JUDAS ISCARIOT
JUDAS ISCARIOT
“Satan entered into him”
(John 13: 18-26; 17:12)
Preached by: Carolyn Sissom
Sunday Evening Service, Sunday, March 15, 2009
After announcing to the church this morning that I would be preaching on Judas tonight, David McDaniel gave me a word. He said, “Do you know why you are preaching on Judas? The Judas’ in your life have been what the Lord used to push you into your destiny.” This is true!!! I don’t have that “push”. Without persecution and betrayal, I would probably have been a couch potato. Persecution, betrayal and treachery animate me. (Smile) The Lord has always used persecution when it was time to accelerate the gospel.
John 6:70: “Jesus answered them, “Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spoke of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.
Betrayal and Treachery are part of the work of the Cross. If we are to be glorified with Jesus, we will suffer with him.
This is a strong prophetic word spoken by Jesus. This transcends the idea of sons or children of the devil. It indicates a willing and deliberate tool of satan, i.e., the devil’s own man. By this word, Jesus informs Judas that he is aware of the unbelief in his heart.
Why Judas? The Lord constantly employed visual aids as teaching devices, communion, baptism, healings, feed the crowd, etc. His selection of Judas gives us a profile as satan’s methods unfolded in his man.
- Closeness: Judas was intimate with Jesus, convinced of His public and private innocence, yet betrayed Him.
- Hideous: In betraying innocence for money, we see the exaltation of “mammon” as the real god of unbelievers.
- Disguised: Satan’s agents are found among the servants of the Lord.
- Immune to Truth: Judas was a participator in Jesus’ miracles, a sharer of His Words of life, yet never saved.
- Treacherous: Posing as a friend, Judas schemed to betray Him. satan uses a man’s family and friends for hate and hurt. In Judas we see how sin works, demonstrating evil in action. He is a visual-aid hand picked by Jesus in accordance with the prophetic Word of Psa. 41:9
“Yet my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.”
John 13: 18-30: “I speak not of you all; I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He that eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it come, that when it is come to pass, you may believe that I am He. Verily, verily, I say unto you He that receives whomsoever I send receive me; and he receives me receives him that sent me. When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
Jesus pre-arms His disciples. In a few hours Judas’ treachery will appear successful. By telling them of it in advance, they can more easily believe it was a part of the divine plan and not be overcome when it happens. Jesus is quoting a Messianic Psalm saying that it applies to Him. Thus he makes another claim to Messiah-ship. At this point the disciples have no idea who the traitor is. This is a testimony of Jesus’ love for Judas and his desire to give him every chance to repent of his evil.
Without this advance notice, Judas’ treachery could easily crumble the confidence of the disciples. Judas went on preaching missions and held healing meetings of his own. The question could be asked, what value was the work he did in Jesus name?
Jesus is saying, it has to do with the hearer, not the preacher. Does it matter if your mailman is pleasant or mean as long as you get the right letter! Anyone who receives a sent worker is receiving the sender. Similarly the sincerity of a servant is immaterial as long as a sinner receives the Word of God. It is the Word of God and the Holy Spirit that gives ministers their power. In saying that they are sent from Him, as He was sent from the Father, He arms them with authority.
That Jesus was troubled in Spirit describes the agony of this moment. It was painful for Him to say this. He has been hurt by the crowds, but to have one of His own plot against him is betrayal and treachery. His eyes fall on the crafty Judas reclining there with the 30 pieces of silver already in his pouch. The Lord does not yet identify him by name. He makes one last effort to redeem him.
13:22: “then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spoke. Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter, therefore, beckoned unto him, Lord who is it? Jesus answered, ‘He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop satan entered into him. Then said, Jesus, “That thou doest, do quickly.”
The ancients did not eat as we do, but reclined around a low table on couches or divans. They leaned on the left arm. Their feet stretched out behind them with the head of each near the breast of the person on the left. We can suppose that Jesus was between John and Judas.
Dip: a dish on the table contained a sauce made of bitter herbs. After the second cup of the Paschal feast was passed, morsels of bread were distributed to all at the table so that they could dip together and recall the bitterness of that night in Egypt. The act of handing someone a morsel that was already dipped was a token of friendship. Thus in giving the betrayer the dipped bread, Jesus revealed two things.
