ONE OF THE TWELVE
SERMON OF THE WEEK #200902-January 18, 2009
‘One Of The Twelve’ is a phrase used by Matthew, Mark, and John regarding the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. And here are several references that provide the account of the greatest crime in history, committed by one of the twelve.
THE HEIGHT OF POPULARITY
The first reference is in John six when Jesus was at the height of his popularity many departed from him and Jesus said unto the twelve, “Will you also go away?” Simon Peter answered: “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life and we believe and know that thou are the Holy One of God.” Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” Now this spake of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he it was who should betray him being one of the twelve. This all happened at the time of the Passover, a year before the final Passover when Jesus went to the cross.
Now this is a declaration about Judas that is hard to understand because the day before Judas had seen the Lord feed five thousand with five loaves and two fishes; and Judas himself had been one of the waiters who had received, as the other apostles from the hands of the Lord broken pieces of fish and bread over and over until about 5,000 were completely satisfied. And not only that, but that very night after the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus to escape the multitude who wanted to make him king went up into a mountain to pray, and the apostles left about dark in the boat to go back to the other side. After rowing about seven hours in a violent storm, and covering no more than four and a half miles, Jesus came to them about the fourth watch of the night that would be about three o’clock in the morning, walking on the sea. Such exhibitions of the power of Jesus feeding 5,000 with practically nothing, and walking on water should have been enough to identify the divinity of Jesus, and yet Jesus could say even then a year before his death on the cross, “One of you is a devil.”
THE SUPPER AT BETHANY
The next mention of the betrayal of Judas was at the supper in John 12 when they had prepared him a supper and Martha served, and Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead sat at the table with Jesus. Mary had anointed the feet of Jesus with expensive ointment and Judas complained that such valuable ointment should have been sold for much and given to the poor; now this he said, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the bag and took what was put therein. Actually all the apostles joined in the charge about the waste of money, and Mary must have felt very badly. Everyone seemed to be against her; even her brother Lazarus lately raised from the dead said nothing. Only Jesus defended her. According to Mark Jesus said, “Leave her alone.”
Actually Judas and the other apostles were a little mixed up about the ointment being sold and given to the poor; because that is what Mary did; she poured all of the ointment on the poor and the poor was Jesus. In 2nd Corinthians 8:9 Paul said, “Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ how he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor.” And Jesus said himself in Matthew 8:20, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven have nests: but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.” This rebuke may have been one of the reasons that led Judas to betray the Lord as we read another segment in the story of the price of betrayal.
THE PRICE OF BETRAYAL
According to Matthew, Mark, and John one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said, “What are you willing to give me and I will deliver him unto you?” And they weighed unto him thirty pieces of silver. And from that time he sought opportunity to deliver him unto them.
That question, “What are you willing to give me?” is beyond understanding. Just think of what Jesus had already given him. According to Luke six, Jesus had spent all night in prayer over the great decision He would make the next day when He looked over all His disciples and then chose twelve to be apostles. Judas was a chosen man. According to Matthew ten, he was chosen to have power over demons, and to heal all manner of sickness, raise the dead, and cure lepers. That is what Jesus gave him up to this point, and he said to the chief priests, “What are you willing to give me? Can you raise the ante?”
Think of it. Judas might have been chosen to write one of the gospel records of the life of Jesus: The gospel according to Judas Iscariot. Actually Jesus was willing to give him that and more. Jesus was willing to honor him by writing his name on one of the twelve foundations stones of heaven as written in Revelation twenty-one. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; the fifth; sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beyrl; the ninth, topas; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst.
But Judas wanted to know what the chief priests were willing to give him? Can you raise the ante? So the chief priests made an offer. It was thirty pieces of silver and Judas accepted it. Judas traded all Jesus would give, and in addition to all that eternal life, plus the honor of sitting on one of the twelve thrones reserved for the apostles as mentioned in Matthew 18:28. Judas gave up all of heaven for what has been estimated between fifteen and twenty dollars.
However one may wonder why was the price of betrayal set at thirty pieces of silver? In Exodus 21:32 if an ox gored the servant, of another man’s servant, the price to be paid for the loss of the servant was thirty shekels of silver. Thirty shekels of silver was all the life of a servant was worth. The price of an injury to a son or daughter was to be determined otherwise. This may give us some understanding of how despicable the Lord Jesus was in the sight of Judas Iscariot. To Judas thirty pieces of silver was worth more than heaven and everything in it. Jesus and all He could give would be worthless in his sight compared to thirty pieces of silver.
That statement about Judas when he went to the chief priests is haunting-ONE OF THE TWELVE-only one of the twelve could be the betrayer. Only one of the inner circle of such an exalted position as one of the twelve could do such damage as Judas was about to do. And it has to be true today. It is a tragic mistake to ignore this lesson of history. Those who can do more damage or good, to or for, the Kingdom of God are in the inner circle of service. If one of the twelve could sell out the Lord in that group, would it not be true of one of the twelve today?
One of the greatest areas of influence in the Lord’s work today is the religious journals. People in the brotherhood quote freely what the editor said, and what the various writers in the journal tell us. Another area is the Bible College. Many of us like to follow, and support our Alma Mater. And then a third area of influence is the convention and family camp movement. Such assemblies are springing up in many places, and having much influence in the goings on of the brotherhood.
