HOLY WEEK: BETRAYAL

            And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

            While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” (Luke 22:39-53 ESV)

            Palm Sunday begins the final week of Jesus in physical ministry. The first day began with shouts of “Hosanna, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” A few days later Jesus would be in a garden experiencing extreme agony, dying the next day at a place called The Skull.

            If AD 30 was the year when Jesus was crucified, Good Friday would have been April 7^th.  Sometime around 1:00 AM a distrustful figure led a small group of men into an area located in the depths of the Kidron Valley, just below the Temple mound east of Jerusalem and situated near the accent to the Mount of Olives. The garden was actually an orchard of olive trees.

            The 33 year-old Jesus was coming to the end of His earthly assignment. The proclamation of Good News, the life-changing teachings, and the miraculous signs and wonders would continue through His followers after the Holy Spirit came upon them.

            His time in the garden was a crucial period of intercession. Only a brief moment remained of unrestrained freedom. The occasion for His arrest would soon arrive. The betrayer and conspirators were coming. Time was of essence in preparation for dying.

            All four gospels writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, record the momentous time in Gethsemane. Jim Bishop in the book The Day Christ Died described the scene this way: “To them, he seemed to be immeasurably weary, and this was strange because, only a few minutes ago, he had been expounding to them the last lessons of being missionaries. And he had finished the work with vigor. They fell mute and turned their eyes away because they did not think it was right to look upon the face of the Messiah in weakness and fear…. He doubled his hands into fists and held them against His breast. ‘I am plunged in sorrow,’ he said loudly and bitterly, ‘enough to break my heart!’ The three [closest friends] glanced at him sadly. Jesus looked through the branches at the miniature beauty of a thousand other worlds, and then he glanced once more at the temple, so near across the valley…. ‘Stay here and keep awake,’ he said….”

            The gospel writers indicate they did not stay awake, both physically and spiritually. The three in His inner circle, Peter, James, and John, missed the moment when the Son of God began to feel the countless sins of the world pressed upon His soul.

The contents of the cup

            Jesus made a request while praying. “O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me….” What was this cup and what was in it?

            The cup was the world and in the cup were transgressions, every sin of every person past, present and future. The content of the cup was actually the major cause of His grief that night. The violence of today splashed into the cup. The sexual perversions, the incestuous behaviors and the adulterous immoralities of society fell into the cup. Every slanderous word, every wrongful deed, every debauchery ever imagined became part of the concoction in the cup.

            This was His private ordeal, this was His personal mission. By one solitary act of His will Jesus allowed heaven to stoop to earth in mercy while others slept.

            “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) He took upon Himself every sin you have ever done and will ever do.

            An agony of the soul was part of the price Jesus was paying. He began to feel the stress of the innumerable offenses of every man and woman. Occasionally people think how unbearable their stress is but nothing compares to the stress in this garden scene. The salty sweat on His forehead began to change color, growing redder until even the most blasé onlooker realized it was blood.

            Doctors call this unusual physical phenomenon hematidrosis, caused when unreasonable pressures and anxieties mount layer by layer to the point that a highly sensitized person can no longer bear it. The capillaries dilate so broadly when they come into contact with the sweat glands that they burst. Blood is released with sweat. Not only did the cross and nails awaiting Him cause pain and sorrow in the garden, but also a world in rebellion that He took upon Himself.

The arrival of His betrayer

            Across the dark valley was a stream of oil-lit lamps bobbing and weaving down the pathway and the distant sound of clanging armor. Caiaphas had dispatched his secret service. Soldiers led by a betrayer entered the garden.

            Judas Iscariot, a disciple associated with The Twelve, was the betrayer and the only non-Galilean. The prize he gained that night was 30 pieces of silver, the same price wealthy landowners paid for virtually useless, wounded, and dying slaves. Arrogant religious leaders considered Jesus a nuisance, an insignificant bother, only worth a small token.

