SECTION 12: THE TRIAL – DEATH – AND
RESURRECTION OF THE KING
CHAPTER 60
The Devotion Of An Unnamed Disciple
Or
The Treachery Of Judas
Scripture To Consider:
“Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, that He said to His disciples, ‘You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.’ Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. But they said, ‘Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.'”
“And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Jesus having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, ‘To what purpose is this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.'”
“But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, ‘Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.’ “
“Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you willing to give me if I deliver Jesus to you?’ And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time Judas sought opportunity to betray Jesus.” Matthew 26.1-16
Something To Consider:
The form of Jesus never appears more majestic than when He moves through the closing scenes of this gospel story and stands under the shadow of the cross. In dark contrast are His cowardly foes, fiendishly plotting to kill Him but, in fear of the people they plan to delay the murder until after the Passover Feast. Jesus, with foresight sees that this feast is precisely the time when the Passover Lamb, Himself, Jesus, must be slain. He predicted that within two days He would be crucified. Therefore, all the Old Testament types and predictions were being fulfilled voluntarily by the King.
An even deeper contrast appears between the deeds of this unnamed disciple and of Judas; as one anoints Jesus with precious perfume, and the other betrays Him for the price of a slave. This unnamed disciple of Jesus entered the house of one Simon only known as the leper, of whom Jesus most likely had healed of his leprosy, and she poured upon the head of Jesus an entire flask of costly ointment.
Some of the disciples were indignant at what they regarded as a purposeless waste and suggested that the perfume might better have been sold for the relief of the poor. As Jesus defended and praised the deed of devotion, He taught that no gift to Him can be too great if made in grateful love. According to Jesus, “For she has done a good work for Me.”
Jesus’ approval proves that an act may be morally beautiful even though not practically useful. Jesus appreciates the meaning and motive of our service. He estimates them at their highest possible value and interprets them in the light of His own love and knowledge. He declared that the anointing was a preparation of His body for burial.
According to Jesus, the influence of an act of Christian sacrifice will never cease. The example of this unnamed disciple is still filling the earth with the fragrance of loving service. This Jesus predicted in His words of unique praise, “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” Whatever is done in the name of Jesus or for the cause of Jesus and the kingdom of God, receives the attention of Jesus!
Something Else To Consider:
Against the background of this charming scene of devotion is drawn the dark form of Judas as he goes to the chief priests, unsolicited and without excuse, and offers, for thirty pieces of silver, to deliver his Lord into their hands at a time and place when the multitudes will not be present. There is no possibility of making light of this crime, nor is there any question that the base motive was greed.
However, the sad truth is that Judas was no inhuman monster; he is but a warning example of what a man, woman, or young person may finally do or become, who, while in daily fellowship with Jesus does not renounce or fails to master his or her besetting sin. Judas was not the last professing Christian guilty of treason against the King. What spiritual steps have we taken in our own lives that would lessen the chances of our becoming a 21st century Judas Iscariot? If we are doing nothing to prevent a falling away spirit of complacency or compromise to overcome us, then we are opening ourselves up to the temptation of the evil of our flesh.
Something More To Consider:
Our Scripture to consider declares that two days before the Passover in Bethany, a woman anointed the head of Jesus with a jar of exceeding precious ointment. John chapter 12, records that a woman named Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with fragrant oil in Bethany. John said a woman named Mary anointed Jesus’ feet, and Mark declared that an unnamed woman anointed His head. Matthew and Mark proclaimed Jesus was anointed two days before the Passover and John said it was six days before the Passover. John mentions a Mary, Mark and Matthew do not.
What appears to be more important is the fact that this woman of Matthew chapter 26 remains unnamed by Matthew. And yet, according to Jesus, “Wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” Though this woman remains unnamed, her generous act of devotion to Jesus will always be spoken well of throughout all the world and in every generation. How will we, you, and I, be spoken of after we have left this earth, concerning our generous acts of devotion to Jesus and His cause? That is indeed something more to consider by us all.
A Few Final Words:
And yet, in a total opposite act of treachery, Judas Iscariot conceived a plot to betray Jesus to the then religious establishment, and to financially prosper from his act of treachery. Judas was a man who walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus, listened to His teaching on a regular basis for approx. three years. Judas was an integral part of Jesus’ inner circle of disciples, and he was even put in charge of and responsible for the financial contributions the ministry of Jesus received from generous believing benefactors.
If Judas became a traitor, guilty of betraying Jesus and arranging His undeserved arrest; what spiritual precautions should we take in safeguarding our own faithfulness to Jesus? The apostle Paul writing in 1 Corinthians chapter 10, warned all believing followers of Jesus, not to become idolaters, not to commit fornication, not to tempt Christ, and not to murmur as true Christians.
Paul also explained that all these things were committed by the Israelites of old, of whom God had miraculously delivered from the bondage in Egypt, and that all these sinful expressions caused the judgment and punishment of Almighty God to be administered. Therefore, Paul concluded his lesson on the lapse of faith by proclaiming in 1 Corinthians 10 verse 11; “Now all these things happened unto them [onetime Old Testament believers] for examples; and they are written for our admonition [for our learning how to avoid judgment].”
Paul, again under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, ended with verse 12, by warning; “Wherefore, let him [or her] who thinks he [or she] stands to take heed [to beware] lest he [or she] fall.” And yet, there are false prophets, and misleading end time teachers who claim wrongfully, that a Christian cannot fall or backslide, contrary to the Scriptures. Many teach that once a person has made a confession of faith, there is no way that he or she could lose their place among the ranks of the righteous, which is indeed contrary to the Scriptures.
In Closing:
As mentioned earlier, if man’s word contradicts the Word of God, by all means set aside the word of man and cling to the Word of God. According to Jesus, “Take heed that no one deceives you.” If need be, let Paul’s words from Romans 3.4, to ring true within our hearts and minds. “Let God be true, but every man a liar.” In other words, let the Word of God always guide our thinking and always determine our true biblical beliefs.
Let’s Pray:
Our Father in heaven, thank You for Your reminding us of the devotion of an unnamed disciple of Jesus. May we exemplify her actions and love for Jesus. And thank You for the tremendous lesson of a lifetime concerning the treachery of Judas, an inner circle follower of Jesus. May we be found always desiring to live godly lives in Christ Jesus and to be found looking unto Him. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 