Proximity to Jesus Isn’t Enough: What We Learn from Judas

 by Michaelle Moran

 “…God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3-4 (NIV)

I’ve heard that on the first day of class, some professors tell students to look to their left and then to their right—to really see the people sitting beside them. Then they make a sobering statement: “One of you won’t make it to the end of the semester.”

The professor doesn’t know which student won’t make it—at least not right away—but what if he or she could? Would they spend just as much time with that student? Extend the same invitations—office hours, study groups, extra help—or would they, perhaps ever so subtly, begin to hold back the same offers made to the students who are known to be successful in the class?

I can only imagine they might start to hold back a little—after all, there wouldn’t really be any return on their investment, so to speak. But that is human nature to not want to spend time on something or someone that we feel is just going to waste our time.

But what if giving that student the same opportunities as everyone else—even knowing they would fail—was less about the student… and more about the professor?

This is exactly what we’re going to look at today as we consider what Judas Iscariot has to teach us about our own faith—and about the heart of Jesus.

Judas is first introduced to us as Jesus calls the twelve disciples—also known as apostles (Matthew 10:1–4; Mark 3:13–19; Luke 6:12–16). In each of these gospel accounts of Jesus calling the twelve, Scripture identifies him as the one who would betray Him.

Even so, Jesus invited Judas into His inner circle, fully aware of his heart and motivations… and the betrayal that lay ahead.

Scripture doesn’t spell out Judas’ motivations in a single sentence, but it does give us glimpses.

In John 12:4–6, we learn that Judas was entrusted with the money bag—the common purse for Jesus and the disciples, used for daily needs and giving to the poor—and that he helped himself to what was inside. Matthew’s Gospel also tells us that when the time came, Judas was the one who approached the chief priests, asking what they would give him in return for Jesus (Matthew 26:14–16). For thirty pieces of silver—the price of a slave—Judas betrayed Christ.

It seems Judas was motivated by a love of money… and perhaps also by a desire for recognition or status.

It’s worth noting that Judas, like the other disciples, was expecting a Messiah who would establish an earthly kingdom—one who would overthrow Roman rule and restore Israel’s power (Acts 1:6). Perhaps, then, he was trying to force Jesus’ hand—to push Him into revealing His power and taking His rightful place as king.

Some Bible commentators have even suggested that Judas’ betrayal may not have been motivated by greed nor a desire to force Jesus’ hand, but by his frustration at the Last Supper when Jesus spoke of His coming death (Luke 22:19–20), and the dawning realization that He was not the king they had expected. But regardless of what Judas—or any of the disciples—expected of Jesus, He didn’t come to save His people by wearing a crown of gold—He came to save His people by wearing a crown of thorns. And none of them understood that at first.

So this begs the question: Why would Jesus invite a greedy, self-concerned man to be among the twelve? Could it be that Judas is more than a figure in the story—that he’s a mirror, showing us what the human heart is capable of apart from Christ?

And at the same time, that mirror reveals the heart of Jesus—a heart that loves, invites, and gives fully, even knowing what lies ahead.

So far, we know Judas was greedy and a thief, and that he expected Jesus to establish His kingship on earth and overthrow Roman rule over Israel. But Luke 22:3 gives us even more insight into the man who betrayed our Lord and Savior for a mere thirty pieces of silver.

It says, “Then Satan entered into Judas…”

At first, it may seem like Judas wasn’t responsible for his actions—conspiring with the chief priests and captains to betray Jesus and hand Him over to them—which, by the way, he did while Jesus wasn’t with the group. Evil is often done in secret, isn’t it?

But as we read the account of the Last Supper in the Gospel of Matthew, we see that Judas was very much responsible for his actions. Immediately after identifying that one of His disciples would betray Him (we’re looking at you, Judas), Jesus says, “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born” (Matthew 26:24).

You see, even though Satan entered Judas, Scripture never removes his responsibility. Judas still made choices. He went to the chief priests. He asked for money. He led them to Jesus. The influence was real—but so was his willingness.

Friend, there is a lesson deeply rooted in the life of Judas. Though he walked with Christ throughout His three-year public ministry, proximity alone didn’t transform his heart—because he never surrendered his own desires.

We can go to church, participate in Bible study, and give to the poor, but unless we surrender our will to His, what we do in secret will always reveal who we are. Jesus came so that who we are would no longer define us—whose we are would.

There is a bright side to the story of Judas—he eventually realized what he had done. Matthew tells us when Judas saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood” (Matthew 27:3–4).

However, it was only remorse Judas experienced, not repentance. Matthew uses the Greek word metamelomai, which means remorse. Had he used the Greek word metanoia, meaning full repentance, we would see a very different outcome for Judas.

Sadly, because Judas did not repent and seek forgiveness, he turned away from the very One who would have forgiven him—and in his despair, he took his own life.

“And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:5).

Forgiveness was available to him at all times. He walked with the One who fully and freely forgives, yet Judas never repented or sought forgiveness. Instead, it seems he took upon himself what Jesus had already come to bear for him—the weight of his sin.

Just like a student who may fail a class because they didn’t accept a professor’s offer of extra help, Judas didn’t accept what Jesus was offering him. And I can’t help but wonder if Jesus chose Judas, knowing he would betray Him, to show us that His invitation is extended to all… but not all will accept it.

“…God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3-4 (NIV)

Have you accepted His invitation—to repent, to be forgiven, and to follow Him?