Believers as well as non-believers, every one identify Judas with betrayal. It is emphasized clearly that he betrayed his beloved Master with a kiss. He is remembered for his famous question: What will you give me if I hand him over to you? It is clear evidence that he traded his master with whom he shared three years of his life. Judas definitely admired Jesus and wanted to be his disciple and perhaps he accepted him as a prophet and an extraordinary Jew and a religious leader of his faith.
Gospels were written a few decades after Jesus departed from the earth. The gospel writers especially Mathew and John who were apostles knew Judas very personally and all his interior dispositions and intentions. We cannot deny that the Evangelists who recorded the preaching and sayings of Jesus as gospels included their personal thoughts in their writings. Let us know that the gospels are not the biography of Jesus. The gospel writers were also overwhelmed by what the first Christian community thought of Jesus (and of Judas), which are reflected in the pages of the gospels.
When referring to Judas, John the Evangelist says, “He was a thief… He used to help himself from the common fund,” of which he was in charge of. Even in the list of apostles, the clause is added, “…who betrayed Jesus.” One meaning of Iscariot means, ‘a man of murder or a hireling’. Judas’ act of betrayal became his name itself!
Scholars even suggest that there was actually no physical kiss, but it only stands as a symbol of using a loving relationship for one’s personal gain. There is a strong biblical suggestion that Judas wanted Jesus to be exposed in front of the authorities so he could clear himself and achieve his messianic goal through a shortcut. But certainly, Judas did not accept the path of suffering and the kind of the messiah that Jesus wanted to be. Once again, Judas failed to pick the courage to come for the pardon of which it was certain.
In this background let us ask pertinent questions: Why did Judas betray Jesus? How did the early Christian community judge him? How can we judge him after his remorseful suicide? Did he truly feel apologetic? Why did he not personally come to ask Jesus’ pardon?
I think we cannot be wrong in saying that Judas repented for his sin; he says his grave mistake in a new light of Jesus’ suffering, his humility and resignation to false accusations. He even tried to return the reward he got for his traitorous act. His suicide manifests his extreme sense of guilt and scruples. His decision to end his life was to remove himself from the hatred of sin. He had no more courage to meet the community of which he was part.
It is often said, “A guilty conscience must find either hell or pardon.” But unfortunately, he chose a painful end. (Let us leave his going to hell to the mercy and judgement of God).
Betrayal is an ugly word. It is the height of unfaithfulness. It is duplicity and selfishness of the highest order. It is the direct opposite of love and sacrifice. Let the life of Judas help us to heal our own wounds. Let us ask our personal self: Have I ever been betrayed? Why? Have I betrayed another? Why did I betray someone who loved and trusted me? What wound, what scars has betrayal left in my life? And in the lives of those whom I’ve betrayed?
It is easy to point an accusing finger at Judas (whose name was perhaps not Iscariot). But it is not so easy to accuse ourselves of betrayal and unfaithfulness. We normally find all venues to hide our acts of betrayal and our tendencies towards unfaithfulness.
On the night Jesus was betrayed, Judas stood in for all of us who have betrayed God and our neighbour. And Jesus who is innocent and betrayed is standing in for us too. He carries our burdens of betrayal—our infidelities and selfishness on his shoulders and is constantly being poked by the irritating thorns on his head.
May the Lamb of God take away the sins of the world and particularly our individual ones.
Fr. Lazar Arasu SDB
Priest and School Administrator.
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