Judas the Betrayer

Driving home: Upon Judas, name of infamy and shocking treachery. Judas, named to be despised, detested, and avoided.

Martin notes that while many in the congregation bear names of other apostles (Peter, John, Andrew, Philip), no one is named Judas, illustrating the infamy of the name and the universal detestation of his act.

Sitting in this place this morning, not a few of you bear the names of some of the other of the twelve apostles. We have our Peters among us this morning, it would be interesting, and I almost toyed with having a show of hands, but I felt it would be distracting. But you Peters know who you are. We have our Johns among us this morning, our Andrews and our Phillips.

3:27 - 3:53 Read in full sermon

Driving home: No, since Jesus said, quoting from Deuteronomy, that man shall live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, let us come to what appears and smells like a dung heap of the most foul human deeds, convinced that …

The passage about Judas is likened to a 'dung heap of the most foul human deeds,' yet Martin insists that God has deposited 'wholesome food for our souls' within it, emphasizing the spiritual benefit of studying even dark biblical narratives.

from Deuteronomy, that man shall live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, let us come to what appears and smells like a dung heap of the most foul human deeds, convinced that in the midst of that dung heap, God has deposited wholesome food for our souls. And as we take up this passage that comes to us in the patently kind providence of God in the regular course of our expositions, we shall do so under three headings. First of all,

5:21 - 6:05 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section explores Judas's identity, first by his name, Judas Iscariot, noting its commonality and the significance of 'Iscariot' indicating his origin from southern Judah…

The transliteration of 'Iscariot' from Hebrew to Greek and then English is compared to the word 'baptism,' which is also a transliteration, to explain the linguistic process.

much like baptism. Baptism is not a translation of a Greek word, it is a transliteration of the word baptismos. And it is then ba, ba, right down through. Well you have a transliteration then of the Greek transliteration of Ish Kiriath. And most

8:25 - 8:50 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section explores Judas's identity, first by his name, Judas Iscariot, noting its commonality and the significance of 'Iscariot' indicating his origin from southern Judah…

Martin describes Judas's unique privilege of seeing Jesus in intimate moments, such as sleeping in the boat during a storm, vexed by Pharisees, or playful with children, to underscore the depth of his betrayal despite such exposure.

privilege of seeing never had the privilege of hearing it was Judas with the twelve who saw our Lord in those intimate scenes of bone weariness when in the ship he falls asleep and the storm comes and he's aroused by the disciples and speaks but a word the raging sea is calm and that turbulent sea becomes smooth as glass only the inner circle saw many of those unusual works of our Lord they saw him at his most vexed and weary points in his

16:40 - 17:25 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: This section explores Judas's identity, first by his name, Judas Iscariot, noting its commonality and the significance of 'Iscariot' indicating his origin from southern Judah…

A lengthy quote from commentator Hendrickson details Judas's extensive exposure to Christ's power, tenderness, discourses, and healing, highlighting the profound knowledge Judas had of Jesus's character.

by the Lord Jesus Christ his associations or his mission he was one of the twelve and don't pass that over lightly for involved in it are all of these things I have mentioned and much more as Hendrickson the commentator has observed for many months Judas had been living in Christ's immediate presence had been eating drinking and traveling with him he had noticed the strength in the master's voice when he stilled the storm cursed the barren fig tree and rebuked those who devoured widows houses but Judas had also become aware of the

18:54 - 19:39 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin details Judas's actions: his departure from Jesus's company to the chief priests, his dealings with them where they gladly promised him thirty pieces of silver, and his…

Judas's offer to the chief priests is compared to a cabinet member offering to help an assassin kill the president, illustrating the shocking and effective nature of his betrayal due to his insider knowledge.

patterns there is no one alive in all of Palestine more quickly put him into your hands and to do so with stealth you see it would be like someone who is plotting to kill the president and one of the members of this cabinet comes to the would be assassin and says look I have free access to the oval room ten times a day I can see the president's daily calendar I know where he is every minute of the day I am ready to help his horrible murderous intentions rejoice that's what they did

29:10 - 29:54 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The term Satan entered him probably refers not to some godly, kind of possession in which he became a passive instrument in the hands of the devil, but that Satan entered in the same way the Holy Spirit fills believers.

