Wednesday: Love and Betrayal

(Matthew 26:1-16)

A. Introduction

1. Judas must have been livid. A woman of the city. Costly ointment. Three hundred denari, a year’s wages. (By contrast, the 30 pieces of silver that Judas was to receive for ultimate betrayal was but three month’s wages.) He must have been livid. Matthew tells us that the disciples complained that it could have been used to help the poor. The gospel of John also tells us that it was Judas that complained and that he was a thief and that he stole from the common purse that he was entrusted to keep. The poor indeed.
2. But there may have been more to it. Let’s look at it from Judas’ perspective. Jesus had obviously gone off the deep end. Hadn’t Peter declared him Messiah, the Christ, when we were in Caesarea Philippi? And hadn’t Jesus declared himself so when he entered Jerusalem on a donkey three days ago? Remember, he declared himself the Jewish Messiah.
1. And where are we now? At the home of a leper. A leper. Unclean, Unclean.
2. And now a woman touches him in public. We don’t even know who this woman is. And the costly ointment, 300 denari, can you believe it? And what does Jesus say? “By pouring ointment on my body she is preparing me for burial.” If He’s the Messiah, he’s got to get over this fatalistic stuff and get on with the business of overthrowing Rome. Hated Rome. We could be using the 300 denari for our army.
3. All this is enough to send a person to the chief priests.

