Passion Week Wednesday: Two Main Events- One of Pure Love, One of Total Treachery
- Brett Tannon Malott
- Apr 12, 2017
- 3 min read
Judas Iscariot. The name brings forth all kinds of negative images to one’s mind: betrayer, deceiver, greedy, false disciple, liar, and so forth. On Passion Week Wednesday, there are two polar opposite events, one demonstrates pure love and the other total treachery and hatred.
An Act of Pure Love:
[7] A woman (John 12:3 identifies her as Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus) came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. [8] And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? [9] For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” [10] But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. [11] For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. [12] In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. [13] Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” (Matthew 26:7-13 ESV)
An Act of Total Treachery:
[14] Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests [15] and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. [16] And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. (Matthew 26:14-16
ESV)
How Much Money was Really Involved? Mary sacrificed most likely the most valuable thing she owned, a bottle of perfume worth 300 denarii (a year’s wages was probably 312 denarii for they took the Sabbath off and worked six days a week). Judas will betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, the value of a slave (cf. Exodus 21:32). Most likely the 30 pieces of silver would be a close equivalent to 104 denarii or 4 months of work. Judas betrayed the Messiah for about 4 months’ pay, that’s it! This meager amount shows the low esteem both Judas and the Chief Priests held for Jesus.
Two Types of Followers, Which One are You?
Cultural Christians- Judas never had any spiritual interest in Jesus, he was attracted to Jesus because he expected Jesus to become a powerful religious and political leader, which would position him to obtain great power, prestige, and wealth (Judas was embezzling from Jesus and the Disciples from the beginning, John 12:6). Many people that attend churches, especially in the Bible-Belt, do so not out of pure motives. Some attend because it is tradition and some do so to position themselves like Judas. For they want to be seen as a good person in the community so people will hire them or shop at their stores, etc. Unfortunately, these people have not come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ and are as lost as those who outright reject Jesus.
True Disciples- Within these two events, Mary represents true believers. James 2:14-26 states that faith without works is dead. It is not one’s works that save a person, but the works are an outpouring of their true faith (cf. Ephesians 2:8-10). Like Mary, true disciples live a sacrificial lifestyle. Sacrifices are not always financial for they also can be emotional, physical, time, and so forth. True love in followers of Jesus exists because Jesus first loved us (1 John 4:19) and there is no better time to focus on the love of Christ while living sacrificially then during this Passion Week!
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