Why Did Judas Betray Jesus For 30 Pieces Of Silver

Why Jesus Was Betrayed by Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot sealed his own fate from the minute he planted a kiss on Jesus of Nazareth in the Garden of Gethsemane: he would go down in history as the world’s most renowned traitor. The identification of Jesus by the Jewish authorities, on the other hand, set in motion a series of events that would become the cornerstones of the Christian faith: Jesus’s arrest and trial, his crucifixion, and ultimately his resurrection, all of which are collectively known as the Passion of Christ. WATCH: JESUS: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Vault In light of how little we truly know about Judas Iscariot from the Bible, he continues to be one of the most enigmatic–and important–figures in Jesus’s life narrative to this day.

Who Was Judas Iscariot? What We Know from the Bible

Despite the fact that the Bible provides little details concerning Judas’s upbringing, he is listed as one of Jesus’ closest disciples, or apostles, in all four of the New Testament’s canonical gospels. Intriguingly, Judas Iscariot is the only one of the apostles who is (possibly) identified by his hometown in the Bible, which is a unique distinction. Some academics believe that his surname “Iscariot” is derived from the town of Queriot (also known as Kerioth), which is located south of Jerusalem in the Judean Hills.

The northern section of Israel, or Roman Palestine, is where Jesus hails from.

Possible Motives for Judas Iscariot’s Betrayal

According to the Gospel of John, Jesus revealed to his followers over the Last Supper that one of them would betray him if they didn’t repent of their actions. The disciples asked who it would be, and Jesus responded, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread after I have dipped it in the dish.” He then dipped a piece of bread in a dish and handed it to Judas, who was identified as the “son of Simon Iscariot.” After Judas received the piece of bread, “Satan entered into him.” (John 13:21-27).Judas then went on his own to the priests of the Temple In the same way that the Gospel of

What Happened After That

According to the Gospel of Matthew, Judas immediately regretted his actions and returned the 30 pieces of silver to church authorities, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” When the authorities dismissed him, Judas left the coins on the floor and committed suicide by hanging himself (Matthew 27:3-8).The Biography of Judas Iscariot His treachery is described in detail in the Gospel of Matthew, as he hangs himself after discovering the extent of it.

The Book of Acts, on the other hand, portrays his death as more akin to a spontaneous combustion.Culture Club/Getty ImagesAccording to another canonical source in the Bible, the Book of Acts (written by the apostle Paul) defines his death as more akin to a spontaneous combustion.

Was Judas Really That Bad?

According to the Gospel of Matthew, Judas immediately regretted his actions and returned the 30 pieces of silver to church authorities, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” When the authorities dismissed him, Judas left the coins on the floor and committed suicide by hanging himself (Matthew 27:3-8). When he realized the extent of his betrayal, according to the Gospel of Matthew, he hanged himself. Culture Club/Getty ImagesAccording to another canonical source in the Bible, the Book of Acts (authored by the apostle Paul), his death was more like a spontaneous combustion.Culture Club/Getty Images

What Is the Gospel of Judas?

According to the Gospel of Matthew, Judas immediately regretted his actions and returned the 30 pieces of silver to church authorities, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” When the authorities dismissed him, Judas left the coins on the floor and committed suicide by hanging himself (Matthew 27:3–8). According to the Gospel of Matthew, he hanged himself after understanding the extent of his betrayal. The Book of Acts, on the other hand, portrays his death as more akin to a spontaneous combustion.Culture Club/Getty ImagesAccording to another canonical source in the Bible, the Book of Acts (written by Luke) defines his death as more akin to a spontaneous combustion.

Why did Judas betray Jesus?

QuestionAnswer While we can never know for definite why Judas betrayed Jesus, there are several things we can be confident of. First and foremost, despite the fact that Judas was chosen to be one of the Twelve (John 6:64), all scriptural evidence indicates that he never believed Jesus to be the Son of God. He may not have even been convinced that Jesus was the Messiah at the time (as Judas understood it). Unlike the other disciples, who addressed Jesus as “Lord,” Judas never addressed him as such, instead referring to him as “Rabbi,” implying that Jesus was nothing more than a teacher.

It is this lack of confidence in Jesus that serves as the foundation for all of the other factors outlined.

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Why Did Judas Betray Jesus after Following Him for Three Years?

However, although hundreds of individuals accompanied Jesus during his career, occasionally giving housing or providing for basic necessities such as food (Luke 8), the majority of us are aware that Jesus had 12 disciples whom he specifically picked. The twelve apostles of Jesus would be comprised of individuals like these. Of these, Judas Iscariot is the most infamous. After three years of following Jesus during the course of Jesus’ public ministry, Judas Iscariot handed his companion over to the religious leaders, who tried him and sentenced him to death.

We may recall close pals from our high school or college years who have remained with us for more than three years if we reflect back on our past experiences.

Was it possible for us to envision betraying and bringing them to their deaths, even if we had a disagreement with them. I certainly hope not. How

What Does the Bible Say about Judas?

However, although hundreds of people accompanied Jesus during his career, sometimes giving housing or providing for basic requirements such as food (Luke 8), most of us are aware that Jesus chose just 12 disciples to accompany him. The 12 apostles of Jesus would be comprised of individuals like these. Of these, Judas Iscariot is the most infamous. After three years of following Jesus during the course of Jesus’ public ministry, Judas Iscariot handed his companion over to the religious leaders, who tried and finally executed him.

We may recall good pals from our high school or college years who have remained with us for more than three years if we focus back on our past experience.

I would want to think that’s not the case!

Why Did Judas Betray Jesus?

Theologians are divided on this point. In the words of the Crosswalk article referenced above: “At the other extreme of the idea spectrum is the proposition that Judas betrayed Jesus because Judas was a nasty man all along.a wolf in sheep’s clothes.” This idea is primarily based on the image of Judas in the Gospel of John, which paints a highly negative portrait of the betrayed apostle.” When we examine Judas’ guilt in the paragraph above, we can see that this idea falls short at times.

Although Jesus foresaw that Judas would eventually betray him, we do not know if Judas really did so.

In spite of the fact that Satan did inhabit Jesus’ body—as some claim, Judas had no autonomy—we witness Judas forging a bargain with the religious authorities.

How Did Judas Die?

The killing of Judas is described in great detail in the Bible, although in graphic detail. As soon as the religious authorities refuse to take the 30 silver pieces, Judas throws them on the ground and walks to a nearby field where he hangs himself. I won’t go into much more detail than that, but if you want some hyper-realistic depictions, go no further than Acts 1:18, which is available online. The religious leaders then spend the monies to purchase a potter’s field, which allows them to fulfill an Old Testament prophecy that they would do so (Matthew 27:9).

After all, when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, people greeted him with palm branches and shouted “hallelujah.” He was put to death less than a week later, according to the authorities.

Thirty pieces of silver – Wikipedia

János Pentelei Molnár’s painting of Judas getting thirty pieces of money in exchange for not betraying Jesus was completed in 1909. According to the Gospel of Matthew26:15 in the New Testament, the price for Judas Iscariot’s betrayal of Jesus was thirty pieces of silver, which he paid with his life. Judas is claimed to have gone to the chief priests before the Last Supper and promised to deliver over Jesus in exchange for 30 silver pieces, and to have sought to return the money later, overcome with guilt, although this is not supported by the evidence.

The picture has frequently appeared in works of art representing the Passion of Jesus Christ. It is used in literature and everyday speech to describe those who “sell out,” meaning they compromise their trust, friendship, or loyalty in the pursuit of their own personal gain.

Biblical narrative

As recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, Judas Iscariot was a follower of Jesus Christ. Judas went to the chief priests before the Last Supper and promised to deliver away Jesus in return for 30 silver pieces. In Gethsemane, Jesus was captured and Judas disclosed Jesus’ identify to the soldiers by giving him akiss, indicating that he was the Messiah. Chapter 27 of Matthew’s gospel describes Judas as being overcome with guilt and returning the money to the chief priests before committing suicide by hanging.

According to the Book of Acts1:17–20, a separate narrative of Judas’ death is presented; in it, Peteris cited as saying: “With the price he earned for his crime, Judas purchased a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst apart.”

Types of coin

There are several possibilities for the identification of the coins that make up the thirty-piece set, one of which being the Antiochan Stater. Another alternative for the sort of currency in question is the Atyrian shekel (). The Greek term for “silver money” in Matthew 26:15 (argyria) simply means “silver coins,” and experts are divided on what kind of coinage would have been used in that situation. Donald Wiseman proposes two different scenarios. EntetradrachmsofTyre, also known as Tyrrian shekels (14 grams of 94 percent silver), orstatersfromAntioch (15 grams of 75 percent silver), which carried the head of Augustus, were two possible options.

A troy ounce weighs 31.1035 grams, which is a fraction of a gram.

Type	Purity	Weight (g)	Actual Silver Weight (g)	ASW of 30 coins (ozt)	Silver Value at 2021 prices
Tyrian shekels	94%	14	13.16	12.69	$355.32
Antioch Staters	75%	15	11.25	10.85	$303.80
Ptolemaic tetradrachms	25%	13.5	3.375	3.26	$91.28
Athenian Tetradrachm	95%	17.2	16.34	15.76	$441.28

TheAntiochanStateris one possible candidate for the identification of the coins that make up the thirty-piece set, according to some scholars. Another alternative for the sort of currency in question is the Atyrian shekel. According to experts, the term “argyria” (silver coins) used in Matthew 26:15 simply means “silver coins,” and it is unclear what kind of coins would have been used. There are two options suggested by Donald Wiseman. In addition toentetradrachmsofTyre, which are commonly known to asTyrian shekels(14 grams of 94 percent silver), they might have beenstatersfromAntioch(15 grams of 75 percent silver), which carried the head of Augustus.

The weight of a troy ounce is 31.1035 grams.

Theological interpretation

InZechariah11:12–13, the compensation that Zechariah receives for his labor is specified as 30 pieces of silver. In his hands, he places the money and tosses them “to the potter”. Klaas Schilder observes that Zechariah’s payout reflects both an appraisal of his merit and his removal from the company. According to Exodus 21:32, the price of a slave was 30 pieces of silver; hence, when Zechariah refers to the sum as a “handsome price” (Zechariah 11:13), he may be referring to sarcasm. Barry Webb, on the other hand, considers it to be a “substantial quantity of money.” Schilder speculates that the Spirit of Prophecy will use these 30 pieces of silver to “battle back and forth” with one another.

When the chief priests decide to purchase a field with the money they have been given back, Matthew claims that this has fulfilled “what was stated byJeremiahthe prophet.” “They seized the thirty silver pieces, which represented the price set by the people of Israel for his life.”

Relics and depiction in art

Judas Returning the Thirty Silver Pieces, a painting by Rembrandt from 1629. Judas is frequently depicted in narrative sequences from the Passion with the silver in a bag or pocketbook, which serves as a distinguishing characteristic to distinguish him. While not considered to be ” Instruments of the Passion,” as a collection of instruments, the Thirty Pieces by themselves frequently appear in groups of the Instruments, particularly in the late Middle Ages, despite being one of the least frequently chosen pieces of the group.

Many “Judas-pennies,” antique coins thought to be from the original thirty, were venerated as relics throughout the Middle Ages, and it was believed that they might benefit women who were having difficult pregnancies.

Literary references

This coin is said to be one of the so-called thirty pieces of silver, and it is worth a lot of money (Hunt Museum) A poem by William Blane, Thirty Pieces of Silver, depicts the betrayal of Jesus, and the 30 pieces are frequently referenced in Christian literature. “Thirty pieces of silver” smolders in the traitor’s mind; “Thirty pieces of silver! Oh, it is horrible gain!” he exclaims in delight. Alternatively, as described in the poemMatthew XXVII:9byJorge Luis Borges: The penny landed on the palm of my hollow hand.

It was all for naught.

The expression “30 pieces of silver” is used more broadly to denote a price at which individuals are willing to sell out their possessions.

King John and Queen Elizabeth are featured in a folk song.

Modern usage

An insult involving the thirty pieces of silver is frequently used in conjunction with religious overtones and is commonly referred to as “the thirty pieces of silver.” During the Reformation, many Christian churches used the phrase to disparage other Christian faiths and to justify their own practices. Towards the end of the Dreyfus Affair, anti-Semitic fervor towards Alfred Dreyfus, who was suspected of selling military secrets to Germany, was accompanied with the expression “thirty pieces.” The term is used to accuse politicians and artists of betraying their values or goals, and it is also employed as a symbol of treachery in literature and other forms of expression.

There was another instance like this.

See also

• Judas’s bargain
• Coins in the Bible
• Judas’s kiss
• And other topics. The New Testament portrayal of Jesus’ life
• Jews, money, and myth

References

1. “Matthew 26:15,” p. 126–128
2. “Matthew 27 – New International Version (NIV),” p. 384–387
3. “Matthew 27 – New International Version (NIV),” p. 3 Michael E. Marotta is an American businessman and philanthropist (2001). “The so-called ‘Coins of the Bible,'” says the author. The original version of this article was published on June 18, 2002. ‘Ancient Jewish Coins Related to the Works of Josephus’, citing David Hendin’s Guide to Biblical Coins and Y. Meshorer’s Ancient Jewish Coinage
4. ‘The Role of Coins in Ancient Jewish History’, citing David Hendin’s Guide to Biblical Coins and Y. Meshorer’s Ancient Jewish Coinage
5. ‘The Role of Coins in Ancient Jewish History’, citing David Hendin’s Guide to Biblical Coins

Why Did Judas Betray Jesus?

Assume you’re in biblical times during the week of Passover. In a few days, on Sunday, Jesus made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem for the first time. A massive throng of people gathered along the streets where he was traveling. Some of them lay their cloaks out on the side of the road. Another group of people removed branches from the trees and spread them across the road. “Hosanna to the Son of David!” the crowd exclaimed. A blessing is upon him who comes in the name of the Lord! “Hosanna to the highest degree!” Nonetheless, on this day, Jesus instructs his followers, saying, “You are aware that the Passover is approaching, and that the Son of Man will be handed up to be crucified after two days.” These remarks have caused consternation and confusion among the disciples.

They are being pursued by the authorities, and one of them, Judas Iscariot, gets away and enters.

The Price of Betrayal

They give Judas 30 pieces of money in exchange for his services. One of Jesus’s followers betrays him on Thursday evening, as he and his disciples are having the Passover supper in an upper chamber. “Truly, I tell to you, one of you will betray me,” Jesus says. “Is it really I, Rabbi?” Judas inquires of Jesus. “You have stated as much,” Jesus responds. Judas departs from the upper chamber. After praying in Gethsemane for a few hours, Jesus declares, “Behold, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.” “Rise, let us get moving; look, my betrayer is right around the corner.” At that point, Judas appears, escorted by a large group of people wielding swords and clubs, who have been dispatched by the chief priests and elders of the community.

Theory 1: Judas actually didn’t betray Jesus.

Towards the other extreme of the theoretical spectrum is a proposal made by Research Professor William Klassen, who passed away in the spring of 2019. Klassen argues in his bookJudas: Betrayer or Friend of Jesus? that Judas tried to construct a connection between the Jewish authorities and Jesus, and that Jesus was fully aware of what Judas was up to at all times. Instead of betraying Jesus to the authorities, Klassen claims that Judas was betrayed by the authorities themselves, rather than by Jesus.

“There is a plethora of justification to provide,” Klassen writes.

Theory 2: Judas was bad from the beginning.

Those who believe that Judas betrayed Jesus do so because Judas was a wicked man all along.a wolf in sheep’s clothing, to put it another way, are on the opposite extreme of the theory spectrum. In particular, this view is predicated on the portrayal of Judas in the Gospel of John, which paints a highly negative picture of the betrayer. Here are a few illustrations:

• Following his statement that they should eat his flesh and drink his blood, Jesus claims that his words are spirit and life, but some of his disciples do not trust him. This is followed by a parenthetical note – “For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.” – which suggests that Judas did not believe in the first place. Immediately following Peter’s statement that they “have believed and come to know that you are the Holy One of God,” Jesus asks, “Did I not chose you, the twelve? ” “Yet one of you is a demon,” says the other. “He was talking about Judas the son of Simon,” John says.