A detailed quote from John Calvin explains how Satan 'entered' Judas, not as passive possession, but as an intensification of his existing wickedness, augmenting his faculties towards destruction.

not his own that it is to be attributed to the Holy Spirit that he thus lives, speaks and walks with God. John Calvin, as so often, the great pastor, exegete and preacher, I believe hit the nail on the head when he wrote on this passage, Judas burned with the desire to rob and by long use had become hard in wickedness. Now since no other prey comes to hand, he does not hesitate treacherously to hand over the Son of God and author of life to death, although pulled back by holy caution, he leaps ahead with violence.

46:35 - 47:20 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not rely on external experiences like visiting the Holy Land or witnessing miracles to make Jesus real; true knowledge of Christ comes from the Holy Spirit working through the Word.

Martin refutes the idea that visiting the Holy Land or witnessing miracles makes Jesus more real, using Judas's direct physical presence with Christ as a counter-example to show that external experiences are insufficient for true faith.

There are people who say. Well if only I could make a trip to the holy land. And walk where Jesus walked. And go out on the sea of Galilee.

53:57 - 54:05 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The second application is an invitation to the unconverted, urging them not to stop short of a heart change that dethrones their reigning sin. Using Judas's covetousness as an…

Martin speculates that Judas's thievery might have started with small acts like taking nickels and quarters as a boy, illustrating how seemingly minor sins can grow into monstrous betrayals if left unchecked.

What I cannot do for myself. When Judas first became aware maybe as a little boy. That he had a peculiar penchant for steaming. Maybe it was just taking nickels and quarters from his daddy's dresser.

60:53 - 61:10 Read in full sermon

The point: Beware that unmortified sin, even seemingly small ones, can grow into a 'monster' that, under the devil's influence and opportune circumstances, will lead you to betray Jesus.

Martin warns single men and women that an unmortified desire for a spouse can become a 'monster' that the devil energizes, leading to betraying Christ for an ungodly marriage.

Some of you single men and women. You know what your besetting sin is? I've got to have a husband. I'll not go to heaven.

62:12 - 62:21 Read in full sermon

The point: If your heart is set on material things, the devil will energize that desire, leading you to betray Jesus for a job or things that are your idols.

Martin warns against setting one's heart on material things like a nice home, cars, or clothes, explaining how this covetousness can lead to betraying Christ for a job that provides these idols.

Maybe it's things that your heart's set. Nice home, nice cars, nice clothes. One thing I won't be is borderline poor. Is that so?

63:24 - 63:35 Read in full sermon

Driving home: what hope is there for you or me if we're not loading gospel shot against every single remaining sin in our heart and pursuing what our Puritan forefathers called universal holiness?

The story of King David's sin with Bathsheba is used to illustrate how even a man after God's own heart can fall into grievous sin if he tolerates 'remaining sin' (inordinate appetite for female flesh) and Satan seizes upon it in opportune circumstances.

You see, remaining sin in principle acts just like reigning sin. Look at David, because he tolerated the remaining sin of an inordinate appetite for being what I would call a connoisseur of fine female flesh. He already had six, so he thought he'd taste the seventh body.

66:05 - 66:30 Read in full sermon

The point: Fear and ask the question, 'Lord, could I be such a one?'

A quote from Bishop Ryle emphasizes that Judas's history is a striking proof of how far a man can go in a false profession of religion, possessing many privileges without a converted heart.

And he said, The servant is not above his master, nor the disciple above his Lord. I close with these words of Bishop Ryle. Addressing that very issue, the old Anglican bishop said, We mark in this passage to what lengths a man may go in a false profession of religion. It's impossible to convince a more striking proof of this fact than the history of Judas Iscariot.

69:58 - 70:34 Read in full sermon