Wednesday in Holy Week

The Revised Common Lectionary gospel suggestion for Wednesday in Holy Week is John 13:21-32.  Jesus is at table with his disciples in the upper room and he predicts his betrayal.  The disciple whom Jesus loved asks the identity of the scoundrel.  Jesus tells him that he will give a piece of bread to the culprit.  By this act Jesus marks Judas Iscariot as the one who will enable the Sanhedrin guards to arrest him.

As a literary figure Judas is well-known (indeed, his name is synonymous with “traitor” or “betrayer;” no one names their child “Judas).  At the same time the scriptures are a bit ambiguous about him.  Many interpret his epithet “Iscariot” to mean that he is a native of Kerioth, a town in the south of Judea.  This would make him the only non-Galilean in the band of Jesus’ twelve apostles.  There are many other understandings of the significance of this name, though, and they range from the plausible to the ridiculous.  Many refer to Judas’ character after the fact in a kind of over-the-shoulder reporting of history.  These references tend to interpret “Iscariot” as a negative character trait.

The gospels vary in describing Judas’ motive.  Mark makes no comment.  Matthew says Judas’ motivation was pure greed, as he desired the thirty pieces of silver.  Luke and John indicate that Satan possessed Judas and that was why he committed his betrayal. 

There are some other strains of tradition – many of them modern – that are more sympathetic to Judas.  They portray him as being an implement that God or the political machine employs, and that he was a victim.  Still others see him as selflessly carrying out a noble plan without regard to his reputation or legacy.  Nikos Kazantzakis’ The Last Temptation of Christ and Andrew Lloyd Weber & Tim Rice’s Jesus Christ Superstar are prominent examples.  A caution: all of these interpretations are obviously extra-biblical.  They are interesting speculations but have no basis in scripture.

The Bible also contains two accounts of the death of Judas.  Matthew says that he felt remorse and attempted to return the money.  He then hanged himself.  The Jewish officials considered the money tainted, and so used it to buy “The Potter’s Field” as a burial place for strangers and paupers.  The plot acquired the title “Field of Blood,” because the Sanhedrin considered the money given to Judas blood money.  In Acts, Judas himself buys the field, falls headlong and dies there.

I have no need to defend Judas Iscariot.  Our approach to him and to his character is fascinating, though.  As Holy Week progresses, perhaps we would do well to recollect that the circumstances in which we try to exercise our faith are frequently more complicated than they first appear.