Betrayal
Today's Three-minute Bible Study
Print, Study and Apply
Title: Betrayal
Keywords:
“betray” “betrayal” “Judas”
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Passage: Mark 14:10-11*
10. And Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests, in order to betray Him to them.
11. And they were glad when they heard [this,] and promised to give him money. And he [began] seeking how to betray Him at an opportune time.
Questions
1. What does it mean in verse 10 that Judas was “one of the twelve?”
2. Why did Judas betray Jesus?
Practical help
If you struggled with answering Question 2, it’s okay. At some levels it seems inconceivable that one of His own disciples would betray Him. Does this indicate that Jesus was a poor leader, since one of his very closest followers turned on Him?
On the other hand, it appears that betrayal is common in human history. People turn on those they outwardly appear to love all the time. When people get married, for example, it’s common to hear them vow to love one another until death. Yet the divorce rate is incredibly high.
Perhaps Judas could justify his actions in the same way we justify ours when we choose to seek sexual gratification outside of the marriage relationship. After all, didn’t our spouses do things we don’t agree with? Doesn’t this give us the right to betray them?
Love that is engaged in only when one “feels” like it, is not love. It cannot be real love without commitment, and commitment implies that there will be times when we hold on for no other reason than because we gave your word to do so.
Sad to say it, but Judas is alive and well in this world. If you see him when you look at yourself in the mirror then I suggest you think about Peter. You see Peter betrayed Jesus three times in one night. In terms of frequency, Peter was three times worse than Judas. The difference between these two disciples is not so much in how they betrayed the Lord but their response afterwards. Judas hanged himself — the most self-centered act imaginable, while Peter wept and waited. Soon, Peter reconnected with Jesus and heard the words he longed to hear — that His grace was sufficient and that Peter should follow in His footsteps.
If you have betrayed God or loved ones, there is still hope for you. Turn and return to do your part in mending relationships. It isn’t easy but it’s the right move. If you think it is beyond repair, I suggest you find wise counsel near you and work it through with this person’s help. There may be more hope in the situation than you might be thinking at this moment.
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*"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright
The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by
permission."
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