03 — Betrayal

When: Wednesday
Location: Jerusalem

Read: Matthew 26:1-16; Mark 14:1-11; Luke 22:1-6

30 pieces of silver.

That’s what the religious leaders of the day paid Judas to betray Jesus. 30 pieces of silver today would be worth anywhere from $200-$600. Regardless of the exact value, it is crazy to think that the Savior of the World was about to be betrayed and killed for such a small amount.

There really isn’t any price that could justify giving up Jesus. And yet, we are all guilty of exchanging our Savior for other, lesser things.

So, what happened? How did Judas get from here to a place where he would ultimately betray Jesus?

It’s hard to tell, but we get some clues. One is found in John 12:1-6, where we read that Judas was not only a thief and stealing money from the ministry underneath the table, he was also projecting a “holier than thou” image in front of Jesus and the other disciples. Judas illustrates something here that is true for all “big failures”. Often the big moments get all the attention, but it’s the little heart shifts, choices, and compromises over a long period of time that define who we really are. Each of us is capable of being a “Judas” if we let the little hidden cracks grow over time.