Before you read this, you might want to watch a clip from Jesus Christ Superstar, an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical based on the life and death of Jesus. This clip show Judas, after Jesus is arrested, after Judas has betrayed Jesus to the authorities. https://youtu.be/kM-gnLRLPdw
“My mind is in darkness,” ssys Judas (in the movie clip). “My God, I am sick. I’ve been used. I’ll never know why you chose me for your crime.”
Judas: A tragic figure or an evil one? An enigma or simply following his destiny? Some dismiss him, while others see him as a mystery to solve. How Judas is portrayed sometimes depends on your theology of God and Jesus. If you are someone who believes that Jesus was put on this earth to die on a cross, in forgiveness of our sins, then you will see the events leading up to his death as preordained, as willed by God. If you are someone who believes Jesus was put to death because of his actions, not by God but by Rome, you might see the events leading to his death as the decisions and actions of a broken people, people who made bad choices.
Why this fascination with Judas? Why not Peter, who, after the arrest of Jesus, denied him, pretending he didn’t know him. What about the other disciples who abandoned Jesus, who hid while Jesus was condemned and then crucified? Aren’t they all culpable in some way of betraying their friend, this man they had followed for three years, who had all been part of an intimate group, who lived together on the road, followers of Jesus who ate with him, walked with him, questioned him, and imitated him. Aren’t they all guilty of betraying their friend?
The gospels barely even mention Judas throughout their narratives. When he is first introduced, he is labeled as the one who would betray Jesus, but we don’t hear much about him again until their final trip to Jerusalem. At that time, the Jewish authorities are looking for a way to arrest Jesus without inciting the crowd. They need an out-of-the-way place, where they can arrest him in secret and Judas provides them with the information they need. We also know Judas was at the Last Supper and that Jesus foretold his betrayal. We know it was Judas who brought the authorities to the garden and pointed him out to the soldiers by kissing Jesus. There are only vague suggestions of his motive.
Why would someone betray Jesus? Why would Judas, who was supposedly a friend of Jesus, part of this inner circle of twelve, turn in Jesus to the authorities? Did Judas know that Jesus was the Son of God? Did he know he was betraying the Messiah, the one who would save them all? Was he fulfilling some destiny; was he only a pawn is this story? Some have called him guilty, as a greedy carrier of the purse, in it for the 30 pieces of silver. Others have suggested that he was only following his destiny, what God had called him to do, in order to fulfill God’s plan, obeying God, or, some would say, obeying Satan.
Some gospel verses state that his actions fulfilled scripture. For ages, Christians have professed that the Hebrew scriptures foretold future events, specifically around Jesus and his life, but in some ways, saying the Hebrew Scriptures are predictions of the future, dismisses it as a text in and of itself, a text that is studied and revered in Judaism. I read somewhere that the meaning of scripture being fulfilled is not that a foreseen future event has taken place, but that an earlier statement has been recognized to have a fuller and deeper meaning in light of later events.
As you are hearing, I don’t have many answers, only questions. I can only theorize, guess, and wonder at this story and the part Judas played in it. But again, why does he fascinate us? What is it about his role in the death of Jesus that makes us demonize him or sympathize with him?
Usually it’s the other eleven disciples with whom we connect more willingly. They are us; we are them. We can put ourselves in their shoes as we talk about our own journey of following Jesus, the mistakes we make, our arrogance, our ignorance, our daily struggles of following Jesus. Peter is usually the one to whom we refer the most. He seems to be the one who had a unique and close relationship with Jesus, but one of the reasons I like the movie, Jesus Christ Superstar, is because we see a special relationship between Jesus and Judas. You can tell throughout the movie that Jesus loves Judas and that Judas loves Jesus but that they are ideologically different and butt heads throughout the movie. Judas struggles to understand Jesus, his words, his actions, and his motives, as we, the viewers, also struggle to understand.
Judas gives us a different perspective. You see, this was a dangerous time for the Jewish people. Their land was occupied by the Romans. There had been rebellions in the past. Rome had put down those rebellions, with brutal violence and crucified many for their treason against Rome. John the Baptist had been recently beheaded for his words against Herod. The Jewish authorities were being very careful to keep things quiet, to keep the Romans happy. Jesus was stirring things up again. He was giving people hope of a new world, a new kingdom. Thousands were following and listening to him. Coming into Jerusalem for the Passover event saw him being treated like a king with people waving palm branches and shouting Hosanna, save us. What if Judas thought he was doing the right thing? What if Judas thought he was protecting the people, keeping them safe from the violence of Rome? Maybe he even thought he was protecting Jesus and his friends.
In Matthew’s gospel, Judas, after hearing that his friend was condemned to death, immediately feels regret and remorse. Maybe he didn’t understand the ultimate consequences of his actions? After all, Jesus had not incited violence. How could them convict him? Maybe Judas thought Jesus would be imprisoned instead. Whatever he thought, he was wrong. Judas threw the 30 pieces of silver back and he later killed himself because he couldn’t live with what he had done.
Last week we talked about forgiveness and, in a way, this week we take one step back to talk about those choices we make for which we ask forgiveness. Are we curious about Judas because we wonder if we are like him? Some of us can say that we have betrayed a friend. Some of us, because of our actions, have caused someone to be accused. Some of us are living with choices that we regret and decisions we would like to take back. Some of us have acted with the best of intentions, only to have things fall apart around us.
I don’t believe in evil people. I know there is evil in this world and I know people create much of this evil, but I don’t believe there are evil people. I sympathize with Judas. He let down his friends, he let down his rabbi, Jesus, and he let down himself. Like many tragic figures in stories, he is remembered for his mistakes and for his flaws.
Maybe if Judas had repented, had apologized, begged for forgiveness, and then changed his life, maybe become an apostle, evangelizing and spreading the good news of Jesus, he’d be remembered differently. After all, Peter denied Jesus, turned his back on his friend and teacher, but is remembered today as the rock of the church. Peter stuck around to have breakfast on the beach with the resurrected Jesus, was able to confront his mistakes, move past them, and spread the gospel. Who’s to say Judas couldn’t have also done this.
These are only my reflections. There are many different viewpoints and I’m sure there are many theological discourses on Judas, but I chose today to share with you my thoughts and my own wonderings. I invite you to continue the conversation. This story is a part of our bible and a part of our faith story but it is also a very human story, a story of struggle and hardship, a story of disappointment and shame.
I don’t believe any person is evil. I believe we are all children of God and filled with God’s Spirit. We all make mistakes, we all have regrets, and we all live with those but hopefully let our pasts transform our current lives as we strive to bring God’s kingdom here on earth. May it be so. Amen.
The Kiss by Joe Niemand - https://youtu.be/k88Y8VGs7dY
Meet me in the garden,
my love.
Meet me there at midnight.
my love.
Meet me there at midnight.
At the place only we know,
my love.
A kiss awaits tonight.
my love.
A kiss awaits tonight.
In the darkness between the flowers,
my love,
in the shadows of the moon.
my love,
in the shadows of the moon.
Your lips will tear the pretense,
like the curtain tomorrow afternoon.
And so the glow of approaching torches
makes the darkness dance like black flames,
ever faster to the music
makes the darkness dance like black flames,
ever faster to the music
of every heart that refuses to be saved.
I prayed this could be different,
that my death could save you too,
but your choices are your own.
Now my friend, do what you came to do.
that my death could save you too,
but your choices are your own.
Now my friend, do what you came to do.
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