Judas Iscariot Goes to the Chief Priests - Matthew 26:14

Matthew the apostle wrote how a woman came to Jesus, “having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, to what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble you the woman? for she has wrought a good work upon me. For you have the poor always with you; but me you have not always. For in that she has poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman has done, be told for a memorial of her”, and in chapter twenty-six and verse fourteen of his book, Matthew writes how, “Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests” where we read:

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,

The verse reads, “Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, ...” Matthew began with Jesus' word, “then” which means “at that time” “one of the twelve” or “a certain one of the twelve disciples”, “called” which means “named” “Judas” which means “he shall be praised and was the apostle who betrayed Jesus” “Iscariot” which means “men of Kerioth” . Matthew began to write about one of Jesus' disciples whose name was “Judas Iscariot”.

The verse continues, “... went unto the chief priests,” Matthew added the words, “went” which means “departed and left” “unto the chief priests” or “to the high priests”. Matthew shared how Judas left Jesus and the other disciples to go to the “high priests”.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we begin to notice something different about Judas Iscariot's actions. We learned in the book of John where Judas was the main disciple who was displeased with the woman who poured out “perfumed ointment” upon Jesus' head, and John noted “he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein”. (See John 12:6). This was the beginning of Judas' betrayal of Jesus, and it is quite possible he was frustrated or upset with Jesus for challenging he and the disciples with their thoughts about the woman. God gives every person an opportunity to have a relationship with Him through His Son Jesus, and when they submit their lives to Him, even when He corrects them, they continually fall in line. Those who reject Jesus and His ways may find themselves like “Judas” who when He was reprimanded went to find the enemies of Jesus to console themselves.

Next time Matthew shares how Judas asked the chief priests, “what will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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