Betrayal

Yesterday we thought of the difficult situation the chief priests were in. They feared the people; they hated Jesus, and wanted to get rid of him. Yet with the crowds in the city of Jerusalem for Passover, they have no way of getting at Jesus.

At that very time, enter stage left, Satan. The enemies of Jesus are friends of Satan's. So he gives them a little kick-start in their plan to kill Jesus.

'Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.' (Luke 22: 3-6)

Why did Judas do it? Some, looking on the human level, think that he might have been trying to instigate events to give Jesus the opportunity to start a fight. Maybe he was provoking the showdown when Jesus would defeat the Romans and lead the rising (rebellion). Maybe he was disillusioned with how things were going with Jesus. Maybe he had given up, and was out to gain some money.

Maybe all these. Yet Luke gives us an insight into what was also going on at the same time. Then Satan entered into Judas. Demonic and diabolical distraction encourages Judas to betray Jesus for a handful of coins. Satan's grand scheme to destroy Jesus advances to the next stage.

The chief priests are glad. No wonder, as they can see things moving on in their favour - one of the inner twelve have defected, and they can now see the arrest shaping up. It's just a matter of waiting.

Yet this episode may make some tremble. Can Satan enter a Christian, and influence them? I don't think it possible, as it appears that Judas was not converted, he wasn't a believer. Rather, when the believer is in Christ, then there is security and protection in the strong name of Jesus.