Thirty pieces of silver was all Jesus was worth to Judas. What was he thinking?! He was hand-picked by Jesus. He had spent some three years with the one who was Messiah. He had a front row seat to His profound teaching, and personal tutoring in the insider’s understanding of those teachings, even when the crowds were mystified by them. He saw Jesus heal the sick, raise the dead, refute the best teachers and the greatest minds in the land. He had seen Jesus tenderly set children on His lap and face down the most violent storms. He had witnessed Jesus rebuking demons and religious leaders alike. He saw Jesus walk through angry crowds untouched, yet heal a woman who simply touched His garment. Judas helped pass out the bread miraculously provided through the prayer of Him who was called the Bread of life. He even knew that Jesus knew he was going to betray Him. Yet, despite all this, Judas betrayed his master. What was he thinking?

Which of us has any difficulty in understanding Peter’s denial of Christ, namely fear? Who has not joined Thomas in doubting the reality of a Savior they cannot see? Do any of us criticize the boat-hugging in the midst of a violent storm, frightened by what appeared to be a water-walking ghost? But how can we understand the pitiful Judas, the turncoat, traitor, dealer in treachery? In what way could he have possibly thought Jesus was worth only 30 pieces of silver? Is greed that blinding, so laughably ridiculous that someone so close to Jesus could make such an assessment? Contrary to the demoniac who once healed, was found to be “clothed and in his right mind” (Mark 5:15), Judas was clearly not in a right mind. When we consider Judas, we see an absolute, irrational contradiction of all that would make sense. It exhausts our ability to comprehend.

But what is even more incomprehensible in an amazing way is to “consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself.” It doesn’t get much worse than to be betrayed by a close friend. Therefore, since Christ went through this, we are encouraged to “not grow weary and lose heart” (Heb 12:3) in our walk of faith. For there is a great “cloud of witnesses,” Christ being the chief One, the One who Himself did not lose heart over Judas.