JUDAS THE THIEF
Knowing that Judas was a thief, why did Jesus let him be the one in charge of the group's money bag and finances? Surely, John or Andrew, or perhaps Matthew, the former tax collector, would have done a more noble job of dealing with the group's money.
But, no It was Judas who carried the bag. Had he volunteered for the job in the very beginning or did Jesus appoint him? Scripture doesn't tell us that detail. It doesn't matter. All that counted is that Judas carried the bag.
It sems strange that when Jesus and the group of apostles owed a temple tax, Jesus did not turn to Judas and ask him to pay it. Instead, Jesus sent fisherman Peter to the sea shore to find a coin of exact payment in the mouth of a fish.
So, then, the question remains. Why did Jesus let Judas carry the money bag? Perhaps the answer is found in Psalm 105:19, where it says:
"Until the time that His word came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him."
The context surrounding that verse speaks about Joseph and his trials. The promise of success given to Joseph while he still lived in Canaan among his brothers and before they sold him into slavery to Egypt hung over his head and beleaguered him night and day.
Later, a prison cell earned because he would not make love to his master's wife did not look like the fulfillment of that promise. But all the while he sat in that prison, Joseph clung to God's word given specially to him, and Joseph behaved accordingly, with honor and faithfulness to God.
He believed in his heart of hearts that one day God was going to bring that promise to fruition. As long as he sat in prison, an innocent prisoner, that promise tested whether Joseph would remain true and pure for God. Every time he was ready to throw in the towel, the promise came to mind and Joseph repeated it over and over, letting it stabilize and strengthen his character.
When God was satisfied that Joseph's faith had been tested and tried until he could protect and grow His nation, the butcher and baker from 'the big house' found themselves cell mates with Joseph. Each one had a dream that Joseph interpreted and each dream came to pass just as he had said.
When one of them was released from prison back to his job before Pharaoh, Pharoah also had a dream that troubled him. Joseph was recommended for the job of interpretation and correctly told Pharaoh the true meaning of his dream.
Immediately Pharaoh elevated Joseph to the highest governmental position in Egypt, directly beneath Pharaoh himself! Yes, God's promise to Joseph came true just as He said it would, because Joseph remained in the place where God could bless him accordingly.
When Judas carried the money bag, it was Jesus' test of who or what Judas was willing to be. Either a liar and thief or a careful conservator of the group's bank account. Jesus knew with whom He was dealing and foresaw Judas' betrayal. Yet, He put Judas' salvaton ahead of His own welfare.
Judas was given every opportunity to follow Jesus with a true heart just as did the other eleven. But he chose differently. He elected to have a divided heart and loyalty. He may have admired Jesus, but he loved money more than the Son of God!
Elsewhere Jesus taught:
"No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."
The fishermen and the tax collector chose to leave everything to follow Jesus and follow they did. Make mistakes? Yes! They failed many times. Clearly, though, their devotion to Jesus won out.
Judas was not so sincere in his discipleship. Outwardly, he was Jesus' follower, too, and an outsider saw him as one with the group. Inwardly, Judas still loved wealth. Responsibility for the bag was a means to getting extra change in his own pocket. He was a hypocrite, plain and simple.
While hypocrisy fools people, it never fools God. Yet, Jesus gave Judas lots of leeway and opportunity to change his tune and jump in with both feet to serve Him.
History and the Bible tell of Judas' sad ending. For a measly thirty pieces of silver, he sold Jesus to the chief priests for His execution!
Undoubtedly, Judas thought Jesus would pull a fast one on the mob and escape their clutches as He had been able to do previously. But Judas forgot that God doesh't do the same thing in the same way twice. He is predictably unpredictable. Jesus went with the mob to a kangaroo court and His death on the cross.Wnen Judas saw what he had done, he was filled with remorse. He knew he had blown it! He threw the pieces of silver at the feet of the chief priests and hanged himself.
We know from Scripture that when Jesus died, He descended into Hades and preached to those lost souls about His victory over sin and death. Judas was already there. He had to have seen and heard Jesus. But Jesus' victory could not rescue Judas. It was too late. He had chosen his own destiny, but it was not the way of Jesus.
Hypocrites sit in church pews today, fooling the majority of people worshipping next to them. But God is not fooled. He is giving them time to change, to repent, to hear the truth and give up the 'money bag' and serve Jesus from a whole heart of humility and faithfulness to Him. But will they? Judas didn't.