Irony of the Handing Over

“One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot,
went to the chief priests and said,
‘What are you willing to give me
if I hand him over to you?’”

Matthew 26:14-15

Judas was one of the Twelve chosen, hand-picked by the Lord to walk with Him, be with Him, and witness all the works He would do and hear all the words He would speak. Jesus offered unto Judas a friendship, an intimate relationship, but that wasn’t enough for him. He wanted something else, something more tangible.

In exchange for this friend and relationship, Judas settled for 30 pieces of silver. Three years of walking together and journeying together was worth only 30 pieces of silver. The nature of this transaction was much more than just buying something from the store. Judas had to return to Jesus, acting like an informant, waiting for the perfect time to hand him over to the chief priests. I can just imagine a parent having to hand their child over to Child Services or to an orphanage. How can Judas do such a thing? And to do so with a gesture of love and intimacy: a kiss.

What was going on inside the mind of Judas? What drove him to the point where he would betray Jesus? Perhaps he had long ago left Jesus in his heart, but just went along. Brothers and sisters, our spiritual lives can be the same thing too if we do not invest time in talking with and listening to Jesus, and being with Him. If we do not tend to this most sacred relationship of ours, we will slowly drift away from the Lord, and maybe even to the point of handing Him over in our falling into temptation and sin.

Instead of going to Jesus to talk things out, Judas goes to the chief priests. Just like the prodigal son who after squandering all the money given to him by his father seeks employment with foreigner tending the swine, Judas instead of going to Jesus, to the One who has called him, goes to those who are in opposition to Jesus and he sells his Lord. But, the Father uses even this horrendous act of betrayal to bring about great good. While Judas delivers Jesus into the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver, Jesus delivers us from our sins with His own precious blood. Judas’ act of deliverance led to death but Jesus’ act of deliverance led to life, life that will never end.