To Gain Money

From: Messages of God's Love: 1946

From: Luke, Bible Talks On: The Perfect Man

Luke 22:3-6³Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. ⁴And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them. ⁵And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. ⁶And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude. (Luke 22:3‑6)

When the twelve disciples went about the country with the Lord Jesus, the money for their food and lodgings was kept in one bag that all should share alike. The disciple who carried the bag and had charge of the money was Judas. But he did not want to share the same as Jesus and the others; he wanted more for himself.

When the costly oil was put on the head and feet of Jesus to do Him honor, Judas said it should have been sold and the money given to the poor. What he said of giving to the poor was deceit; he wanted the oil sold, then he could have the price of it in the bag, and keep a part for himself (John 12). So Judas was willing to do wrong, and to say what was not true to gain money.

It was known that the priests and chief men of Jerusalem hated Jesus so much that they wanted Him taken and put to death, but did not dare have Him arrested when the crowds of people would see it, because they knew the people believed Jesus the Messiah, and would not let Him be mistreated. The wicked thought came to Judas that he could lead Jesus to the priests secretly, and that they would pay him money to do so.

Judas did not refuse the wicked thought, and one more wicked than all urged him on: “Satan entered into Judas”, and he went to the priests and asked them if they would pay him money to bring Jesus to them when the people would not see or know it.

The priests were “glad” to promise money, and they agreed on a plan, which was soon carried out at night and outside the city where the people could not see their wicked deed.

To give a friend to his enemy to harm is to betray, a most dishonorable act; how dreadful for Judas to plan to do this to the Lord Jesus, Who, he knew, had done good to all. Judas knew the Lord’s power to cure every sickness, and twice he had seen that Jesus could supply bread for several thousand people without money to buy it: he should have thought how much greater His power was than money.

Also all the words of the Lord taught Judas right and true ways; He had told them, “Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (money). But Judas made the awful choice: he wanted money more than he wanted the Lord. He may have seemed interested at first as all the disciples, but he never loved Jesus or he would not have been willing for Him to be mistreated.

Judas’ life shows it is not enough to know the greatness of the Lord and to hear His words; we must choose Him above all else and know our need of Him.