B. Body

1. Let’s go back. It’s Wednesday of Holy Week. Matthew tells us that Jesus’ public teaching is over. He says, “After Jesus finished saying all these things.” All. All these things. Say all. All will be a byword today. The book of Matthew is divided into five teaching segments. After each of the first four, say, following the Sermon on the Mount, it transitions by saying, “After Jesus had finished saying these things.” Here, after the final teachings, it says, “After Jesus had finished saying ALL of these things.” He had finished his teaching sometime Tuesday evening or maybe Wednesday.
2. But the rest of Wednesday is a drama. And the scenes of the drama move rapidly from one to another. Scene 1: I see Jesus and his disciples leaving the Temple, leaving Jerusalem, and walking to Bethany. On the way, Jesus reminds them of what he had told them in Caesarea Philippi, “You know that after two days, the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
1. Now you need to understand that Judas wasn’t alone in not understanding what Jesus was saying. None of them did. For them, this was the Messiah, the Christ, the one who would restore the majesty of Israel. The disciples didn’t understand what kind of king this was.
2. You think I’m wrong? After the resurrection, after the resurrection, they still didn’t get it. After 40 days, they still didn’t get it. In the first chapter of the book of Acts, Jesus is ready to ascend to the Father, and what do the disciples say? “Lord, is this the time you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” And they didn’t understand what kind of kingdom he was ushering in?
3. No wonder Judas missed the boat. None of them got it. “You know after two days, the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
3. The scene changes quickly to the palace of the High Priest, Caiaphas. “⁴ and they conspired to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. ⁵ But they said, “Not during the festival, or there may be a riot among the people.” (Mt 26:4-5) Little did they know that Judas would arrive later in the evening and accelerate their plans. And while all of the drama is playing out privately, we can see the scenes of the drama: Jesus teaching his disciples privately; the Scribes and elders conspiring privately; and Judas, conspiring in his heart privately.
4. Now the scene shifts to two miles away, to the town of Bethany and the home of Simon the leper.
1. We don’t know who this Simon is. Remember now, hundreds of thousands of people came to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. They depended on the hospitality of the locals for room and board. Possibly, Jesus was staying at the house of Simon the Leper.
2. Only Jesus would have stayed at the house of a leper. Unclean. Unclean. Not only were lepers ritually unclean, the disease was thought to be God’s punishment for their sin, and that sin could enter others by touching them. Not only were they ritually unclean, leprosy was a terrible disease. If a man was named, say Simon the Leper, by his condition, this was probably the real deal. There was no doubt it was Hansen’s disease leading to fear, isolation, the deprivation of human contact, and finally death. Only Jesus would have stayed at the house of a leper.
3. In our time, AIDS is the new leprosy, especially 25 years ago, when it was new. Fear, isolation, deprivation of human contact (remember Ryan White?), then death. Mother Teresa, like no other person, was the heart and hands of Jesus to the AIDS community. Not only did she run real leper colonies in India, she was the first to set up an AIDS hospice mission in New York City called the “Gift of Love.” Juan, one of those cared for is dying. There’s a stirring at the the hospice, at the Gift of Love. Mother Teresa is in town, in New York, and she’s coming to visit. The old nun with the bad heart climbs three flights of stairs to enter Juan’s room. Mother Teresa touches him, “You are going to Jesus, Juan,” she says. “And when you arrive, there will be a great welcome for you. God loves you, you know.” She clasps his willing hand. “When you get to Jesus, Juan, tell him that I love you, the sisters love you, the volunteers and the patients love you. He will know that you have much love.” (“Readers Digest,” December 1987, p 246)
   Only Jesus would choose to stay at the house of a leper.
5. And then there was the woman in our story. Hear it from the Gospel of Matthew: while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, ⁷ a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. ⁸ But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, “Why this waste? ⁹ For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor.” ¹⁰ But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. ¹¹ For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. ¹² By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial. ¹³ Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.” (Mt 26:10-13)
1. Here it is, Jesus’ final night of freedom—tomorrow night he’ll be taken from the Garden of Gethsemane in chains. His final night of freedom and he receives the most extravagant gift of love that this woman knows how to give. Extravagant love, extravagant generosity, so much so that we are still talking about it today. “Whenever this story, whenever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”
6. Jesus explains to them and to us. “The poor will always be with you.” There will always be opportunities to serve; but when the opportunity comes to show great love, it may be a once in a lifetime opportunity. This woman didn’t miss her chance to show great love.
7. Judas missed it. Another change in scene. John would say it was a dark scene. It was night. It was the blackest act in the history of the world. ^“14 Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and said, “What will you give me if I betray him to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶ And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.” (Mt 26:14-16) Mark says when the Chief priests heard it, they were greatly pleased.
8. On the heal of extravagant love, incredible betrayal. Judas. I want to spend some time talking about Judas. It’s important. It’s important to us.
1. Why did he choose as he did? Why did he do it? Was it predestined? And was he predestined to eternal damnation? It’s important to us to ask. Because if that’s the nature of God, what about us? Could we be condemned, could we be outside of God’s love?
2. I will tell you from the outset. NOT. That is not the nature of God. You see the nature of God in this woman with the costly ointment. You see the nature of God in Mother Teresa. You see the nature of God in Jesus. No one is outside of the love of God. No one. So, what is the truth about Judas?
9. First, it was not God’s will that Judas chose to betray Jesus. But Judas did choose. Why? Why would he choose? There may have been at least two reasons.
1. First, the money. Greed. Yet, for 30 pieces of silver? Hardly a grand bargain. Just one quarter of the value of the expensive ointment? Could have been greed, but it seems there was something more going on here.
2. The second, and the one I find most satisfying is zeal. While we have no way of knowing for sure, many believe Judas was a fervent nationalist, a patriot, part of the party of sicarrii, or dagger bearers. If so, Judas in his fervor wanted Rome overturned, and Jesus was the one to do it. Jesus was his man, but he was getting cold feet. He had to be forced to show his hand. Surely if he faced death he would call down his legion of angels and the kingdom would be restored. He had to force Jesus’ hand.
3. Or there may have been another twist. Judas may have become disillusioned, tired of it all and went the Chief Priests to see what he could get for three years of his life that he had followed Jesus.
4. In either case, Judas misunderstood, like so many of us, what kind of kingdom Jesus was ushering in. Judas was trying to fit the kingdom to his purpose rather than fitting himself to kingdom purposes. Greg Boyd, a St. Paul, MN, pastor calls this Judas Christianity. We often do that too, don’t we? We try to fit the kingdom to our purposes.
5. Churches on the right portray issues like pro-life, defense of marriage, national security as kingdom issues and political issues. Politics and the kingdom get blurred.
6. Churches on the left are no better insisting that the social gospel, caring for the poor, the needy is priority of government, and the roles of church and government get blurred. They too try to fit the kingdom to their purposes.
7. Jesus said clearly, “My kingdom is not of this world.” Now, it is fine to be right or left or in the middle. It is good to take a stand, to vote, to make a difference in the life of the body politic, but don’t do it in the name of the church of Jesus Christ. “My kingdom is not of this world.” Have you noticed, if the hearts of the people are right, so will be the political institutions. If the hearts of the people are wrong, no political institution can change them. We bring the kingdom of God on earth by changing the hearts of people. That’s kingdom politics. Take a stand, vote, but don’t confuse the two.
8. So why did Judas choose? Probably to force his political agenda. And it all went wrong.
9. But the important question is, “Was Judas predestined to eternal damnation?” I’ve wrested with this, and I’ve had much help from a recent sermon by Greg Boyd, Woodlandhills Church. (“Judas Christianity,” 2/7/10) He believes that we have had a fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to “fulfill Scripture.” I would marry his thoughts with those of Wesley who fervently believed in free-will, in choice, and Wesley believed we had to look at issues from the context of the whole Bible. So, what does it mean to “fulfill Scripture”? Two things:

