The Spy Amongst Us

According to the Gospel of Matthew, Judas went to the chief priests and agreed to hand over Jesus to them for thirty pieces of silver (cf. Matthew 26). In the Church, the Wednesday before the Passover goes by the name Spy Wednesday. Jesus now has a spy in his camp, somebody who is seeking an opportunity to betray his Master when the time is right. 

When I heard this during the homily this morning, I thought what a horrible thing - it is really hard to fathom how an all-knowing Jesus felt knowing fully well that Judas is a spy. Then I read the following commentary by Origen (185-254 AD), a Bible scholar and early Church father:

“Let us consider what Judas said to the Jewish priests: What will you give me if I hand him over to you? He was willing to take money in exchange for handing over the Word of God. They do the same thing who accept sensual or worldly goods in exchange for handing over and casting out from their souls the Savior and Word of truth who came to dwell with them. Indeed, it would be fitting to apply Judas’s example to all who show contempt for the Word of God and betray him, as it were, by committing sin for the sake of money or for any selfish motive. People who behave in this way appear openly to be calling out to the powers of the enemy who offer worldly gain in return for the sin of betraying God’s Word, saying, What will you give me if I hand him over to you? And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. The number of coins they gave Judas was equivalent to the number of years the Savior had sojourned in this world. For at the age of thirty, he was baptized and began to preach the gospel, like Joseph was thirty years old when he began to gather grain for his brothers (Genesis 41:46). Just as at that time the grain was prepared by God for the sons of Israel but given also to the Egyptians, so also the gospel was prepared for the saints but preached also to the unfaithful and wicked.” (Commentary on Matthew 78)

Well, perhaps Judas might not be such a bad guy after all. Because, if I condemn Judas as evil for betraying our Lord, then I am pointing fingers at myself for every time I have betrayed Him in exchange for worldly pleasures. If anything, I am much worse than Judas - he did it once, but I do it everyday for things that cost much less than 30 silver.

Jesus forced everyone of his disciples to examine their souls at the Passover table by telling them: "One of you will betray me". Every time we hear Judas and his betrayal, we should also hear our Lord warning us about the betrayal. We must examine ourselves in the light of God's truth and ask Him for strength to not fail when tempted. 

"I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect." (Romans 12:1,2)