adelaide place baptist church

Mark 14:10-11

Tuesday of Holy Week is a busy one for Jesus. He is challenged over His authority in the Temple, He teaches some parables as thinly-veiled rebukes to the religious leaders, the Gentiles ask to see Him and there is the famous Olivet discourse.

In among all these actions there is in the background a quite sinister event. In Mark 14:10-11 Judas Iscariot agrees to betray Jesus to the Chief Priest in return for a financial reward. He turned Jesus in to the authorities like a common criminal for a few pieces of silver? What could he have been thinking? This is a man in the inner circle, indeed he was the treasurer, as trusted a position as there could be. How could he do the dirty on Jesus after all he saw and heard? Judas is of course regarded as master-betrayer in the Christian church and rightly so. I can only reflect on the bible but I wonder if something in him snapped. In Mark 9:33-36 and 10:35-37 we see that the disciples expected high positions of authority in the new order that Jesus would bring in. Did Judas expect to get rich out of this? Did he realise that when Jesus commended Mary for using the expensive ointment on Him that there wasn’t much interest in money from Jesus? We can only speculate.

There have been various attempts to reform the character of Judas.  The Gospel of Thomas, The Gospel of Judas, The Last Temptation of Christ, Jesus Christ Superstar and so on and so on. They portray Judas as a man torn, trying to do the right thing. Philosophers say that without Judas prophecy couldn’t be fulfilled, without Judas there wouldn’t be any need for that prophecy is what I say. They also say that all Christians are just like Judas as we betray Jesus in our actions and lifestyles. Hmmmm. I might let Jesus down now and again but I am no Judas. I don’t go out of my way to betray good people to political authorities for money. So in fact, I’m not like Judas at all.

My reflection is simple. The deed is done. Evil has triumphed today. As Jesus taught, Judas betrayed. The rest of the week is how it is because of the actions of one man.

Yesterday in church I encouraged everyone to follow the Passion story through the week before we gather again on Sunday to celebrate the ressurection of Easter Day. I thought I’d jot down some reflections of my meditations this week as an aid and as a devotion

Monday: Mark 11: 12-19

Monday was a busy day for Jesus. In the Mark narrative I sense frustration and even righteous anger as Jesus curses a tree and drove people out of the Temple. Perhaps this was release from the fact that yesterday the crowd cheered Him in in triumph but would turn on Him later in the week. Yesterday Jesus visited the Temple only to have a look around, once He slept on it He decided that something had to give.

When Jesus was running amok in the Temple what were the crowds thinking? Was this political revolution? Did they point Him towards the Roman Palaces? Did they feel He was overreacting? After all, money changing was a necessity not a luxury to buy sacrificial animals and to pay the Temple tax. But these people were dishonest with their ridiculous exchange rates and mark up in price, they provided a service but ripped everyone off. I feel on this Monday that Jesus went after false religion dressed up as piety. The fig tree is a symbol of a fruitless faith, the money-lenders a sign of dishonent religious practise.

The people were amazed but the religious authorities were angry, the teachers of the Law were angry. Was it their hypocrisy that Jesus was exposing? Was it too much for them at such a religious time? I think it was. But they did understand one thing that is true throughout time. He who controls the masses or the mob is he who wields power and authority. No wonder they wanted Him dead.