Passion Week: The Sanhedrin and Judas’ Betrayal

Related Passion Week Devotionals:

• Cleansing of the Temple
• Jesus Questioned by Religious Leaders
• The Sanhedrin and Judas’ Betrayal
• The Last Supper
• Good Friday
• Silent Saturday
• The Resurrection

Today is a tough one to process. Jesus’ close friend and disciple, Judas Iscariot, chose to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver in collaboration with the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin were a counsel in ancient Israel that consisted of seventy men who were known as leaders and officials among the people. Again, these are Jesus’ own people who were plotting against Him. We do not know what Judas’ motives were, all we know is that scripture states that “Satan entered into Judas”.

Luke 22: 3-6 states:

“Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.“

It is quite amazing to me how Jesus already knew he would be betrayed by one of his closest friends, and yet He continued to love Judas and treat Him no differently throughout the course of His ministry.

On the other hand, it is a hard event to process, mainly because our human nature desires to take over and think of all the times we have felt betrayed by those we love or loved. Yet, Jesus did not sin. I think it is important to note as Christians today that when we are tempted to react in sin to the hurt we experience from others, we must resist it and choose to respond in love.

Lastly, I want to draw attention to Judas. In this passage we are told two things: Satan entered into him and he isolated himself from the crowd to plot against Jesus. The enemy works at his best when he can isolate us and gain control of our body’s “control room”, the mind. The Bible tells us that our minds need to be transformed and renewed daily. You can think you are close to Jesus, who else was closer than Judas?! However, you can be close but not surrendered. If your thoughts and actions are not fully surrendered to Jesus, it gives the enemy territory to manipulate and deceive your thoughts and emotions. Judas was deceived. Secondly, the enemy wants to isolate you from those who can keep you accountable. Notice that Judas withdrew himself. Had he not, who would have known what the outcome could have been… I’m sure regardless it would have been harder had he plotted against Jesus in front of the other disciples.

Today, evaluate your relationship to Jesus in terms of surrender. Are you fully surrendered to following Him? Are you sold out to His will and His purpose for your life? Or, are you double-minded, vulnerable to turning away? Stay plugged in to accountability; attend life groups at your church, go to church weekly, get together with those friends who love Jesus too, and serve in a capacity that inserts yourself around others who are like-minded. Challenge yourself to not isolate in a world that is becoming so distanced.
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