Why did Judas have to betray Jesus? If Jesus wanted to be crucified, couldn't he have just turned himself in to the Roman authorities?

 

Judas’ name has been a byword for betrayal. His name was immortalized by the kiss he used to betray Christ. We call it the “Judas Kiss” – it speaks of treachery and deceit. Now, there are theologians who try to cut Judas a break. They try to paint Judas as a nice guy who was just “misunderstood”.

Years ago, (for example) there was a popular musical entitled “Jesus Christ Superstar” and it depicted Judas as actually a hero who was trying to save Jesus from His self-destructive ways. According to their story Judas meant well, but he ended up getting Jesus killed anyway. In their story - Judas was a hero, he was a nice man who just didn't understand what God had in mind.

But Judas was NOT a hero. And he was NOT a nice man. Judas was not a man you could trust. And John 12:3-6 tells us why. “Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, JUDAS ISCARIOT, who was later to betray him, objected, ’Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.’
He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because HE WAS A THIEF; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.”

Judas was a thief… and a liar. He followed Jesus for the power and money he could get. He hung around Jesus because Jesus was a rising and influential Rabbi who might even have political possibilities. Judas was a manipulative, selfish man... and was not nice.

But now wait a minute? Didn't Jesus chose Judas to be one His closest disciples? (YES) Didn't Jesus spend ALL night praying before he selected these 12 special men? (YES) So, do you think that Jesus knew that Judas was going to steal from Him? Yeah, Jesus knew that! So… why did He pick Judas?

The explanation is found in John 17:12 where Jesus prayed: “While I was with (the 12 disciples) in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”
Who was this “son of perdition”? (Judas)
He was chosen so that "Scripture might be fulfilled."

Judas was a thief, and he was a thief BEFORE he even betrayed Christ. He was the kind of man who embezzles from companies because he enjoys it. He wasn't borrowing money to keep himself afloat… he was stealing for the pure thrill of doing it. Jesus chose Judas to fulfill prophecy and He chose him because of the kind of man he was. Judas was a self-centered and self-serving man. Judas was the kind of guy would steal EVEN from his friends. He was a man who would steal EVEN from Jesus. Judas was chosen because he had no conscience. Because he had no scruples. He was chosen because he was a bad guy.

II Thessalonians 2:10-12 tells us about this. It says that certain people perish “… because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

There are certain people who are going to perish because they've made a decision they've decided to REFUSE to love the truth. These people really don’t want God to tell them what to do. They don’t want God to have any real authority in their lives. THEY want to be the final authority in their lives. And ultimately God says “If you want to love a lie rather than the truth… I’ll give you what you want - a strong delusion.

Judas was the classic example of a man who “…refused to love the truth...” He’d already decided didn't want God’s truth in his life. He’d already decided he didn't want God in control of his life. He’d already decided his destiny… he was going to go to hell.

Now, what’s interesting is - Judas didn’t have to go to hell. After all, he wasn’t the only person who betrayed Jesus that night. The Apostle Peter did too. The fact that Peter embraced forgiveness and Judas COULD HAVE HAD forgiveness… but rejected it is the dividing line between those who get to go to heaven, and those who don’t. Judas could have repented and received forgiveness… but he refused to do so and took his own life.