10. The first is Scripture that is prophesy that is predictive.
1. Moses said “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me among your own people.” (Deut 18:15)
2. Or like the prophet Micah:
   But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,
   who are one of the little clans of Judah,
   from you shall come forth for me
   one who is to rule in Israel,
   whose origin is from of old,
   from ancient days. (5.2)
3. Or like Malachi foretelling the coming of Elijah, fulfilled in John the Baptist: “⁵ Lo, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. ⁶ He will turn the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents,” (5-6a)
4. Scripture that was predictive, that foretold, that had to come to be, for the salvation story to unfold. The lineage of the greatest king, the lineage of the greatest prophet who was to be Jesus forerunner.
11. Others are not predictive, but Jesus simply lives them out like a son fills his dad’s shoes. Nothing predictive or necessary about them but they happened. Two cases:
1. Let’s read Psalm 69.21: “²¹ They gave me poison for food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” We know that the soldiers at the cross dipped in sour vinegar and placed on the lips of Jesus. It happened. It was fulfilled. It didn’t have to happen for him to be the Messiah. His food wasn’t poisoned and we don’t say, “Well, his food wasn’t poisoned so I guess he wasn’t the Christ.” His life simply fit Scripture.
2. Psalm 22 says the soldiers cast lots or his clothing. It happened. It was fulfilled. But it wasn’t predictive, it didn’t have to happen. Or Psalm 22 also implies his bones would not be broken. In most crucifixions they break their legs late in the day to accelerate the suffocation. With Jesus, they did not. The Scripture was fulfilled, but wasn’t predictive, it didn’t have to happen. But Jesus fit the Scripture.
3. Now to the one which is the crux of the matter, ones that are often quoted as predicting, predestining, Judas as the betrayer of Christ. In the gospel of John, Jesus quotes Psalm 41.9 says, “the one who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.” Surely Scripture was fulfilled, Judas was eating with him, but it didn’t have to happen that way. The Scripture wasn’t predictive. We’ll see that if we read the verse from Psalms 41 in context. David writing says
   ” ⁷ All my enemies whisper together against me;
   they imagine the worst for me, saying,
   ⁸ “A vile disease has beset him;
   he will never get up from the place where he lies.”
   ⁹ Even my close friend, whom I trusted,
   he who shared my bread,
   has lifted up his heel against me.
   ¹⁰ But you, O LORD, have mercy on me;
   raise me up, that I may repay them.
4. David, the writer, says he has a vile disease. Did Jesus have a vile disease? Ever? Not that we know of? David asks to get well so he can extract revenge. Did Jesus ever pray such a prayer? Ever? Not that we know of. The fact that Judas ate with Jesus, fulfilled Scripture; but it wasn’t predictive. It didn’t have to happen that way. Judas chose to betray Jesus. It was not predicted by Scripture. It fit Scripture.
12. But I think a more important to view this within the context of the whole of Scripture; the reason to say that Judas was not predestined to eternal damnation is that it is not the nature of God to predestine anyone. In fact it is the will of God that all be saved. And that included Judas. That’s what the Bible says. John Wesley was adamantly opposed to the theology of predestination because he read the Bible as a whole. Wesley said, “God knows all believers; and wills that all should be saved.”

a. It is Biblical. God told Abraham (Gen 12: 3), “Through you all the nations of the world will be blessed.” Say all.

b. Isaiah (49.6) said, “I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” The whole earth, all the earth. Say all.

c. John ( 1 John 2.2) says,”he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” All the world. Say all.

d. Paul tells us in the letter to Titus (2.11), “¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all,” Say all.

e. And in Timothy (1 Timothy 2.3-4), “This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴ who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Everyone to be saved. That’s all. Say all.

f. In 2 Peter (3.9), The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish, but all to come to repentance.” Say all.

g. That’s God through Moses, Isaiah, John, Paul, and Peter.

h. Finally, the one we all know: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosover believeth in him, may not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16 KJV) So loved the world, all the world. One last time, say all.

C. Close.

1. It’s Wednesday, Jesus predicts his crucifixion, then goes to the house of Simon the Leper.
1. The woman shows her unconditional love for Jesus by doing the most extravagant thing that she could do, the most extravagant gift of love she can provide.
2. And Jesus prepares to do the most extravagant thing that he could do for you, giving his life for you, the gift of love.
3. And not just for you, but for all: “¹¹ For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all,” (Titus 2:11)
2. All means me, all means you, and that means Judas, too… had he chosen it, but instead he chose to betray it. Do we choose the gift of love or do we betray it? It is God’s will, it is God’s gift that we should be saved. It is God’s gift of love. Choose this wondrous gift of love. Amen.