ISCARIOT-by Algi Wijewickrema

Source:Island

“What do you want, Iscariot?”, questioned the High Priest, Joseph Caiaphas as Judas Iscariot approached him in his palatial residence. The chief priests and the officers of the temple guard were also there.

“It is not what I want but what I have to give you that I have come to talk about”, was Judas’ reply.

Caiaphas said “Well, well and what can a man like you give us?”

Judas responded “Is that all you have to say. What I have is not to be trifled with. You will have to pay for it”.

The High Priest’s interest was visible in his eyes and when Judas saw that he said “I will give you the person you seek if you pay me for it”.

“Pray tell us, Iscariot, who is this man you think we want, Barabbas perhaps.” laughed Caiaphas.

Once Judas had made it clear that he could help them arrest Jesus, Caiaphas paused. They had tried to have Jesus arrested on more than a few occasions, the last being after the festival of the Tabernacles when they sent guards but failed as they came back and reported that the people believed Jesus was a prophet or teacher, someone to be respected. “No one has spoken like Him” they said.

With that attempt failed, Caiaphas thought perhaps this was the opportunity to have him arrested. Having conferred with the others present, he agreed to pay Judas a sum of thirty pieces of silver, about a month’s wages in those days.

Judas was a confused Apostle, a loner who was more concerned with the money than with the message Jesus was preaching. Unlike most of Jesus’ Apostles who were from Galilee, Judas was from Judea. He led the way when the disciples commented about a woman who had broken an alabaster jar of perfume to anoint Jesus, “Why this waste?” they asked. “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” That speaks about the mind of Judas. Not that he was concerned about the poor, but he was concerned about the money.

He knew about Jesus’ plans to have the Passover meal and His custom to pray afterwards in the garden of Gethsemane. So, he arranged with the High Priests and planned to hand Him over then. Soon after the Passover meal in the upper room at which Jesus had even hinted at His betrayal, Judas left and met the guards.

When he came to the garden of Gethsemane on that fateful Thursday night he was with the soldiers and without any sign of a betrayal he embraced Jesus. At this Jesus asked “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” But Judas was past caring for he had already taken blood money, thirty pieces of silver, for it. Judas had done what he had been paid for.

Judas followed the crowds unobtrusively. No one knew he was following them, he made sure of that. He was there hiding when Jesus was taken to the High Priest’s residence which in itself was highly unusual for this was the evening of the Passover meal. Why was the High Priest not readying himself for the festivities thought Judas? Instead of being with his family for the festival and preparing himself for his priestly duties, here was the High Priest ready to judge a man accused of blasphemy at best. Judas was intrigued that the High Priest should rush through deciding in the night time something he could have dealt with during the next day.

He was there hidden from others when Peter denied knowledge of Jesus three times before the cock crowed to announce the dawn and remembered Jesus’ words to Peter. He saw Jesus glance at Peter but thought there was no bitterness but pity in that look. He saw Peter go outside and weep bitterly.

After seeing Jesus’ look when Peter denied Him and seeing Peter weep afterwards Judas wasn’t sure if he had done the right thing and was a disturbed, more confused man thereafter.

The next morning Judas was there again. This time in view of the praetorium where Pilate was sitting to give judgement. Judas was following the crowds which had now dwindled. When the trial before Pilate took place, he was with the crowds that, instigated by the Pharisees and High Priests, shouted “crucify him”. Though he himself could not bring himself to shout, he felt safe among the crowds. Safety in numbers for him. He noticed an official handing over to Pilate a note which, after reading he tossed away and saw him wash his hands and pronounce judgement to crucify Jesus.

As Jesus was led away, Judas snapped. He rushed to the Chief Priests at the Temple and tried to return the thirty pieces of silver he had accepted to betray Jesus and said “I have sinned, I have betrayed innocent blood’ but they refused to accept the money back. It was too late for them to reverse the process. Too later for Jesus and was too late for Judas.

“What is that to us?” they asked seated in their comfortable seats. “That is your responsibility”.

So what was his responsibility? He knew he had to change what he had set in motion but knew he could not. So, what was he to do? His mind was in a whirl. He threw the money down and left the Temple not knowing where to go or what to do.

He remembered how Jesus had said just the previous evening “Truly I tell you one of you will betray me” and walking as in a trance he kept saying to himself “I betrayed innocent blood, I have no forgiveness”. Desperation and despondency took hold of himself. What must he do?

On his way he found a piece of rope and having given up any thought of forgiveness he hanged himself.

The other Apostles when they heard of his suicide remembered Jesus’ words “The Son of Man will go as it is written, but woe unto the man who betrays the Son of Man, it would be better for him if he was not born”.

While hiding for fear of the Jews Peter thought, if only Judas had believed in Jesus’ words “Forgive your enemies, pray for them”. Had he believed, thought Peter, he would have realised that those were not mere words uttered by Jesus but proven by Him on the Cross. Proven to him too when he had denied knowing Jesus.

Judas, having taken his life, despairing of God’s merciful forgiveness, unfortunately, could not include himself among those for whom Jesus prayed from the Cross, “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing”.