So in my mind Judas should have been praised for taking the dipped bread and performing his duty, rather than Jesus having to get involved in one discussion after another trying to convince a desciple to do what was required.
But on to another interesting twist, are you saying if not Moses someone would have filled that bill, also Mary, Adam....keep going Krishna, Mohamed, Bush?? Interesting predestination contemplation, that if one doesn't fill the role as required someone will step up...
But back to Judas and 30 pieces of silver, and money...F(fe)RNs we have over here. Federal Reserve Notes, used to be backed by Gold, used to be backed by silver, used to be exchangeable for lawful money...but now all we have left is promisory notes that are 'legal tender for all debts public and private'. But there are now places even in our federal buildings that you can only use plastic and our FRNs are not accepted in the transaction!! (renting headphones to listen to exhibits at the Smithsonian Museums)
So mee how do you see the requirement to tithe?? Doesn't that sort of sound like a reliance, worship even of money?? Why doesn't the church put the father first and worry not about food or clothes?
This is something in Christianity I have never really understood. Everyone makes Judas out to be this awful person, but it doesn't hold up under scrutiny. Someone had to betray Jesus to allow him to fulfill his destiny.
It never goes into the backstory on why Judas betrayed him. I think it is highly improbable that Judas betrayed Jesus merely out of greed. The amount paid isn't much anyway. So why? It certainly seems possible, even probable, that Judas had a moment of clarity of understanding his purpose and destiny, and although he found it detestable, knew what he must do for the sake of us all. In that case, it breaks my heart to consider Judas. If the Lord picked me for that, I don't think I could do it.
It is obvious that it deeply affected Judas' well-being too... as at least one of the gospels explained that after Jesus was betrayed, he went out and hung himself.
Doesn't sound like a guy who is heartless and greedy to me, but rather a heart-broken and genuine disciple.
Jesus said:
Matt 9:9-13
9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.
10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"
12On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Compare Hosea 6
1 "Come, let us return to the LORD.
He has torn us to pieces
but he will heal us;
he has injured us
but he will bind up our wounds.
2 After two days he will revive us;
on the third day he will restore us,
that we may live in his presence.
3 Let us acknowledge the LORD;
let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises,
he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,
like the spring rains that water the earth."
4 "What can I do with you, Ephraim?
What can I do with you, Judah?
Your love is like the morning mist,
like the early dew that disappears.
5 Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets,
I killed you with the words of my mouth;
my judgments flashed like lightning upon you.
6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
7 Like Adam, they have broken the covenant—
they were unfaithful to me there.
8 Gilead is a city of wicked men,
stained with footprints of blood.
9 As marauders lie in ambush for a man,
so do bands of priests;
they murder on the road to Shechem,
committing shameful crimes.
10 I have seen a horrible thing
in the house of Israel.
There Ephraim is given to prostitution
and Israel is defiled.
11 "Also for you, Judah,
a harvest is appointed.
"Whenever I would restore the fortunes of my people,
Did Judas, a sinner who stole money from the treasury and such, listen to the call for righteousness? He obviously realized in hindsight his error, and hung himself. What Judus did was dishonorable. It was sick. We should learn from his error.
When God called Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, God extended mercy at the last moment, and spared Isaac. Did we humans return the mercy when God offered Jesus? There were several chances for sinners to extend mercy to Jesus, and spare him, but did any do so? They insisted that he be crucified, even when Pilate offered to release Jesus, as was customary during the Passover. Did they turn to Jesus to be healed of their illness?
Will we ever learn? Will we ever turn to be healed?
(Compare
Isaiah 5:20-24
