by Ester yusufu | 23 February 2022 08:46 am02
Have you ever made a decision thinking it was harmless, only to realize later that it caused much more damage than you ever expected? That’s what happened to Judas Iscariot—a man who walked with Jesus, saw miracles, heard truth from the source of life—and yet made a tragic choice that led to his death.
Many people assume Judas betrayed Jesus purely out of hatred. But Scripture paints a more complex picture. Judas’ betrayal stemmed from greed, not necessarily a desire to see Jesus die.
“Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?’ So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver.”
— Matthew 26:14–15
The price Judas accepted was the cost of a slave (Exodus 21:32), signaling that he had already devalued Jesus in his heart.
But here’s what many overlook: Judas assumed that after Jesus was arrested, He would be rebuked or punished—but not killed. We see that in Judas’ own words during the betrayal:
“Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: ‘The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away safely.’”
— Mark 14:44
Those last three words—“lead him away safely”—show that Judas never intended harm on Jesus. He believed things would go differently.
But Judas had completely misjudged the seriousness of his actions. When he realized the religious leaders had already condemned Jesus to death, he was overwhelmed with remorse.
“When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver… ‘I have sinned,’ he said, ‘for I have betrayed innocent blood.’”
— Matthew 27:3–4
This moment is crucial theologically: Judas acknowledged Jesus’ innocence, fulfilling Isaiah 53:9
“…though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.”
— Isaiah 53:9b
But remorse is not the same as repentance. Judas felt guilty, but rather than returning to Jesus for forgiveness, he turned inward and ultimately took his own life.
“So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.”
— Matthew 27:5
His story mirrors 2 Corinthians 7:10:
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”
— 2 Corinthians 7:10
Judas experienced worldly sorrow—pain without restoration—because he missed the one thing that could save him: returning to Jesus.
Judas’ story is a warning: sin often looks like a small, manageable decision. You might think, “I’ll just do this once. I can always repent later.” But sin doesn’t come with a warning label—it comes with a wage.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
— Romans 6:23
Notice, it says “wages,” not “punishment.” That means sin earns death as its natural result—not always immediately, but ultimately and inevitably.
Sin is not measured by how it feels or what you’ve gotten away with in the past. It’s measured by what God says it produces: spiritual death, brokenness, and separation from Him.
Even Samson, who thought he could toy with sin, found himself blind, chained, and broken (Judges 16). Just like Judas, he didn’t expect that moment to be his last.
Betrayal and Sovereignty
Though Judas acted out of free will and was held accountable, Scripture also affirms that Jesus’ death was not an accident—it was part of God’s sovereign plan for redemption.
“This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death…”
— Acts 2:23
This paradox teaches us two things:
Don’t Underestimate Sin
You might be in a place where you’re tempted to “just sin once” and then repent later. But what if that sin leads you further than you planned to go? What if, like Judas, it introduces consequences you never saw coming?
Let me lovingly warn you:
That relationship you’re planning to compromise for, that secret sin you’re justifying in your heart—it could become the turning point of your spiritual downfall.
As one preacher said, “Don’t be afraid of the devil—be afraid of sin.”
Because Scripture never says the wages of the devil is death.
It says:
“The wages of sin is death.”
— Romans 6:23
Lord Jesus, open our eyes to see the true cost of sin. Give us grace to resist temptation, strength to walk in obedience, and the wisdom to run to You—not away from You—when we fall. May we never trade temporary gain for eternal loss. Amen.
Source URL: https://wingulamashahidi.org/en/2022/02/23/take-him-safely/
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