Transcript

With the help of thick fog hanging over the waters of the Hudson Bay, a British war ship named the Vulture, glided quietly – unnoticed – and anchored just off American shores.

A conspiracy that was certain to succeed was well underway.

The mastermind was a middle-aged, successful businessman who had volunteered for military service under General George Washington. He soon showed military genius by participating in several key battles – he was even wounded in one of his legs.

In February of 1777, Congress created five new major general positions, and everyone knew that this successful military genius deserved to be promoted. But George Washington passed over this older man, by the name of Benedict Arnold, and chose younger men instead.

Benedict became embittered and would have resigned, but George Washington personally pleaded with him to stay on. He agreed and was sent to New York where he successfully commanded troops in the Battle of Saratoga – that singular victory turned the tide of the American revolution.

But in that battle, Benedict Arnold was wounded again, this time, leaving him crippled to some extent for life.

His bitterness hardened into resentment – and ultimately disdain for the American cause.

Benedict Arnold made plans with the British, promising to betray West Point and New York; he gave carefully designed plans to a British officer and spy, named John Andres.

As Major John Andres carried those plans to the Hudson River, to rendezvous with the Vulture, the fog was beginning to lift and the battle ship was at risk of being seen.

John was nearly there when he was stopped at a check-point by soldiers. As he was being questioned, the soldiers noticed something John had overlooked. Under his American military uniform, he was still wearing his British boots. They searched him, and found the plans drawn up by Benedict Arnold.

Benedict learned that he’d been found out, and quickly boarded the Vulture with his family and sailed to England where he would live out the rest of his life.

To this day, his betrayal of America has not been forgotten. I have yet to meet anyone who’s named their son Benedict. Even though at times they might be tempted.

The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines betrayal: “to give aid or information to an enemy; to violate allegiance; to be false or disloyal.”

I found it interesting that this dictionary chose as its primary illustration of betrayal, Judas Iscariot. [SOURCE: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition (Houghton Mifflin Company, 2000)]

It’s one thing to betray your country – it’s another thing to betray your Creator – and I have certainly never met anyone named Judas.

The name Judas seems to hiss with deception and the conspiracies of a serpent named Satan.

The crucifixion is a matter of hours away – the conflict of the ages is now reaching a crescendo here in Luke’s gospel account.

We arrive today at Luke chapter 22 – it’s a long chapter with 71 verses and several scenes that we will explore together.

And this first scene – Luke records for us – sets the stage for everything that follows – it is the conspiracy of Judas to betray Jesus.

Now verse 1 gives us another time stamp that is critical to notice – he writes:

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. Luke 22:1

Every Jewish male 12 years and older longed to celebrate Passover in Jerusalem along with their families to celebrate their freedom from slavery in Egypt centuries earlier.

Following their Passover meal of a lamb they had either purchased in the temple or brought with them from home, they would celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

This feast recalled the Israelite’s joy as they scrambled to pack and leave Egypt at fast as they could before Pharoah could change his mind again. Their bread didn’t have time to rise, so they would eat it on the road, so to speak, unleavened.

Centuries later, all of these memories and commemorations were bundled underneath the title “Passover”.

It was not a coincidence that Jesus planned for this to be the time of His death. He was to be sacrificed for the sins of the world. He was the final Passover Lamb.

And anyone who by faith applies His shed blood to the doorway of their hearts, so to speak, will be saved from the judgment of God.

Now we know that the Jewish leaders wanted to catch Jesus and kill Him after Passover – after all these tens-of-thousands of Jewish travelers left Jerusalem and returned home.

Luke writes here in verse 2:

And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people. Luke 22:2

They’re not deciding if they’re gonna kill Him, they’re trying to figure out how to kill Him without causing a riot.

But listen – Jesus already knew the details of when and how.

• He knew that His hands and feet would be pierced (Psalm 22:16)
• He knew that His death was in our place, for our sin (Isaiah 53:12)
• Jesus even knew the detail that He would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12)

So at the outset, beloved, understand that we are about to watch a series of events – not a series of “accidents, but a series of appointments.” [SOURCE: Adapted from Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Courageous (Victor Books, 1989), p. 105]

The first appointment Luke records, in rather blunt fashion, is between Satan and Judas.

Luke writes here in verse 3:

Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. Luke 22:3

Now I don’t believe that when Judas was chosen that he had any intention of betraying the Lord, although the Lord knew that he would.

Judas never came around to believing the gospel – he was a consummate actor – a professor of Christ, but not a possessor of Christ.

John’s gospel gives us more details of the slow decline in Judas’ life over these brief years.

