John 12:66This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. (John 12:6), Matthew 26:3, 4, 14-163Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, 4And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. (Matthew 26:3‑4)
14Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, 15And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. 16And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him. (Matthew 26:14‑16)
JESUS had twelve disciples. Did they all love Him?
Peter loved Jesus, and John loved Him, and all the rest loved Him except one. His name was Judas. He did not love Jesus, but only pretended to love Him. He was like the devil.
Did Jesus know how wicked Judas was?
Yes, He saw into his heart. But the disciples thought Judas was good, for Judas used to kiss the Lord Jesus. He used to speak kindly to Him and talk about God like the rest.
But Judas loved something; he loved money. He wanted to get a lot of money. He was covetous, and he was a thief. The disciples had a bag, and when they had money they put it in the bag. All the disciples put their money in the same bag. But there was very little money in the bag, for they were very poor. Judas used to take care of the bag. He used to steal some of the money out of it and keep it for himself. But no one found him out or thought he was a thief, except Jesus, and He knew it well.
Judas was always thinking, ‘How shall I get money?’ One day, when the proud men were sitting together, Judas came in. Judas said to them, ‘You want to find Jesus when He is alone. Will you give me some money, and I will show you where He goes at night?’
The proud people said, ‘Yes, we will.’
Judas said, ‘How much money will you give me?’
They said, ‘Thirty pieces of silver.’
Then Judas said, ‘Some night I will bring you to Jesus when He is alone.’
The wicked people were very glad to hear this.
‘Now,’ they thought, ‘we shall soon catch Him and kill Him.’
Judas went back to Jesus, but he did not tell the disciples what he had done. But Jesus knew what he had done. Jesus could see all his thoughts. He knew all that Judas did, both by day and by night. Yet Jesus did not tell Judas that He knew his wicked plans.
When Jesus on the earth abode,
Some friends He had, though few;
Their love, alas, too faintly flowed,
Yet was sincere and true.
But there was one whose heart was cold,
Who did not love his Lord,
But sought of silver and of gold
To make a plenteous hoard.
His wicked thoughts he hid from all,
And piously would speak;
The Savior ‘Lord and Master’ call,
And even kiss His cheek.
In vain he thus his love declared,
And fond attention paid;
In vain in toil and danger shared,
In vain he preached and prayed.
Full well the blessed Savior knew
He was by sin enchained,
And from the bag in secret drew
The money it contained.
He saw him in the depth of night,
To gain a base reward,
Promise the Jews to please their spite,
And to betray his Lord.
Thus Judas gold and silver chose,
Instead of joys above,
And plunged his soul in endless woes,
And lost his Master’s love.
And such will be my wretched end
(Whatever I appear),
If God I care not to offend,
And man alone I fear.
If I, like Judas, talk and pray,
And yet in secret steal,
I shall be punished in that day
When God shall all reveal.
Questions
Did all Jesus’ disciples love Him?
Did the other disciples know that Judas did not love Jesus?
Did Jesus know it?
Was Judas a thief?
What did Judas love better than anything else?
What did Judas promise He would do for the wicked people if they would give him money?
How much money did they promise to give Him?
Did Jesus know that Judas meant to show the wicked people where He was at night?
God can see all things.
A verse from the Bible for you to learn: