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Judas and Satan - Luke 22
Judas and Satan - Luke 22
Satan tempted Jesus - and ‘lost’. Satan thus is shown to be the enemy of Jesus and of His disciples. Among those disciples was Judas. He is identified as Judas Iscariot, but more often as Judas who betrayed Him (Mk. 3:19; Matt. 10:4; Luke 6:16; John 18:2,5). Judas was chosen to follow Jesus and DID, but such choosing is of one’s own volition and will. Yet such following Jesus is a daily thing. Disciples, like Judas, are continually tempted and tested. Such is said to be a testing of one’s faith.
There is much speculation concerning WHY Judas gave in and betrayed Jesus. It revolves around the question of what he thought he was accomplishing and thus what was the actual temptation. Here are some things we do know about Judas.
- Judas was ‘of Satan’ John 6:70
- He was in charge of their common money (John 13:29) but was a thief (John 12:6). What we do know, he stole $ out of their common purse. He was troubled with a love for money. Paul warned that such would bring problems into one’s life and so it did with Judas.
- Satan put the idea INTO his heart - John 13:2
- Jesus knew he was going to do this - John 13:11 — 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”".
THEN it states that Satan entered him (Luke 22:3 / John 13:27). He then went and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd” (Luke 22:4-6).
Entered him - like demon possession? Like God dwelling in people? Is it a ‘physical’ and ‘temporal’ thing? Was Satan then restricted in location? Was Satan ‘roaming about tempting others’ during such time? So much we don’t know about all of this. Yet, Judas kept his own ability to choose. He went, He conferred, he consented, he sought the opportunity. Satan can tempt but Judas consents and does the deed. Lenski commented: "“Satan entered into Judas” by no compulsion but as a welcome master who is received by a willing slave”.
Such betrayal was not like he didn’t know better or have any choice. Judas had been called to discipleship even as the other apostles. He became one of them and shared in this work. Peter later said: “he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry” (Acts 1:17). He not only observed the miracles of Jesus, he was privileged to listen to the teaching of Jesus. He would have heard all of these warnings about the dangers of wealth and the love of it. He was privy to the explanations that Jesus gave privately to the apostles. He partook of being sent out by Jesus and given power to heal and cast out demons. Here we find him sitting with Jesus that last night and sharing this meal together. He hears Jesus point him out as the one who would betray Him. While the others would wonder who it was and would question if it possibly meant them, Judas would have known what he was planning. He heard Jesus proclaim: “The Son of man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him” (Luke 22:3). Even with such warnings, he betrayed Jesus.
Having done this and knowing that Jesus thus would die on the cross because of his betrayal, Judas was filled with remorse (cp. Matt. 27:3-10). He tried to ‘undo’ it by giving the money back but it was too late. With such darkness overflowing his heart, he goes out and kills himself. That only sealed his eternal damnation. As Peter concluded about Judas: “Judas turned aside to go to his own place” (Acts 1:26).
Each of us is tempted. Each of us has chosen to follow Jesus. Each of us must be faithful unto our calling. Peter, who also was test by Satan, wrote that we are to “be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world” (1Pet. 5:8-9). Hugh DeLong