One of the twelve as Editor, Bible College President, or Camp Director, can be a prime mover for advancement in the kingdom of God, or a prime mover for betrayal of the word of God. It is well to consider carefully the appointment of the trustees, in either group. It only takes one of the twelve to be a blessing, or a devil as the Lord referred to Judas. And certainly in either group, writers of articles, speakers on the programs, and teachers, or professors in the classroom must be carefully screened. It could take only one of the twelve in either case to make the difference in the salvation of souls that only God knows the number. Of course in all three cases, it will be quickly pointed out we are very careful who is chosen. But so was Jesus, Judas one of the twelve was hand picked by Jesus.
THE LORD’S PREDICTION OF BETRAYAL
And now beginning at Matthew 26:20 we come to the Lord’s prediction of betrayal at the feast of the Passover. As they were eating he said, "Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me." It was the trial of suspicion. The prediction was made in Psalms 41:9, ”Mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” Jesus repeated that statement during John’s account of the Passover in John 13:18.
Since there was no reason at this point to suspect Judas, they were all under suspicion. Peter must have thought, “I could very well be the one as well as any one else to betray the Lord.” That is why each of them began to ask, “Is it I Lord?” And when Judas saw that Jesus had not mentioned his name, he had the unmitigated gall to also ask, “Is it I?” But Judas did not ask the question exactly like the other eleven. The eleven said, “Is it I, Lord?” Judas said, “Is it I, Rabbi?" He could not make himself address Jesus as Lord, but only as teacher. Perhaps it may be that way with many members of the church today. They want a Savior, but they do not want a Lord. Peter defined the difference in Act 2:36 when he charged them with crucifying Jesus. God has made Him both Lord and Christ. Jesus wants to be Lord to tell us what to do, what to think, and give thrust to our lives.
Then consider also the fact that Jesus by not mentioning the name of the betrayer was good for both the innocent and the guilty. It was good for Judas, for by not mentioning his name it was the Lord’s last effort to stop Judas on his mad rush to perdition. And it taught the innocent to be on guard concerning himself; and it is also good for Christians in the twenty first century at the Lord’s Table. Paul said in 1st Corinthians 11:28, "Let a man examine himself, so let him eat of the read and drink of he cup." Don’t examine the elders, deacons, the hypocrites; and not even Judas as to whether he left before the supper or not; examine your self, “Is it I, Lord?”
The ugliest thing in the world is the naked devil. He always makes himself look good until we comes face to face with our sin. If it could happen in such a select group as the twelve, it can happen to us today. “Is it I, Lord?”
THE BETRAYAL IN THE GARDEN
And now here is the betrayal in the Garden. Some time during the washing of the feet, feast of the Passover and institution of the Lord’s Supper, Judas had gone out to betray Jesus and the die was cast. There was no turning back for Judas. Jesus sealed the decision of Judas when He prayed in the presence of the eleven that night in John 17:12: ”While I was with them, I kept them in Thy name which Thou hast given Me: and I guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the son of perdition.” When Jesus called Judas the son of hell, there was no turning back for Judas. Jesus finished His prayer, and they went to the Garden of Gethsemane, to await the betrayal.
In John 18 and Matthew 26 we read how Judas knew the place and came with a multitude with sticks, staves, torches and lanterns. They brought the lanterns and torches to flush out the light of the world. The first Adam hid himself among the trees of the Garden, but the second Adam met His accusers head on. Jesus went forth and asked, “Whom, seek ye?” Jesus answered, I am He.” When He said this the whole multitude fell down backwards. Jesus asked again, “Whom, seek ye?” They said, “Jesus of Nazareth” Jesus said, “I told you I am He.” The kiss of Judas as an identifying sign of the Lord was indeed wasted. Jesus identified Himself.
If they fell down backward when they saw Him in the garden, what will it be like when these miserable wretches are dragged from their grave and stand before Him in judgment? Hopefully some of them heard Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost and after hearing the gospel were numbered among the 3000 who repented and were baptized for the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Then Jesus was arrested and taken away for trial. Then consider bringing back the price of betrayal.
BINGING BACK THE PRICE OF BETRAYAL
After the trial in Matthew 27:3;10 informs us, ”Then Judas when he saw that he was condemned brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests, and elders saying, I have sinned in that I betrayed innocent blood. But they said, “What is that to us? See thou to it. Judas now realized that he was responsible and he would be charged for putting the crown of thorns on the head of Jesus, every lash of the whip, every blow of the fist, every nail driven, all the spit in his face. He said, “I have sinned, I have betrayed innocent blood.” He did not blame the chief priests and elders; he said, “I am the one who did it.”
And he cast down the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, and departed; and to escape the hell that was inside of him, he went away and hanged himself, and went to the hell that was in front of him.
The chief priest thought they had a good case against Jesus when one of the twelve betrayed him; but when Judas came back and declared Jesus to be innocent blood they had no more excuse. The moral decision of the chief priests should have been to call off the crucifixion. Pilate would have been delighted; he tried every way he could to avoid this problem; he even tried washing his hands of the whole matter. Now they had no excuse; they were determined to go through with it, and Jesus was crucified by both Jew and Gentile, as Paul reminds us in Romans 3:9, “For we before laid it to the charge both of Jews and Greeks, that they are all under sin. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
And so remember whoever, you are the words of Jesus when He announced the betrayal. The Son of man goeth even as it is written of Him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed. Good were it for that man if he had never been born. So it is written, and so will it be done.
