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On this Wednesday of Holy Week, let’s read the following passages and note the various descriptions of Judas:
Matthew 10:2-4 ESV
2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
John 12:1-8 ESV
Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”
Luke 22:1-6 ESV
Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. 2 And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him [Jesus] to death, for they feared the people.3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. 4 He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. 5 And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. 6 So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.
Psalm 41:9 ESV
Even my close friend in whom I trusted,
who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
*****
We learn much about who Judas was through these passages above. He was:
- A disciple of Jesus
- The treasurer of the disciples
- A thief
- A betrayer
Simon was a Zealot (Matthew 10:4). Was Judas?
One other possible description of Judas comes from his surname, Iscariot. It means he was a man from Kerioth, a Judean, and it’s possible his name comes from the title, “sicarii, meaning “dagger-men,” which refers to a group of Zealots who “carried a knife with them at all times to be prepared to assassinate traitors and capitulators.”1
These men were a sect of Jewish patriots who wanted to overthrow Rome through violence, destruction, and political intimidation. No other Jewish group was as politically motivated or opposed to Rome. They wanted no master but God.2 In other words, their motives were good, they had passion, zeal, and fervor to defend God. Oh how this sounds like so many of us today!
This extra detail about Judas gives me more insight into why he did what he did. It’s possible that once he realized Jesus was not going to overtake Rome, he made the decision to hand him over to authorities. Or maybe he thought by handing him over, Jesus would rise up and take over. While we can’t know for certain, we can consider who he was as Jesus’ disciple and his actions, and on this Wednesday of Holy Week, may we examine our own heart motives for why we do what we do.
Psalm 139:23-24 ESV
23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
1https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Topical.show/RTD/CGG/ID/1046/Zealots.htm