Scripture tells us in Matthew 27:2-4 “Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that Jesus was condemned, felt remorse, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood.”But they said, “What is that to us? You see to it.” He threw down the pieces of silver in the sanctuary, and departed. He went away and hanged himself.”
Judas could have had the same heart attitude as the chief priest’s who in effect said, “Who care’s?” Their response indicated a heart hardened to the truth of who Jesus really was and what was happening to him. So many people in life have this similar callous and hardened heart towards Jesus, but Judas had spent time with Jesus and watched how he had lived his life. He knew who Jesus was, he knew he was innocent.
Judas must have thought his betrayal would result in some form of punishment for Jesus and not necessarily a death sentence. It was at that moment Judas was confronted with the terrible price of his sin, the death of God’s precious Son. Judas predicament is true of us all. All of humanity is guilty of sin; even the most minor sin results in the righteous requirement of God, that innocent blood be shed as a means of atonement. (Hebrews 9:22)
Judas was the treasurer for Jesus’ ministry. (John 13:29) He was the one who handled the money. The enemy had come to him in a moment of weakness. He enticed Judas with an opportunity to make some easy money. Judas’ love for money overrode his love for Jesus. His love for money blinded him to the hurtful actions he took.
And yet in time it all caught up with him and the small amount of money he made off the deal became worthless currency. He had himself convinced on the surface that it was worth it for the money, but deep down he knew what he was doing was wrong. There are so many people in life who have themselves convinced on the surface that the life they are living is fine, but deep down they know what they are doing is wrong.
In the West, in our secular culture so many have expressed their desire to be free from the guilt ridden concepts that arise from a Judeo-Christian ethic. We want to say sin no longer exists. We laugh and scoff at the fact that there is a holy God who has absolute moral standards, who holds us to account for our sin. But I believe resident within every person is a conscience and a knowing; no matter how much they try to cover it up, that they are have sinned. The Bible says “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)
Judas knew the blood that was about to shed was innocent and that he wanted no part in this plot to end Jesus’ life. No amount of money can buy a clear conscience; a life free from guilt. Judas threw the coins at the feet of the chief priests. He realized that trustworthiness, honesty and integrity have no price. When you are plagued by guilt and shame like Judas was, you would pay any price to be free of that feeling.
And of course, at the very moment Jesus was paying that price. What a terrible tragedy. Judas had a tremendous sense of guilt and shame along with a revelation of his sin, and yet he did not allow God time to bring him the revelation of the salvation and forgiveness of sin that Jesus would offer. He didn’t allow God the time to show him that the innocent blood he was guilty of shedding, was shed for his forgiveness.
Sin entered humanity at the fall and as a result, every human being is tainted with the disease of original sin. Because every human being has a sin nature, their blood is not innocent. Only Jesus had the kind of blood worthy of such a sacrifice. At the fall, humanity’s innocence was lost and now through faith in the Jesus finished work and His shed blood it can be restored! Today because of what Jesus has done for you, your innocence can be restored!
Judas was a casualty of the enemy’s lies. He was overcome with fear and guilt and it destroyed him, but that is not God’s will for anyone. That is not God’s will for you. Today, maybe you are plagued with a sense of guilt and sin in your life. Don’t believe the lies of the enemy. I’m believing God will come to by His Spirit and reveal to you the depths of the price He has paid for you. That you would be washed afresh and cleansed in Jesus’s innocent blood. That you will be reminded afresh that through faith in Jesus finished work your innocence is restored.
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