Why Did Judas Do It?

Nobody names their baby boy Judas. Far from being a role model, Judas Iscariot was the most notorious traitor in all human history.

His betrayal of Jesus is a well-known story, and as we enter the Easter season, this is a good time to consider why he did it. How could someone who spent three years traveling side-by-side with Jesus, hearing his revolutionary teaching, and watching him perform miracles of all kinds become a turncoat, setting in motion his execution? Historians and theologians have speculated about this for centuries.

In his commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, William Barclay identifies the three most popular theories:

  1. He did it out of greed – Two of the gospels (Matthew and Mark) relate how Judas cut a deal with the Jewish religious leaders right after the writers recount Jesus’ anointing with expensive oil by a devoted woman. John adds the detail that Judas objected to what he perceived as her wasteful act. John also reports that Judas was the disciples’ treasurer who embezzled their funds. According to this theory, Judas’ main motive in betraying Jesus was money. But what a terrible deal. The thirty pieces of silver he got was only the equivalent of about six month’s wages – hardly enough to retire on. Barclay comments, “If greed was the cause of his act of treachery, it is the most terrible example in history of the depths which love of money can reach.”

  2. He did it out of bitterness and disappointment – According to this view, Judas was seriously upset that Jesus apparently wasn’t going to use his supernatural powers to overthrow the oppressive Romans. His refusal to lead a rebellion may have turned Judas’ disillusionment into hatred, and he betrayed him out of spite.

  3. He was trying to force Jesus’ hand – Judas almost certainly expected Jesus’ kingdom to be an earthly, political one. But Jesus seemed to be acting way too slowly. The thought here is that by backing Jesus into a corner, perhaps Judas could speed up his timetable.

Both Dr. R. C. Sproul and Dr. Tony Evans support the first explanation, while William Barclay believes the third is most likely. Since the gospels don’t spell out Judas’ motivation, we can’t say for sure which is most likely. And it could actually have been a combination of the three.

But there is another element – a supernatural one – that factors in. The Gospel of John peels back the curtain and reveals that Judas was really motivated by Satan (John 13:2). So, even though at the human level we can’t determine why Judas did it, we do know that behind the scenes, Satan was pulling the strings.

However, there is an even deeper aspect of this story – God’s plan of redemption established before time began. Because of humanity’s sin and rebellion against God, he determined to send his son Jesus into the world to carry the penalty for everyone’s sins, thereby making possible a restored relationship with God. So, Judas’ human motivation and even Satan’s treachery played right into God’s plan to rescue and redeem the world.

Jesus knew this, and after spending an agonizing night in the Garden of Gethsemane, he willingly agreed to die for the sins of the world. As you read the accounts of Jesus’ various trials, you get the odd sensation that, although he is the one being grilled, he is really the one controlling the process and the outcome. And his bodily resurrection three days later corroborates his supremacy over not only the trials that led to his death, but all of life and creation.

So, what is the human explanation for Judas’ act? We can’t say for sure, but we do know that the end point of his treachery resulted in making new life possible for everyone who recognizes their need for forgiveness.