            Upon entering the garden Judas hails Jesus with a kiss, a seal of finality. Jesus had approximately 12 hours of earthly life left. By the time the sun peeked above the horizon Jesus would be interrogated and Judas would enter eternal torment. Jesus would die on a crucifying tree and Judas would die on a hanging tree, both on the same day.

What made Judas a betrayer?

            Authors and scriptwriters have ascribed to Judas noble goals and motives. Some fancied Judas a national zealot. Others imagined he was trying to force Jesus to deliver the nation from Roman oppression. A far more plausible answer is he allowed the tempter to capture his mind. He no longer was doing the bidding of Jesus. Judas was physically with Jesus for three years yet yielded to the temptations of humanity and gave his heart over to Satan.

            People can witness the marvelous things Jesus is doing, be closely associated with His mission, even declare His truths, yet refuse Him complete allegiance and end up totally lost. Whenever you allow spiritual slumber to grip your soul and fail to stay fervently awake in prayer and intercession, the threshold of failure can easily be crossed.

            When serving in youth ministry I assisted as a Teen Bible Quiz judge at a Finals Tournament. The coach of one of the strongest teams in the State was extremely sharp. He demonstrated a brilliant mind.

            In one of the matches his team answered a question incorrectly and he contested the Quiz Master’s ruling. The coach approached the Judges’ table to make his appeal. Even with the correct answer in front of the officials, he almost convinced us to give the team the points.

            Ten years later I was invited to speak at a church in the area. Before speaking in the Worship service, I led a Bible discussion in an Adult Sunday School class. A man came into the room wearing old tattered clothes. He seemed unfamiliar to me. I assumed he may have been part of the congregation. He quietly sat with his head down, never looking up.

            The pastor mentioned he was a visitor and asked if he would introduce himself. In his reply he sadly said, “I used to go to church, I even coached a Bible Quiz team, but I left. I am here today because I just felt like visiting a church.”

            At that moment I recognized him. He was the brilliant coach. Afterwards we talked privately. I informed him that I remembered him and asked what happened?  After a long pause he replied, “I don’t know, I just don’t know.”

            We actually do know what happened. The tempter captured his mind at a vulnerable moment.

            While providing leadership at a Bible College I watched students, seemingly surrounded in a spiritual cocoon, become disenchanted with the things of God. Tragically this often happens, yet never without reason.

            Why do such things occur? The answer is partly discovered by examining Judas. He only saw Jesus through prejudicial and prideful eyes.

            Jesus said His kingdom was not of this world. Judas wanted the kingdom to be on earth right away.

            Jesus said He came to bring eternal salvation. Judas wanted Jesus to bring emancipation on earth.

            Jesus said He came to give His life as a ransom. Judas wanted Jesus to live His life as a ruler.

            Judas possibly thought he was doing the right thing, no one knows. This is known: It is very prideful for a person to think they know better than Jesus how to establish God’s kingdom.

            If someone attempts to be a manipulator of Jesus, instead of a follower of Jesus, they are revealing the heart of a Judas. If someone is more enamored with the notoriety of being a member of an elite crowd than walking in absolute obedience to God’s plan, they are in danger of losing their very soul.

            The Good News is about grace and forgiveness on account of Golgotha, but it is reserved only for those who place faith in God and have complete trust in Him.

Deceived

            Deception is usually gradual. That is what killed Judas. He slowly got away from Jesus. He became mesmerized by the trimmings and blinded of the true mission.

            When a person refuses to recognize the suffering Jesus, the journey into deception gains momentum, first an inch than a foot, next a yard and finally a mile. Deception has the terrible ability of causing blindness. Deceived people do not see the lethal punch coming. All deception needs is a small chance and it will take on a nature of its own.

            Are there modern-day examples? Those consuming alcoholic beverages never intend to become a drunk. A drug user never anticipates becoming a dope-head. People deceive themselves into believing they can handle every deadly vice. Deception blinds them from seeing the addictive nature of numerous practices.

            Many look at Judas and think, “That will never happen to me. You won’t find me doing anything so hideous.” If you take your eyes off of Jesus and attribute to Him a lesser mission then betrayal will follow close behind.