#Close But No Cigar: Judas
Daily Reading: (Psalm 41:9, John 13:18):
“Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.” “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.”
The prophecy of Judas in Psalm 41:9 was a 1,000 years before Judas was born. Psalm 41:9: “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.”
Jesus quotes a portion of Psalm 41:9 in the presence of His disciples to help them see that prophecy is being fulfilled before their very eyes. “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me” (John 13:18).
It is remarkable that, in the reference to Judas, the Savior quotes only a part of the verse: "He that eateth bread with me." He omits, two parts, "mine own familiar friend, and in whom I trusted,". This is huge. This tells me that Judas had not received Christ (not his intimate friend) and it also displays the divinity of Jesus, He already knew Judas was going to betray him before he ever did.
You see Jesus clearly identified that someone could be physically close to him and yet not believe in him (John 6:64). “Yet there are some of you who do not believe."
What you might not know is that this isn’t a moment of weakness. Judas never believed and so was never a follower of Jesus Christ (John 6:64). Believe is the Greek word (pisteuō): to trust in Jesus, obtaining saving faith.
Judas is not a case study on how a believer can lose their salvation. It is not possible. Judas had one master and it was always money. I know this because John tells us this in His Gospel. We find out in John 12 what the state of Judas’ heart is even before the betrayal actually happens. So, Judas didn’t just have a weak moment- it was in his heart to sell out Jesus. Money has a hold of Judas heart. In verse five, Judas is upset because costly perfume was used on Jesus. “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages. The problem here is that Judas doesn’t properly value Jesus. What is Jesus’ worth (John 12:5)?
Money is what had a hold of Judas’ heart to the point that he does the craziest thing later on. He will recoup the loss of the perfume by selling Jesus out for thirty pieces of silver. I can tell you anything that is elevated above Jesus is irrational- and that irrational idol can lead one to make irrational decisions on account of it.
Judas just missed out on a potential percentage of the $30,000 perfume because he was a thief (John 12:6) six days before Passover (John 12:1). Very shortly thereafter, Judas sells Jesus out for 30 shekels. What’s the going rate for a shekel? A shekel was equal to about 4 to 5 tenths-of a weighted ounce. Multiplying the weight of the 30 coins, we come up with roughly 12-15 ounces of silver to betray Jesus. The current price for silver today is about $20 an ounce so in today’s rate Judas sold out Jesus for between $240 – $300.
Don’t let anyone fool you into thinking you can be close to Jesus one moment, and then one day lose your salvation because you quote on quote “betray” Jesus by your actions. The difference between a true follower of Jesus Christ and a Judas is simple. Judas never believed and so was never a follower of Jesus Christ (John 6:64).