The Distorted Behavior of One Who Has Fallen into Temptation

“While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve disciples, arrived. A crowd sent by the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders came, armed with swords and clubs, with Judas leading them” (Mark 14:43, New Revised Version). Reflecting on this passage, I want to receive the lessons it offers:

(1)

When Jesus said, “Look, the one who is going to betray me is near” (verse 42), and “while He was still speaking,” Judas—the sinner among the twelve disciples who was to betray Jesus (verses 41-42)—came ahead of the crowd sent by the chief priests, teachers of the law, and elders (Luke 22:47) (Mark 14:43, New Revised Version).

(a)

While Jesus was still speaking to His disciples, Judas appeared leading Roman soldiers armed with daggers and temple guards holding clubs. Judas led them to Jesus who was in Gethsemane at night (Hoekema).

(i)

Mark does not mention when Judas slipped away from the disciples to join those who came to arrest Jesus, but John tells us Judas left the group after receiving a piece of bread at the Last Supper (John 13:30). Judas probably agreed to betray Jesus in exchange for payment and provided information on how to arrest Jesus quietly without causing a riot. Judas was familiar with the places Jesus frequented (John 18:2 — “Now Judas also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with His disciples.”). Knowing that Jesus would go to the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane after the Passover meal, Judas went ahead with the crowd to that place (Hoekema).

• Seeing how Judas chose the place where Jesus often prayed quietly as the site for betrayal, we can glimpse how someone who fails to stay awake and pray in times of trial can be led by greed and distorted into such behavior.