For some reason, Judas is getting a lot of sympathy these days. You’re telling me that engaging with Judas will help me understand the love of Jesus. I’m curious about why you’ve become obsessed with a guy that Jesus said would be better off having not been born.
If Judas is the key to understanding the love of Christ, a guy like me would take a look at the way Jesus interacted with Judas. How did Jesus love Judas?
Scripture doesn’t give many details on the Jesus and Judas relationship. I guess you could speculate that the two of them were buddies but the Bible consistently portrays Judas as a ‘bad guy.’ It’s not Judas who walks on water or offers to wash anyone’s feet. He isn’t marginalized. He isn’t oppressed. He isn’t victimized by a corrupt system. He experienced the same love as the other apostles and still betrayed Christ for a few pieces of silver.
Peter betrayed Christ too but you don’t make memes for him. This is just hunch, but I think you prefer Judas because he helps advance your narrative that Judas and every other sinful human being who has ever lived are the same character. You ignore the difference in the way he and Peter behaved after their betrayals. Peter wept and repented. Judas committed suicide. Peter is a picture of grace and redemption. Judas is a picture of rebellion and condemnation.
Jesus loved them both but Judas, the object of your admiration, did not love Jesus in return. That’s what resonates with you. The lust of the flesh is your thirty pieces of silver. Of the twelve, Judas is the disciple who best represents you. You don’t want to lose your seat at the table until you decide to give it up willingly.
(John 12:4) But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
One Response
I think it is safe to say Jesus loved Judas just as He did the other 11 disciples. Judas was at the last supper and would have had his feet washed by Jesus. He was shown the same love and care and he chose to reject it. The argument is never whether Jesus loves us and desires us to be part of His family. It is what we do with that love. Who do we give our believing loyalty to? Jesus or ourselves.