Dear Rose Park,
Throughout scripture we encounter a repeated theme: the path of the righteous and the path of the foolish. On this Wednesday of Holy Week we are abruptly met with Judas and his willingness to forego an eternal relationship with Christ in order to gain immediate gratification on the path of the foolish.
The Gospel of John puts it this way:
21 After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom He was speaking. 23 One of His disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to Him; 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom He was speaking. 25 So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked Him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” So when He had dipped the piece of bread, He gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. 27 After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to Him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why He said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival”; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. (John 13: 21-30)
Judas took the path of foolishness and in doing so traded away an eternity of joy. As a brief side note, the Gospel of Matthew tells us Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. There is some discrepancy, but multiple historians have been able to agree that the thirty pieces of silver would approximately value around $200 today. Judas took immediate gratification over eternal joy. To put it differently, he quit the race and took the easy way out. It reminds me of the following passage in the letter to the Hebrews:
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12 :1-3)
Judas didn’t run the race with perseverance. Judas didn’t fix his eyes on the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Jesus didn’t consider how Christ would endure the cross and the opposition from crowds. Judas took the easy way out by embracing immediate gratification and trading away an eternity of joy. May we avoid this path and instead pursue the path of righteousness.
It’s my hope as we continue through Holy Week to do so with a sense of perseverance looking to Jesus so as to not grow weary and lose heart on the path of righteousness.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Mark