But as early as chapter 6, John had written:

Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him. John 6:64

Which is another way of saying that Jesus wasn’t just a man; He was the omniscient God-man. He knew the heart of everyone – He knew their past and their future just like He knows yours and mine.

Although Luke doesn’t give us the details in his account, when he records here in verse 3,

Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot –

– John’s gospel tells us that this moment was when the disciples were eating the Passover meal with the Lord in the upper room.

It’s at this last supper, when Jesus announces that one of them will betray Him.

None of them looked over at Judas and said, “I knew it! I knew he couldn’t be trusted!”

Part of the problem in reviewing the biography of this betrayer is that we picture Judas Iscariot as this little beady-eyed man who was always slinking around in the shadows – isolated – alone – never smiling.

A second grade Sunday school teacher was teaching this account, and she asked her class who betrayed Jesus. A little boy raised his hand and said, “Judas the scariest”.

That’s how we view him. But not these disciples.

Matthew’s gospel records Jesus saying in that upper room:

“Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Matthew 26:21

Now I personally believe this was an invitation for Judas to come clean. Satan has yet to personally possess him – which means to dominate his mind and emotions and heart.

And Satan will only do that because Judas is going to open the door through his unbelief and defiance.

But now Judas hears Jesus announce that He knows who the betrayer is!

Matthew writes in verse 22:

And they were very sorrowful and began to say to Him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” Matthew 26:22

Nobody’s pointing at Judas – they are all immediately evaluating their own hearts.

But I wonder what Judas’ pulse rate was – his pounding heart – his guilty conscience.

But he plays along – he says to Jesus, in Matthew’s account:

“Is it I, Rabbi?” Matthew 26:25

He’s imitating the surprise of the true disciples – and according to Mark’s gospel, chapter 14, Judas has already had at least one meeting with the religious leaders to plan this betrayal.

With that the Lord hands Judas a morsel of bread – an act of honor by the host of the meal. I believe it’s another invitation for Judas to repent – he doesn’t have to board the Vulture – ironically named – there’s still time.

But Judas takes the morsel and then leaves the room.

And Luke simply says here in his account that “then – at that moment” – Judas’s unbelieving, defiant heart is now an open door for the devil to do his worst.

The other disciples evidently thought Judas had been sent on some errand relative to the Passover celebration.

Let me tell you, had they known what Judas was up to; had they known that Judas was the betrayer, I don’t think he’d have gotten out of that upper room alive.

And from what we see Peter try to do with his sword later on in the Garden of Gethsemane, it’s obvious that Peter needed some practice.

When you consider the biography of this betrayer – it’s clear that Judas had opportunity after opportunity to believe.

Yet over time, his heart, like Pharaoh before him, grew hardened, in unbelief. 

But just like Benedict Arnold, there are some background clues to his defection and betrayal of the King of Heaven.

First of all:

Judas had an unrestrained attraction to money.

In John chapter 12, Mary comes and anoints the feet of Jesus with a costly perfume and the house was filled with the fragrance.

John records here in verse 4:

“But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii, and given to the poor?” John 12:4-5

How do you argue against that? “Think of all the poor people out there!” 

But Jesus certainly caught the implication – Judas was rebuking Him – Judas was implying that Jesuswas being selfish to accept this gift – which Jesus explained was a symbolic preparation for His burial.

But this is pretty bold of Judas – it reveals that his bitterness and resentment with Jesus is reaching a boiling point. He’s openly rebuking the Lord.

But he made it sound so spiritual, didn’t he? Think of the poor people – and the other disciples are probably standing there thinking, “Yea, that’s a pretty good point!”

But John’s gospel adds this commentary in the next verse – verse 6.

He [Judas] said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the money bag he used to help himself to what was put into it. John 12:6

Don’t miss this: at the end of 3 ½ years of ministry training, Judas was more dishonest than ever. He was more calloused than ever. 

John writes – he was a thief – the Greek word is kleptes which gives us our word “kleptomaniac” – Judas was constantly stealing.

On the outside, Judas was considered trustworthy – reliable – careful. The disciples had very little money and as they received donations along their journey – who better – they thought than Judas to administrate their money?

Little did they know they were only watering the seeds of covetousness and greed in Judas’ heart.

But let me tell you, just as it’s hard to imagine Benedict Arnold betraying his country, it’s still hard to imagine one of the twelve betraying the Lord. Someone who had watched Jesus perform miracle after miracle: walking on water; healing the terminally ill; commanding the wind and sea; giving sight to the blind; raising the dead.

How you not believe in Him?!

But Judas had a secret life . . . silver blinded his perception.

