What Motivated Judas to Betray Christ?

Having discussed in the last three issues of the News why the Lord chose Judas, we now consider why Judas betrayed Christ or, to be more precise, the motivation of Judas in betraying Jesus. At first this seems like a very simple question. Judas was motivated by covetousness. Thus he betrayed the Lord for money: 30 pieces of silver (Matt. 26:15). Moreover, we are specifically told that he was "a thief" (John 12:6). This "treasurer" of the Lord and the twelve was hardened in this sin by pilfering from the "bag" over some period of time. However, 30 pieces of silver was the price of a slave gored by an ox (Ex. 21:32), a pitiful sum (Zech. 11:12-13; Matt. 27:9). Could not Judas have made more money by continuing to steal from the bag?

Is there perhaps another, deeper reason for Judas’ treachery? John 6 is suggestive. Here Christ first announces to His disciples that there is a traitor in their midst: "Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?" (70). Why should the Lord mention it at this point? Because many of His erstwhile followers had just forsaken him: "From that time many of his disciples [i.e., the broader circle] went back, and walked no more with him" (66). At this Jesus asks the twelve, "Will ye also go away?" (67). Peter then confesses Jesus as "that Christ, the Son of the living God" (69). Whereupon Christ tells them that there is even a traitor amongst the twelve (70-71).

But what was it that made Christ’s apparent followers forsake Him? It was His doctrine. He declared that He is the life-giving bread of heaven (27, 32-33, 35, 41, 48-58), a bread eaten by faith alone (29, 35, 40, 47). He told them that men only come unto Him by the powerful drawing and inner teaching of the Father (44-45) and that only those whom the Father "gives" to Him in time, according to God’s eternal election, will come to Him (37, 39). The last straw came when Jesus repeated His earlier teaching: "Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father" (65). "From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him" (66). These people merely wanted to see miracles (2, 14) and have their bellies filled (26) for their heart was set on an earthly king withan earthly, carnal kingdom (15). The truth of God’s sovereign grace in Christ alone exposed them, so they "went back, and walked no more with him" (66).

It may well be that Judas held the same, widespread, carnal hopes. Over three years of hearing Jesus’ teaching, he was hardened and offended by the same gospel of sovereign grace. Judas’ covetousness was in keeping with this desire for an earthly Messiah ruling a triumphant Jewish kingdom bringing worldly peace and prosperity. So when Jesus proved not to be the Messiah Judas wanted, he sold him for the price of a gored slave, showing us the use he had for such a Christ.