Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
“What you are about to do, do quickly,” Jesus told him, but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor.
John 13:26-29
What was the motivation for Judas to betray Jesus the Messiah? What is for the 30 pieces of silver ? Was he jealous, what spirit of offense or greed had crept into him? Jesus called him initially and he followed...but yet he had determined in his heart to commit the ultimate betrayal, making mankinds memory of him bitter, and his name nearly unutterable.
Jesus already knew what would happen, and yet what seems strange to me is that Jesus, the Uncreated, the Savior of the World, did not try to change Judas' mind, but instead looked at him with those soul piercing eyes of fire and said the words: "What you are about to do, do quickly."
I find that sometimes in my life, if I take my eyes off His, perhaps noticing something that seems shiny or glittery ( like those 30 pieces of silver) in the corner of my vision field, I start to move down the "impulse path", and can make unwise choices! But my holy God, in all His omniscience and lovingkindness, with the power that hangs the stars in the heavens and more, will let me make my choices, which are not always wise! He sees my flawed impulsiveness, and says : "You have already made up your mind to to do this silly thing, so get it over with".
He alone knows what is in our hearts, and much of it is impurity, darkness, sin, self- motivated impulsivity, and yet...His lovingkindness endures forever, He doesn't strike us down when we screw up, although consequences are part of our lives, but instead He draws us homewards towards the place where love, righteousness, and wisdom dwell.
“What you are about to do, do quickly,” Jesus told him, but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor.
John 13:26-29
What was the motivation for Judas to betray Jesus the Messiah? What is for the 30 pieces of silver ? Was he jealous, what spirit of offense or greed had crept into him? Jesus called him initially and he followed...but yet he had determined in his heart to commit the ultimate betrayal, making mankinds memory of him bitter, and his name nearly unutterable.
Jesus already knew what would happen, and yet what seems strange to me is that Jesus, the Uncreated, the Savior of the World, did not try to change Judas' mind, but instead looked at him with those soul piercing eyes of fire and said the words: "What you are about to do, do quickly."
I find that sometimes in my life, if I take my eyes off His, perhaps noticing something that seems shiny or glittery ( like those 30 pieces of silver) in the corner of my vision field, I start to move down the "impulse path", and can make unwise choices! But my holy God, in all His omniscience and lovingkindness, with the power that hangs the stars in the heavens and more, will let me make my choices, which are not always wise! He sees my flawed impulsiveness, and says : "You have already made up your mind to to do this silly thing, so get it over with".
He alone knows what is in our hearts, and much of it is impurity, darkness, sin, self- motivated impulsivity, and yet...His lovingkindness endures forever, He doesn't strike us down when we screw up, although consequences are part of our lives, but instead He draws us homewards towards the place where love, righteousness, and wisdom dwell.
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