John 12:1-8
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
Judas, is portrayed, by the author of John, both as a thief and the betrayer of Jesus. No one who is living today knows the truth or falsity of whether Judas was a thief. Maybe the writer of John did know, but the other Gospels never call Judas a thief. And at least one of the Gospels identifies another disciple as the one who handled the groups purse. I wonder sometimes if the author of John didn’t do, as is the current practice in today’s legal system. An arrested murder suspect, for example, will likely be charged with 1st degree murder, maybe 2nd degree murder, also attempted murder, maybe assault, and any number of lesser crimes associated with the circumstances of the murder. The idea is that the suspect is a bad guy and so, if per chance he beats the one charge, they want to make sure he is convicted of something. Judas betrayed Jesus. Judas could not have done that and be considered to be a good guy. So, the author of John also portrayed Judas as a thief.
I doubt this charge was necessary, you would think being identified as Jesus’ betrayer would be enough. But then again, there are those who would explain Judas’ betrayal as something that was needed to fulfill God’s plan, and so maybe then, being a part of God’s plan, a good thing, and especially because it led to our forgiveness and salvation. Even if God called Judas to betray Jesus for God’s own purpose, I’m not sure that I would want to let Judas off the hook for this betrayal. And maybe we shouldn’t. But we also make a mistake if we hold Judas solely responsible for Jesus’ suffering and death. That Judas was described as complaining about Mary’s act of compassion for Jesus, and John’s statement that Judas was a thief, have unfortunately led many to feel that Judas was solely responsible. Without a doubt Judas played a pivotal role in Jesus’ arrest, but, so did the Temple authorities and the Roman governor and soldiers, and here is the nasty little secret that we all try to cover up, we are each of us responsible for the suffering and death of Jesus. Our betrayal of Jesus, through our sin, is what makes us responsible. Yes! Our sin!
Consider the following. Remember that one time, when you were a kid, when you didn’t pay for that piece of candy you stuffed into your pocket as you left that store. Remember that time when you lied about where you were and what you were doing to your parents. Remember how you shared that gossip with a friend or a neighbor. Remember when you were asked for help and you made up an excuse so that you wouldn’t have to help. Remember when you accidently (on purpose) tripped that person that you were angry with, or laughed at that person when he/she fell and got (a little) hurt. You say that you haven’t done any of these things, okay, what sins have you committed? Remember, if you as much as thought about committing a sin, you are guilty of the sin. We are, all of us, sinners, admit it or not, and so we are, all of us, responsible, with Judas, for Jesus’ suffering and death. Judas may have been the one who led the soldiers to where Jesus was praying, betrayed Jesus with a kiss and then took the thirty pieces of silver in payment, but, you and I, are as responsible for the scourging Jesus suffered, for the nails hammered through Jesus hands and feet, for the crucifixion as was Judas, as were the Roman soldiers and the Temple authorities. Not a pleasant thought, is it? We cannot and should not make Judas into a scapegoat.
So, what is it that we can do about it? I would like to say that confession and repentance, which might include some acts of contrition, would settle the score. But there is nothing that we can do to make up for our sin and for the suffering that we caused Jesus. Nothing! That is the hard truth about sin, our sin! Are you feeling bad? Well you should! But that is not the end of it. While God’s plan did not include a calling for us to sin, or, for that matter, for the people all the way back to Adam to sin, including Judas and the other disciples. It seems that Judas’ act of betrayal of Jesus did fit into God’s plan, but that does not make it right.
(Well) This is the good news, God’s plan was for Jesus’ suffering and death, to provide for us, bless us with the gift of faith, forgiveness and salvation. That is some gift! That’s the good news! We don’t deserve it, but then again gifts are not earned and they are not necessarily deserved. Whatever Judas’ motivation, whether he felt a call from God or was just a bad guy, the point is that Judas’ sin, just like ours, made it necessary for Jesus to die. Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, was doing a good thing by anointing Jesus feet, but she was as guilty of sin as you and I. More important she along with all of us are the beneficiaries of Jesus’ sacrifice and God’s gifts. We are blessed and it is all Jesus’ doing; it is all because God loves us more than we deserve. For this we say “Thank you Jesus, Thank you God!”