There is a flaw in the argument that Judas was a terrible guy from the start, which stems from the fact that Jesus picked Judas to be one of his twelve followers. If Judas was actually bad from the beginning, then:

• For what reason would Jesus choose Judas to be a member of his inner circle for three years
• For what reason would Jesus delegate Judas’ responsibility for managing the money bag
• And for what reason would Jesus grant Judas and the other disciples “power and authority to cast out demons, heal diseases, and proclaim the kingdom of God” before sending them out “to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick”? (SeeMatthew 10, Mark 6, and Luke 9 for examples.) Is it possible that Jesus did not reform Judas over the three years that he spent almost every day with him?

For what reason would Jesus choose Judas to be a member of his inner circle for three years; for what reason would Jesus delegate Judas’ responsibility for managing the money bag; and for what reason would Jesus grant Judas and the other disciples “power and authority to cast out demons, heal diseases, and proclaim the kingdom of God” before sending them out “to preach the gospel of the kingdom and heal the sick”?

(SeeMatthew 10, Mark 6, and Luke 9 for further information.) After three years of spending practically every waking moment with him, why didn’t Jesus transform Judas into a better person?

Theory 3: “Satan entered Judas” duringHoly Week.

While John’s Gospel appears to portray Judas as a wicked guy from the start, other Scripture passages and early Christian scholars picture him as a genuine disciple of Jesus who, at a key moment, came under the sway of Satan and turned his back on Jesus.

In contrast to Matthew and Mark, who merely report that Judas went to the authorities to make plans for a betrayal, Luke adds an important term to the statement (which I will stress below):

• Then one of the twelve, Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I bring him over to you?” Matthew 26:14-15: “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver in exchange for his services. As a result, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them, as recorded in Mark 14:10-11. And when they found out, they were overjoyed and offered to give him some money right away. And he was on the lookout for a chance to betray him. After then, Satan entered into Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve apostles, according to Luke 22:3-4. In the meantime, he walked away and discussed with the leading priests and officers how he could betray him to them.

Some early church academics and theologians, such as Origen, held fast to the view that Judas was a legitimate disciple of Jesus until he came under the sway of the devil (184-253 AD). Origen reminds out in his writings that although Jesus said that one of his followers would betray him, none of the disciples realized that it was Judas who had betrayed him. This might imply that Judas had been an excellent disciple who was well-liked by his Master at the time of his death. Judas’ covetousness is seen by Origen to be a major flaw in Judas, and it is possible that Satan took use of this weakness during Holy Week.

According to Origen, his act of repentance was genuine and sincere.

Theory 4: Judas tried to force Jesus to rise to power.

It was under the control of Rome that the people of Israel lived during Jesus’ time. They wished passionately to defeat their oppressors and re-establish their homeland as soon as possible. They were in desperate need of a monarch who had been anointed to guide them on their journey. Is it possible that it’s Jesus? He was unquestionably selected by God. He was able to accomplish miracles. He talked with authority regarding the establishment of a new monarchy. Four days before he was betrayed, Jesus came into Jerusalem on a donkey colt, the foal of a donkey.

It was the fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophesy (Zechariah 9:9).

The disciples had witnessed Jesus in action – healing the ill, raising the dead, walking on water, and even calmed a raging storm with a single word.

What this means for us

Whatever the reason for his betrayal of Jesus, Judas will be known as a traitor for the rest of time. Jesus predicted that “.woe to the man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!” will happen. For the sake of that individual, it would have been preferable if he had not been born.” (See Matthew 26:24 for further information.) When we follow Jesus, we must do so with diligence and faithfulness, no matter where he takes us. And we need to pray for insight into what his plans are for us at this time.

Chris Bolinger is the author of Daily Strength for Men.