You can take two quarters and hold them up to your eyes and you can’t see – and it only took 50 cents.

Luke writes here in chapter 22 and verse 4, that Judas:

He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. Luke 22:4-5

That’s what Judas wanted. He’s at least gonna get 30 pieces of silver for wasting the last three years of his life, following a failed Messiah!

In today’s economy this would be worth around $10,000 dollars. Benedict Arnold had wanted $2 million dollars to betray his country, but for Judas, $10,000 dollars to betray the Lord was enough.

We’re told here by Luke that the Jewish leaders are glad – they’re rejoicing. And that’s because this was almost too good to be true for them. This is gonna change their entire timeline now. They’re gonna move everything forward now.

And that’s because they’ve got somebody on the inside – somebody who knows where Jesus is staying – somebody who is willing to betray Him.

So, they strike a deal with Judas. The verb translated here in Luke’s account – “they agreed” – means that the silver was paid then and there. [SOURCE: R.C.H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel (Augsburg Publishing House, 1946), p. 1035]

They gave him his cash because they probably wanted to make sure Judas wouldn’t change his mind.

Now the average Sunday school lesson assumes that this betrayal meant that Judas was going to identify Jesus with a kiss and that was it.

But that was the easiest part of the deal. The Sanhedrin already knew who Jesus was – and they knew what He looked like.

Perhaps for the benefit of the soldiers, at night, Judas will identify Jesus; but Judas was agreeing to fulfill a point of Roman law, a point of law necessary for the Supreme Court of Israel to carry out the murder of Jesus.

According to Roman law, a person could not be brought to trial until an indictment had been officially lodged against him, charging him with a crime. Today in our country, we put it this way: “somebody has to file charges.”

And according to Roman law, the person filing charges has to appear in court to give testimony against the accused for the prosecution.

So Judas is agreeing here to become a witness in court against Christ. This shows you now the determination of Judas – the depth of his resentment – his disappointment with Jesus. [SOURCE: J. Dwight Pentecost, The Words and Works of Jesus Christ (Zondervan, 1981), p. 415 ]

Now that leads me to the next biographical clue. Not only did Judas have an unrestrained attraction to money – secondly:

Judas had a nationalistic obsession for Israel.

Just like the thousands of Jewish people, living in and around Jerusalem, were thrilled to hear Jesus talk about the coming Kingdom, Judas assumed Jesus was going to overthrow Rome and return Israel to power and glory.

Judas loved his country and his people – and there’s nothing wrong with that.

He was fiercely dedicated to his nation, his kinsmen, his synagogue.

He wasn’t the kind of person who would slip into church and sit on the back row . . . no offense back there.

But over time, Judas became disillusioned. Jesus kept talking about dying – about the temple being destroyed. What kind of Messiah was that.

And disillusionment turned into bitterness and into resentment and into hatred and . . . betrayal.

There’s one more clue from the biography of Judas – third – it follows the other one closely:

Judas had a burning hatred for Rome.

He is identified by the Gospel writers as Judas Iscariot.

Iscariot can be related to Kerioth, perhaps his homeplace; but it also relates to Latin term sicarius, which was the designation of a radical Jewish group during the time of Christ.

They were called the sicarii, in honor of the sica, a dagger that they concealed in their robes and used to take the life of Romans and disloyal Jews alike. 

In the Book of Acts, chapter 21 and verse 38, a revolt had recently occurred where one thousand men were a part of it – these men were called sikarios – translated “assassins”.

Josephus, the first century Jewish historian, wrote, “The Sicarii hated Rome and any Jew suspected of leaning toward Rome.”

It made sense for Judas to put away his dagger now and follow the One who will bring Rome to her knees and return the glory to Israel. He had found someone to fulfill his own vision.

Listen, I’ve met a lot of people over the years who would be offended if I compared them to Judas, but they happen to be following Jesus only because:

• it looks like He’s gonna be good for their business.
• He's gonna make them feel better about themselves.
• He’s gonna give them that promotion –
• that sense of self-esteem –
• that wonderful life they believe they deserve.
• Jesus just might give them what they always dreamed of having.

I’ll follow Jesus as long as He fits my agenda.

Is that you today? Is it your agenda or His? 

Well, the answer is finally clear to Judas here. He knows that the end of Christ’s life is on the horizon – and there isn’t a promotion for Judas – there isn’t a throne in Jerusalem for Judas after all.

So with that, Judas wants nothing to do with this “failed Messiah”. He’s wasted his time and money – it’s time to get out while he can – he’ll take his $10,000 dollars and leave them all for good.

