Poor Judas. It’s hard to read the accounts of his betrayal without wondering what ran through his head. Did he do it for money? Did he betray Jesus for spite? Or did he simply cut his losses and move on?

The scriptures provide no clear motive for Judas’s actions. I lean toward the theory that Judas followed Jesus for the crown, not the cross. Judas looked to Jesus as a soon to be earthly king. As one of his chief lieutenants Judas would stand alongside Jesus, vanquishing Rome and reigning over a free Israel. When it finally dawned on Judas that Jesus planned to go to the cross, Judas bailed.

In the end, Judas found Jesus disappointing.

You and I face the same conundrum. If we look to Jesus to bless us with wealth we’ll be disappointed at not having more. If we look to Jesus for health we’ll find ourselves frustrated as we face the breakdown of our bodies. If we look to Jesus to solve all our problems the disillusionment will eventually lead us to cut our losses and move on.

Jesus promised neither health or wealth or a problem-free life. Jesus, however, did promise to walk us through the problems and challenges and tragedies of life.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid (John 14:27).

Judas heard these words from the mouth of Jesus, but failed to grasp the concept of not as the world gives.

When I look to Jesus for what I can get for myself, or when I allude to others that by following Jesus their problems will go away, then I walk the dead-end path of Judas. I need to check myself and my messaging. The Jesus way is harder, more uphill, challenging and frustrating.

But it’s the only way that leads to life.

Matthew 26 & 27 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022

Photo by Zlaťáky.cz