When one thinks about the Passion Week during the Lenten season, one’s mind goes to the pascal lamb. The word “pascal” from “pascha”, meaning, “passion”, depicts the week from the triumphal entry to the resurrection. We can also think of physical passion, where one’s normal expression starts with a kiss – that most intimate and affectionate gesture. We will begin with the kiss that was both the kiss of death, as well as a kiss from heaven to us. The principle person is Judas Iscariot.
Who was he? Judas Iscariot was a disciple of Jesus and the keeper of the purse. His name comes from the Hebrew word “yehuda”, meaning “praise”, and is the Greek for the Hebrew word “Judah”. It also comes from the Hebrew “yadah “, meaning “to throw, cast, hold out hand”. At the same time that Judas seemed to praise the Lord, he was casting Him off. It is interesting that the prophesies regarding the betrayer are from the Psalms of Praise: Psalm 41: 9; 69: 25-26; 109: 8. Judas never referred to Jesus as more than the Rabbi-Teacher (Matthew 26: 25). As followers of Christ, we must grow in our relationship to Him. He cannot stay as only the friend, brother, nor just the rescuer – although that is salvation by grace. We must grow in His Lordship. Judas was given the responsibility of the treasury. It would test his heart and his commitment, for how we deal with money often tells others what is more important to us. Was the treasury more valuable than his devotion to Christ? “The love of money is the root of all evil” – 1 Timothy 6:10; it is what we want money to accomplish for us that is the issue. Jesus said to Judas in Matthew 26: 50, “Why art thou come, friend?”. Jesus saw him as a friend and this Greek word “hetairos” means “companion, comrade, posing as a friend”. Jesus asked Judas a question although He already knew the answer. It’s just like in a confession; we don’t express things because God needs to know. We need to express them because we need to hear them ourselves. Many times when we hear how we actually feel – anger, hurt, etc., it is a surprise to us because we didn’t realize how things affected us.
What did he do? Judas kissed Jesus, which was how he set it up for the authorities to know who Jesus was. This time Judas took the front spot. When the crowd came, Judas was in front because he was anchored by the rulers. It’s amazing how demure we can be as believers in following the Savior, but when we sin, we get aggressive and take the top spot. The Greek word “kiss” is the Greek word “phileo ” meaning “brotherly love, friendship, to cherish and have affection for”. It is not agape love, the self-sacrificing love of The Master. Remember when Jesus asked Peter: “Lovest thou me?” Jesus asked if Peter agaped him and Peter answered, “Yes, I phileo you”; Peter knew he wasn’t at the sacrificing part yet. Judas didn’t even attempt to get there. In Luke 22: 3 Satan enters Judas, because of the premeditated sin Judas was planning in verse 4. The devil can’t lay a claim to us until we give him a ticket to do so. Even the devil has to get our permission before he can seek to ruin us. Judas betrays Jesus. The Greek word “betray” is the word “paradidomi “, and it comes from two words: “para” means “come to the side, beside”, and “didomi” means “give”. Together they mean to “hand over, give, deliver, betray, by appearing to stand by someone”. One has to be close to someone to betray them. To “be” someone who hands Jesus’ head on a platter, yet Jesus becomes the “Head” of the church (I added this). John Dillinger, the gangster of the 30’s was betrayed by “a woman in red” – she told the authorities what she was wearing, so she’d stand out and ultimately, outside of a movie theater, his blood was as red as her dress. Also, Al Capone, another noted gangster in the 30’s was betrayed by his taxes (again, how we handle money can hurt us in the end).
What did it mean? It meant that Judas handed over the Son of Man.
Remember that it wasn’t the Son of God – one cannot kill God. This is the perfect man who was the second Adam. Jesus had to undo in one garden what was done in the original Garden of Eden. Satan beguiled the first woman, Eve, and she brought the fruit to her husband and he disobeyed. Now Satan thinks he has God’s head on a platter, to give him the big kiss off. Jesus has to restore the redemptive order as the new Adam. The Son of Man – the man part is not the Greek word “aner “, which would indicate maleness only. It is the Greek world “anthropou”, which means “mankind” and includes women, as well. In the end, Judas did feel remorse (Matthew 27:3); he knew he had sinned and gave back the money, even though the authorities rebuffed him. The word “remorse” is the Greek word “metamelomai”, meaning “to regret emotionally, repent, change mind”. Judas couldn’t change the circumstances of what he had done and he couldn’t live with it, either. Then the words of Jesus in John 18: 9 are this: “to fulfill the word which He spoke, “of those whom You have given me I lost not one.’ “(also John 6:39). The word “lost” is the Greek word “apollumi”, meaning “to perish, destroy utterly”. Also, the first part “apo” means “away from”. Jesus knew that Judas didn’t have His heart. God knows who will be saved, and who will have a sincere heart of worship and discipleship.
Would Jesus have forgiven Judas if he truly repented? Of course, but Judas never gave his heart truly to Jesus Christ and though he regretted his bad choice at the end, he made the choice to end his life, instead of going to Jesus. Remember that the only difference between Peter and Judas is two days: Always hang on for the resurrection – a day of hope and forgiveness is coming.