Rēad to Read …Again
Daily Reading: Psalm 40-45
Psalm 41:9
Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
Fourteen Great Prophecies in the Psalms
Number Nine
Everyone probably knows this verse is speaking about Judas. Mark 14:10 tells the story. And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. For thirty pieces of silver Judas forever carved his name on the “Mount Rushmore” of betrayers. Within this story there is an interesting twist that few have probably considered. It is a hypocritical transaction that unfortunately takes place far too often.
It all started with the silver being paid to Judas. Matthew 26:14-15 begins the story. Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and said unto them What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. While it is not written in the Scriptures, have you ever wondered from where that silver came? Since Judas came to the priests plural, he must have come before a council or perhaps even the Sanhedrin. Whatever gathering he approached it was one that had the power of the purse. These were the leaders that hated Christ and were sworn to His destruction by any means. It makes sense that this silver was paid to Judas from their treasury. It is doubtless that any one priest or even a few of them would give of their own money for such a dishonorable action. But to give it out of the common treasury to save their religion, that seems like a decision this committee would make.
But, after his dastardly deed, Judas tried to return the money to the priests at which time it is recorded by Matthew: And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. (Matthew 27:6) On one hand they probably paid Judas out of the treasury, yet on the other they said they couldn’t put it back into the treasury because it was blood money. They could pay money from the treasury as blood money, but could not receive it back as it was blood money. How hypocritical. Even if the priests gave Judas their own money, it was wrong, on so many levels it was wrong. But they attempted to look so pious, so righteous, so religious, yet inward they were filled with ravenous bones.
On another instance, in keeping with their character, they did the same thing. On one hand to facilitate the killing of Jesus the leaders of the Israelites led the people to proclaim …His blood be on us, and on our children. (Matthew 27:25) Yet, then in Acts 5:28 the council said to Peter and the other apostles …behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. On one hand they said, His blood be upon us, on the other they said, “you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” Again, at the risk of being redundant, how hypocritical! Yet, they call the children of God hypocrites. Once again, “Them doin the accusin’, are usually the ones doin the doin’!”
Regardless, David prophesied it, Jesus lived it.
Dr. William T. Howe
Comments