Mat 26:14-16 | KingComments | STEP | What a contrast between the woman and Judas! Judas was also at the anointing. He saw it and was disturbed by it. He has also heard how the Lord has spoken of both the anointing and their reproach. However, he does not care about anything. Money is the only thing he can think of. He considers the moment to have come to leave the circle of the Lord’s company. He who is one of the twelve, seeks another company, that of the Lord’s enemies. He is not looking for their company because he feels more at home there, but because there is money to be made. He offers to hand over Christ to the company and negotiates it with them. This is downright astonishing. A man who has been journeying with the Savior for so long, who has heard and seen so much of Him, wants to use Him as an object of trade to enrich himself. The chief priests consider this a great opportunity. They must have been surprised that one of His disciples is willing to betray Him. That amazement will not have lasted long and will have turned into devilish joy. They agree on the price and pay it to him. They are sure that Judas will not run away with the money, but that he will be their accomplice in this evil business. Once he has the money – not only in the sense that he owns the money, but even more so that the money owns him – Judas actively seeks an opportunity to hand the Lord Jesus over. The amount they pay him is prophesied by Zechariah ( ). It is the price of a slave ( ). From the point of view of the leaders it is a bargain, it only concerns a slave. From God’s side, it is a glorious price, for it concerns His Servant, the Chosen One.

‏ Matthew 26:14-16

Judas’ Betrayal

What a contrast between the woman and Judas! Judas was also at the anointing. He saw it and was disturbed by it. He has also heard how the Lord has spoken of both the anointing and their reproach. However, he does not care about anything. Money is the only thing he can think of.

He considers the moment to have come to leave the circle of the Lord’s company. He who is one of the twelve, seeks another company, that of the Lord’s enemies. He is not looking for their company because he feels more at home there, but because there is money to be made. He offers to hand over Christ to the company and negotiates it with them. This is downright astonishing. A man who has been journeying with the Savior for so long, who has heard and seen so much of Him, wants to use Him as an object of trade to enrich himself.

The chief priests consider this a great opportunity. They must have been surprised that one of His disciples is willing to betray Him. That amazement will not have lasted long and will have turned into devilish joy. They agree on the price and pay it to him. They are sure that Judas will not run away with the money, but that he will be their accomplice in this evil business. Once he has the money – not only in the sense that he owns the money, but even more so that the money owns him – Judas actively seeks an opportunity to hand the Lord Jesus over.

The amount they pay him is prophesied by Zechariah (Zec 11:12-13). It is the price of a slave (Exo 21:32). From the point of view of the leaders it is a bargain, it only concerns a slave. From God’s side, it is a glorious price, for it concerns His Servant, the Chosen One.