I was reading in Matthew 26 the story of Jesus’ prayer, arrest and trial. As I read about Judas and his approach to Jesus I could only imagine how greed must have hardened his heart. He had spent three years following Jesus, watching the miracles, and seeing His love and compassion toward those who were hurting. Through all that time Judas was focused on money. The Bible tells us that he used to take from the money bag for himself. What was he doing with the money? Did he set it back thinking he would walk away from Jesus someday a rich man? Did he take it thinking he would he could buy a high place in the new kingdom on earth they all thought Jesus would establish? Maybe he finally realized that Jesus was not going to be the earthly king so he betrayed Jesus for money to gain favor with the Jewish leaders. We don’t know why Judas took the money or all of the answers to the questions we could ask. We do know he was full of greed. His heart was blind to Jesus’ love and compassion. He was not able to hear what Jesus taught because his heart was hard and cold. Are we ever that way? Are we at times so filled with greed or anger that we cannot hear or see the love shown to us either by Jesus or even someone very close to us? Have we ever closed our heart so much that we cannot see the truth?
Let’s look at Jesus during this time now. As the disciples tried to protect Jesus after Judas and the Jewish leaders arrived one of them cut off the ear of a servant. Even with all the anger and hatred being aimed at Jesus, he took the time to pick up the piece of ear and place it back on the head of the servant and heal him. I wonder what the officials were doing as Jesus did this. Were they so busy yelling and threatening that they never noticed what he did? It had to take a moment to take care of this servant. The officials hearts were so hardened that even this moment of compassion from Jesus did not change their heart. They were angry. They wanted Jesus dead. So what that he cared for this man enough to heal his pain right then. Jesus was about to suffer a painful death yet he cared for another man’s pain in the midst of his own. He loves us that much.
Let’s return to Judas. A while later Judas realized that Jesus was going to be put to death on the cross. Judas was filled with remorse and returned the money. The money no longer meant anything to him. Did all those years of listening to Jesus and watching the miracles and seeing the compassion Jesus had for the hurting and lost finally break through the hard heart filled with greed? Did it take Judas “hitting bottom” to finally make him understand the man he had followed for three years? Again, we do not know the answers to these questions. We do know he was filled with such remorse that he felt he could not live with what he had done. He chose to end his life rather than repenting and accepting Jesus forgiveness.
One more person to observe is Peter. Peter denied ever knowing Jesus. He was afraid and deserted his teacher when he needed him the most. Granted, Peter did not turn Jesus over to the Jewish leaders. He just denied ever knowing Jesus and when confronted with the seriousness of his sin went out and wept bitterly. He repented and was forgiven and went on to be a great leader and teacher concerning the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Judas could have known the love Jesus had for him had he only opened his heart and soul to his Savior and repented.
What can we learn from these stories in this short reading from Matthew 26? Jesus loves and cares for everyone. He is a forgiving Savior when we repent and follow him. Our heart must be open to him. Anger, greed, and many other sins harden our heart to Jesus’ love and compassion for us. Jesus will take the time to show compassion and healing if we will only listen to him. Peter was sorrowful which led to his repentance. Jesus loved Peter and allowed him to come back to him. He will do the same for us.
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