“43 While He was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, suddenly arrived. With him was a mob, with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. 44 His betrayer had given them a signal. “The One I kiss,” he said, “He’s the One; arrest Him and take Him away under guard.” 45 So when he came, he went right up to Him and said, “Rabbi!” — and kissed Him. 46 Then they took hold of Him and arrested Him. 47 And one of those who stood by drew his sword, struck the high priests slave, and cut off his ear.

48 But Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs, as though I were a criminal, to capture Me? 49 Every day I was among you, teaching in the temple complex, and you didn’t arrest Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” 50 Then they all deserted Him and ran away.

51 Now a certain young man, having a linen cloth wrapped around his naked body, was following Him. They caught hold of him, 52 but he left the linen cloth behind and ran away naked.”

Mark 14:43-52

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One of the most unbelievable parts of the events of this evening comes from Judas, that the betrayal would come in the form of a kiss. A sign of familiarity and closeness, friendship and community becomes the seal of final betrayal and the ushering in of death. Judas’ betrayal is no small thing, it is not lightly taken. Everything that happens to Jesus from this point on is born in that kiss and the naming of Him as the Rabbi. 

This is the nature of betrayal, that closeness would be feigned for the sake of the destruction of another person. We have no idea what exactly was going on in the heart and mind of Judas, but we do know that Scripture says that the devil entered into him that night. The speculation that it was politically motivated, that Judas had a reason that he thought was valid does nothing to excuse his actions. Some people try desperately to forgive and write off Judas as much as they can. And I wonder if it isn’t because they feel like they have let Jesus down and they want there to be some hope for themselves.

But there is no hope in Judas’ shoes. He is the of whom Jesus said, ‘For the Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.’ 

Judas is not someone to identify with. If we feel the need to identify with someone in the midst of failure, Peter and Paul are much better choices. We want hope for people who have fallen because we want that hope for ourselves, but Judas is that exception beyond all others. 

In Christ, Peter is reinstated and forgiven his denial, Paul is given a new identity after his murderous past, and we have hope for ourselves because of what Jesus did personally for both of them. The hope we share in Christ as we GoLove others echoes from the examples we are given in them, but not in Judas, he remains as one set apart, one who is condemned. He is called the ‘son of perdition’ (Jn 17:12) for a reason.