If I Could Ask One Question of Judas Iscariot, I would ask “Did You Really Do it For the Money?”

“But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?” Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.”  John 12:4-6

“When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. He said, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to it yourself.” Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and he went and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are blood money.” After conferring together, they used them to buy the potter’s field as a place to bury foreigners. For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.” Matthew 27:3-8

In the Gospel account, there is a lot of emphasis on Judas and his handling of money. We learn that he was appointed treasurer – as such he carried the money bag. He paid all expenses and kept the books. He made budget estimates from week to week and also made weekly reports. Judas paid out funds on the authorization of others. But Judas must have become more and more of a brooder – perhaps over personal failings – perhaps he, like the other disciples, was part of the arguments over who was the greatest. There had to have been jealousy and in-fighting among the disciples, as they were simply men – who felt human emotions, like jealousy. Perhaps Judas was not a good debater. Perhaps Judas choose to listen more than share his feelings. But, over time, his feelings had been hurt – but why?

One day when a grateful woman broke an expensive box of incense at Jesus’ feet, things changed for Judas – or perhaps they had been changing within him for some time. This act of devotion seemed wasteful to Judas, and when his public protest was put down by Jesus there, in the hearing of all, it was too much. That event must have determined within Judas so much hate, hurt, malice, prejudice, jealousy, and revenge of a lifetime, and he made up his mind to get even with — Jesus – who happened to be the chief actor in the episode.

We know the rest of the story. We know how Judas accepted thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus. The one question I would ask Judas would be if he did it only for the money, or if there were other “circumstances” that led to the betrayal. What is the one question you would ask Judas?

Pastor Dave

If I Could Ask One Question of Tabitha, I would ask “After You Were Raised From the Dead, Did the People Treat You Differently?”

 “Now in Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha, which in Greek is Dorcas. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. At that time she became ill and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in a room upstairs. Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, who heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him with the request, “Please come to us without delay.” So Peter got up and went with them; and when he arrived, they took him to the room upstairs. All the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was with them. Peter put all of them outside, and then he knelt down and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up.” Then she opened her eyes, and seeing Peter, she sat up. He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then calling the saints and widows, he showed her to be alive. This became known throughout Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. Meanwhile he stayed in Joppa for some time with a certain Simon, a tanner.” Acts 9:36-43

She is simply there, trying, in her own simple, broken way to love G-d and follow G-d, perhaps being a good wife, perhaps a good mother, perhaps a good friend, a good widow, whatever she was. She was living her life and trying to be a good person. She was so underrated (until they lost her) that the widows felt compelled to point out her good stitching and her charity to Peter to justify asking G-d to bring her back.

That is our entire knowledge about Saint Tabitha, or Dorcas. You heard me right – St. Tabitha. Her Feast day is October 25. But we know so little about her, except what the biblical witness tells us. We don’t know if she was a young woman, married and with children to raise, or single and living with her family. We don’t know if she’d been disowned from a pagan family because she was Christian. Maybe she was old, and all by herself, so she dwelt with the other widows of the community. We just don’t know. Other than the fact that Peter’s prayers for her, and her return to this life brought believers into the fold, we don’t even know why St. Luke decided to include this account in the Acts of the Apostles.

But there she is – a simple story of faith and a miracle – and from the response of the women following her death, she obviously meant a lot to so many people. But I wonder if they expressed their feelings to her before she died? Did they take for granted her generosity, her love, her compassion for all in the community – that is until she was gone? It makes us consider if we take for granted the women and men in our congregation, in our faith community who do so much, quietly, faithfully, like Tabitha.

We need to look for these women and men in our faith community, and tell them how much they mean to us before they, too are gone. We need to quietly give them a hug, because they, more than many, exemplify what Christ taught: Love your neighbor. Do good to others. Praise G-d and do good works. We forget them, we neglect them, and we overlook them for the simple reason that they are doing what Christ told us to do, and without them and their prayers, we would all be the poorer. Cherish the invisible people in your life, and your church.

So my question for Tabitha would be “Did they treat you differently after you were raised?” Did they appreciate you more for your quiet works of faith? Or did they treat you differently because you came back from the dead? That is my one question for Tabitha. What would you ask her?

Pastor Dave