Excellent evaluation. I think you are absolutely correct. Judas was primarily following Jesus for what he could get out of it. He had to mask these selfish desires with hypocrisy that increased as the days went on. As his disillusionment increased his hypocrisy increased culminating in the betrayal of Jesus. In some respects I think that all of the disciples had a little of this selfishness in them. The arguments about who would be greatest in the kingdom would support this I believe. The difference, I believe, is given to us in the theme of John. Believe. As Judas’ disillusionment was increasing the others belief was increasing. It obviously was unstable and sometimes even misdirected until the giving of the Spirit.

The applications of this like you said are crushing. To see Judas-like characteristics in my own heart is repulsing and reminds me of my absolute dependence on the transforming work of Christ’s grace in my heart.

Thanks again for the great input.

Say, I’ve run across the assertion (I forget where) that Judas “got on the bandwagon” of Jesus in hopes of being raised to prominence in His rising “administration.” He believed that Jesus was the Messiah, and everyone in that day assumed that the Messiah would overthrow Rome and re-establish Jerusalem as Israel’s and then the world’s capitol. Judas latched on for the ride to the top.

But when in the final days his creeping suspicions that Jesus wasn’t going to demolish Israel’s enemies and take the throne were clearly validated by Jesus’ definitive statement about His suffering and death, Judas had had enough. He decided it was time to check out before he endangered his own skin. It was then that he went to the authorities and snitched on Jesus.

But deep down, Judas was a follower of Jesus only for what he could get out of the equation. He sought esteem, aggrandizement, respect, appreciation, social status, and the strokes that being “religious” afforded him. His world absolutely and totally collapsed, when he realized that Jesus wasn’t going to make him Secretary of the Tresury in the kingdom, and further, that the perks he reveled in as a disciple were nothing more than excruciatingly superficial.

To me, that “psychoanalysis” of Iscariot ties all the pieces together, and penetrates right to my heart – why, oh why really, do I do the Christian thing, and purport to follow Jesus?

Jon

Todd. Your right about the contrast of light and darkness in the gospel of John. This contrast carries over into the epistles of John and is quite convicting. There is no darkness in God and the light of God exposes the darkness of the human soul. We can not claim to be light while doing deeds of darkness. It is instructional to follow that theme through John’s writings. It is glorious to see it as well in Revelation. When John sees Jesus he writes that His face was like the sin shining in full strength (1:16).

Tremendous, Jason.

Today, I have just read all the posts on these three men: Judas, Peter, and Andrew.

Thank you.

Idaho for His Glory,
et

And to think that during that night, Jesus served Judas, too.

Incredible.

Here is verse that we discussed today:

“The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for day of evil.” – Prov. 16:4

All will accomplish the intended purposes of God.

Thanks for these posts, brother. Keep up the writing.

The contrast of light and darkness is a big theme in John’s Gospel.

Another big theme in the Gospel is the exposure by the Christ of pseudo belief in people. He knows men’s hearts.

I am excited about installment two concerning Christ.

Thanks for the quotes Todd.

Here is my email:

elonwood at juno dot com