Whatever his life before becoming a disciple , these few clues serve to connect the reader to a broader view of Judas . With this broader view , we can see that Judas was essential to the mission of Jesus and was trusted by everyone who worked with him .
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assumption that the disciples trusted Judas ’ abilities and character .
In a very famous scene , a woman pours out a container of Spikenard ( a very costly oil from the Himalayas ) on Jesus as an offering . In the Matthew account of this , all of the disciples rage at the sight of such waste , demanding why it hadn ’ t been sold and the money given to the poor . However , in the John account , this disapproval is presented as being expressed exclusively and more explicitly by Judas !
Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor ? ( John 12:5 )
Whatever his life before becoming a disciple , these few clues serve to connect the reader to a broader view of Judas . With this broader view , we can see that Judas was essential to the mission of Jesus and was trusted by everyone who worked with him .
Judas really demonstrates his familiarity with money here . Not only does he recognize that the oil is valuable , but he , in the midst of his emotion , conducts an appraisal of the amount used . If Judas ’ estimate is correct then this is an impressive feat , especially given that lower class workers ( such as made up Jesus ’ disciples ) would not have had much occasion to become familiar with such luxuries . How did Judas know the cost of the oil ? Had he overheard the woman speaking of its value ? Or had he worked with luxuries in the past ? Was he a trader ? A merchant ? Did he work in imports and exports ?
Whatever his life before becoming a disciple , these few clues serve to connect the reader to a broader view of Judas . With this broader view , we can see that Judas was essential to the mission of Jesus and was trusted by everyone who worked with him .
The Betrayal Whatever has been lost concerning the Judas of history , the man who had a life before he ever met Jesus , what remains of Judas biblically is damning . Whether or not he was a man of good humor , was adept with his numbers and finances , and even though he was an integral part of Jesus ’ ministry for three years – these questions and considerations tend to fall away when we remember the fact that Judas Iscariot committed the most heinous act of betrayal in human history .
What could have driven Judas to such an act ? The Gospels offer three
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