Luke 22:1-19

Motives?

In 1970 the album “Jesus Christ Superstar” was released. It was a worldwide phenomenon. There was a Broadway show and a major motion picture. It turned Andrew Lloyd Webber into a sensation. It also raised the question, “Why did Judas do it?”

Why did Judas do it? Accord to Tim Rice (Webber’s lyricist for this project) Judas was concerned for the poor and had reservations about where Jesus’ ministry was going. There are even hints that Judas was trying to force Jesus’ hand so that He would move while the time was right and He had popular support behind Him. As fully vested citizens of a fallen world we would rationalize something like that.

If Judas was trying to force Jesus’ hand...well, ten he clearly didn’t think Jesus was God’s Son. He couldn’t have thought Jesus was Devine if he though that he knew better than Jesus did. For that matter He couldn’t have thought much of God the Father. We don’t exactly put Judas on very solid ground to say, “He was just trying to help because he believed in Jesus’ cause so much.”

As far as caring for the poor, uh, “No.” Judas was the one who started the ruckus about the “waste” of anointing Jesus with expensive perfume, because it could have been sold and given to the poor. That was just a ruse. John blows his cover by telling us that Judas didn’t care for the poor, but was a thief and used to help himself to what was in the money bag.

So why did Judas do it? Here is a clue: thirty pieces of silver. He loved money. Paul wrote to Timothy and said, “Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Tim. 6:10) Does anybody have that problem today? It isn’t drugs or pornography or profanity, but it is a highly respected totally deadly sin that affects both rich and poor.