The Bible informs us that Judas is later filled with regret, and he returns the money and admits “I have betrayed an innocent man.”

But don’t misunderstand, regret isn’t repentance. And he never betrayed an innocent man – he betrayed the Messiah.

Now it’s one thing to talk about Judas and leave here saying, “What a terrible man – how could he do something like that?”

Well let me hold up the mirror of the word and let’s see our reflection in the biography of Judas.

Lessons for us from Judas

It’s possible to appear to walk with Christ and yet conceal secret sin without any desire for repentance.

On the outside, everything appears right – but you and God alone know that on the inside, everything is wrong.

You haven’t betrayed Him, but you’ve started stealing from the money bag. Just a few little sins at first – nobody noticed.

• You stole from the government last month on your taxes – but nobody will notice.
• You will not include him in your dating relationship – which is immoral.
• You won’t allow Him access to your financial records – which are dishonest.
• You won’t give him control of your computer – because it’s pornographic.
• You won’t ask Him for career advice – you never tell anyone at work that you belong to Him anyway.

These are all betrayals of Jesus.

The problem isn’t just Judas. The problem is Judas and us.

Here’s something else to consider:

It’s possible to associate with Christians without ever accepting Christ.

It’s as if when Luke writes here, “he was one of the twelve”, he writes with a pen dipped in sadness and sorrow, as if to say, “Can you believe it – Judas was one of the twelve.”

Another principle to consider is this:

It’s possible to withdraw from fellowship with God because of what God is withholding from you.

He’s not paying off. And we can look around at other Christians who seem to be getting their way – why not us?

• We know God can restore;
• we know He can rescue;
• we know He can bring about conception;
• we know He can open that career door;
• we know He can protect our children;
• we know He can heal our diseases.

He can do all of that with one flick of His divine finger – so why is He’s sitting on His divine hands?

At that point we have two options – one: to follow Judas as he gets on board the Vulture – and sails away in resentment and bitterness and despair – as he follows through with his plans for betrayal.

Remember, the definition of betrayal isn’t just for unbelievers – it isn’t just for Judas – betrayal is defined – remember:

“To give aid or information to an enemy; to violate allegiance; to be false or disloyal.” [SOURCE: American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language]

Every time we sin, we are guilty of aiding the enemy of our soul, and disloyalty to Christ.

The problem isn’t just Judas – the problem is us!

The second option is to trust the Lord’s promises – to never leave you or forsake you;

– to work everything out so that it fits within His

good purposes for your life

– even though at the moment, you can’t read the fine print.

The truth is, we are all battling the biography of Judas – we can fail Him and betray Him and deny Him – but we can admit our sin and run to Him for forgiveness – as Martin Luther, the Reformer wrote 500 years ago, “We can make repentance a daily companion in life.”

It’ll keep you from getting on board that ship that leads to nowhere good.

Benedict Arnold would live with bitterness and regret for the rest of his life. He would be unloved by both countries because of his betrayal.

That British spy who was captured, was hung just a few days later. But his biography had a different ending.

Major John Andres had been raised in England in a home with a godly mother. She prayed for him for many years. All those years he rejected the gospel, lived an immoral life, essentially ran from God.

She kept praying.

Now captured, condemned to die, alone in his cell, the truth of all those messages his mother had given him – the gospel that Jesus would forgive him and accept him if he repented and trusted Christ – that all flooded back into his mind and heart during those final hours.

There in his cell, he knelt down and wept tears of repentance and trust in Christ as his Savior.

We’re not told who it was – a pastor or a friend – but someone gave him a copy of a poem entitled Hiding Place. It had been written four years earlier by Jehoida Brewer.

John Andres had memorized this poem and began quoting it as he mounted the steps of the gallows.

I couldn’t help but think of Judas, who committed a great crime, but never repented and turned to God.

And John Andres, who committed a great crime, but trusted in the grace of God. Some of the lyrics go like this – and with this I close:

Hail, sovereign love, which first began
The scheme to rescue fallen man!
Hail, matchless, free, eternal grace,
That gave my soul a Hiding Place!

Against the God who built the sky
I fought with hands uplifted high,
Despised the mention of His grace,
Too proud to seek a Hiding Place.

On Christ almighty vengeance fell,
Which must have sunk a world to hell,
He bore it for a sinful race,
And thus became a Hiding Place.

A few more setting suns at most,
Shall land me on fair Heaven’s coast,
Where I shall sing the song of grace,
And see my glorious Hiding Place.

[SOURCE: Adapted from https://themajestysmen.com/gospelpost/major-john-andres-hiding-place]