“I used to love dogs until I discovered cats.” Nafisa Joseph

In the Catholic Church, the Wednesday of Holy Week is known as Spy Wednesday because on this day Judas made a bargain with the high priest to betray Jesus for 30 silver pieces (Matt 26:14-16; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:1-6). In Poland, the young people throw an effigy of Judas from the top of a church steeple. Then it is dragged through the village amidst hurling sticks and stones. What remains of the effigy is drowned in a nearby stream or pond. This is also the day that Jesus was anointed with an expensive jar of alabaster by the woman at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper (Matt 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-19).

Why would one of Jesus’ own disciples betray Him? What motive could Judas have? Many have speculated through the years. Perhaps his feelings were hurt when Jesus rebuked him when Mary poured the ointment over Jesus’ feet. Perhaps it was plain greed. Some speculate that Judas wanted to “force” Jesus into an open display of Messianic glory. And others, quoting the controversial “Gospel According to Judas” will push that Judas was actually in cahoots with Jesus who used his friend to force the issue forward.

In our “Post Modern” age we live in, there continues to be attempts to scientifically prove everything from our past – President Kennedy was shot by two or three people, the Lock Ness Monster is simply a hoax, and Judas and Jesus were close friends who plotted the betrayal together. The truth is, of course, that unless Jesus or Judas comes back from the dead to tell us what happened, all we have is the biblical witness. Oh, right, Jesus did come back from the dead. And that is the most important part of the cricifixion story. Whether the fix was in, or Jesus was betrayed, he was arrested, scourged, hung on a cross and died – only to rise on the third day.

Although I have no idea if we live in  a post-modern age, psuedo-modern age, or alter-modern age – I do know that we live in a post-resurrection age. And that means we have the opportunity to live into the age to come – with Jesus.

Pastor Dave