- That he knew the traitor’s identity
- That Jesus still cares for him.
Judas knows he is defected yet loved. His heart could be melted by this---or hardened. Their eyes meet. Satan is standing by. The appeal to his heart fails. He accepts the bread without hesitation. His mind is made up. His heart is hardened.
The devil has no power to take over anyone without his permission. God has made the human will sovereign. Judas had resigned his will entirely to the will of satan. In that moment (receiving the sop) his hardened heart became filled with the spirit of satan to become his slave. The reverse occurs when a man submits to the Holy Spirit to become the bond slave of Jesus. So filled with the unholy spirit, Judas became the complete tool of the devil. We must not suppose he suddenly behaved as a demoniac.
Bet Amante loaned me a book, The Search for the Twelve Apostles, by: William Steuart McBirnie, PH.D.; Tyndale House, Publisher. He makes some interesting observations about Judas. One I find fascinating in light of Zech. 11:12-14: “And I said unto them, ‘If you think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear, so they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver, and the Lord said unto me, Cast it unto the potter; a goodly price that I was priced at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord. Then I cut asunder my other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
It is significant that Judas was the only apostle who was not a Galilean, but was a Judean. As his name suggests he was from Judah of Kerioth (Judas Iscariot). This is a small town some few miles south of Hebron. McBirnie suggests that Judas’ desire for a political deliverer plus his desire for the money and favor with the Pharisees is how he justified his actions.
Jesus drew the other disciples to Himself through cords of love. However, from Judas’ fettered greed and disappointed ambition sprang jealousy, spite and hatred. It was the hatred not of a strong but of an essentially weak man. Instead of making an open breach with his Lord, he remained as one of His followers; and this continued contact with a goodness to which he would not yield, (Mark 14:10) and his brooding over the rebukes of his Master, gave ready entrance for “satan to enter in to him.”
It is noted that there was a difference in temperament, social outlook and petty prejudices of the people of Judah and the people of Galilee. I believe that is still true today.
“His life is a lesson which points vividly to the pitfalls of our spiritual pilgrimage.”
The other disciples then speculated about what Jesus said to Judas. Jesus retained to Himself all knowledge of Judas’ treachery. Jesus attitude didn’t change even after Judas was satan-filled.
(30) So after taking the brad, Judas when out quickly---into the night! Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him”
On the night which he was betrayed by Judas, Jesus offered a prayer which is record in John 17.
17:12: “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name; those that you gave me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”
Perdition: Hell – loss of the soul – eternal damnation.
18:1-5: “When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron where was a garden into which he entered, and his disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus often times resorted there with his disciples. Judas then having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees came there with lanterns, torches and weapons. Jesus therefore knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, whom see you? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said unto them, I AM HE. And Judas also, which betrayed him stood with them. And soon then as he had said, unto them, I am he, they went backward and fell to the ground.
That is King James for they were slain under the power of the Spirit. That included Judas.
The Pharisees and Sadducees combine their efforts against the gentle unarmed Lord! The moon is out, lanterns are not needed except to chase someone trying to escape. Roman soldiers (political powers) are needed, as well as temple police. Jesus had both Roman and Jewish trials.
Jesus steps forth. He deliberately places himself at the head of the group to meet the oncoming soldiers and His betrayer. Unlike the "first Adam' who hid when he was sought, the "Second" comes forth from among the trees and says, “I am” Interestingly, when they sought to make Him King, he fled. But when they seek to put him to death, he goes forth to meet them. Jesus purposely asks whom they seek. In getting their specific reply, He eliminates the other disciples. It is for their protection he asks this question.
Judas had arranged to identify Jesus with a kiss. The Lord, of course, made it unnecessary by stepping forward. However Judas did kiss Him to fulfill his part of the bargain
The “I Am” of the Lord had a powerful effect. When walking on the waves he shouted, “I Am” to comfort his amazed disciples, and settle a storm. It had a transforming effect on the woman at the well. Even the Sanhedrin came under such conviction with His testimony of “I am He!” Now an entire crowd of trained soldiers and religious officers stagger and fall backward to the ground by the power of those words.
Taught by: Carolyn Sissom
Scripture from K.J.V.; Text quoted from C. S. Lovett’s Lights on John and The Search for the Twelve Apostles by William Steuart McBirnie PH.