Jesus out of greed. The thirty pieces of silver comprise 120 days
of wages for a skilled laborer in gospel times.
In the end Judas appears remorseful when he goes back to the chief
priests to return the silver. Is he expressing
contrition for his sin? Not really. He
offended Jesus, not the chief priests.
If he were truly sorry, he should have sought Jesus’ forgiveness.
Judas evidently was at least gifted enough to attract Jesus’
attention and to be elected an apostle. Perhaps
he was blinded enough by the desire for silver that he bought into the
criticism of Jesus by the Jewish leaders.
In any case he lacked the fortitude to ask forgiveness of the person he
offended. Looking at ourselves, we may
find some of the same character faults.
Hopefully, we pray every day that God will strengthen us so that we never
betray our friends, least of all, Jesus, the greatest of our friends.
