Extending the hand of grace to Judas

I alluded to something in my post yesterday about the person of Judas. As tomorrow marks the observance of Maundy Thursday, I find myself contemplating the progression of events that led to Jesus’ trial and crucifixion. As I was reading through the story a few days ago, I was struck by something that I had never really taken notice of before. After Jesus has washed the feet of the disciples, after he has dipped the bread in the cup and offered it to Judas, marking the one who will betray him, something interesting happens:

“After Judas took the bread, Satan entered his heart. Jesus said to him, ‘Be quick about what you’re going to do.’”

This is troubling to me. Who is Jesus speaking to? Did “Satan” really come to indwell Judas, or was this the moment that Judas was made for?

I don’t really get into the predestination vs. freewill debate because I think it’s a pointless argument to have. I do think that God is beyond the constraints of time while still maintaining a presence in the here and now. As Jesus proved time and again, he knew what was going to happen. If I follow this logic though, it means that Judas was meant to betray Jesus, whether indwelt by Satan or not.

This is problematic for me in light of our historical portrayal of Judas. Maybe he was greedy. Maybe he was deeply flawed. But he played a role in the story of the crucifixion and resurrection that was essential, and Jesus let him. It would have been easy to tell Judas to wait, to not leave the table. Jesus could have identified himself to those who came for him in the garden.

The piece of this story that upsets me the most is the portrayal of what happens to Judas in the end. He hangs himself because he cannot live with what he has done. He cannot live with what he was, for all intents and purposes, ordained by Christ to do.

We gladly extend the hand of grace to Thomas the doubter and Peter the denier. Thomas hears that Jesus has been resurrected but is absolutely unwilling to believe it is true unless he sees Jesus in the flesh. We can see ourselves in Thomas, doubting God. So we’re okay with forgiving him. Peter denies that he has any connection with Christ three times. That’s fine with us because we have done the same, if not in word then in action. It helps that we have scriptural record of Jesus forgiving them.

But we just cannot see ourselves in Judas. We certainly would never take money in return for selling out the Christ. We try so hard not to see ourselves in Judas. Yet how often do we betray Christ by our actions? Jesus constantly speaks of feeding the poor, housing the homeless, living in solidarity with one another. But we don’t. Maybe I’m stretching the metaphor a bit, but I see this as a betrayal of which I’m certainly guilty

We’re so unwilling to forgive Judas because he makes us look good. Judas betrayed Jesus. Even scripture refers to him as “the traitor.” But Judas is a tragic figure, one of the most tragic in the entire Bible. I feel sorry for him. And this Easter season, instead of thinking about how he sold out Jesus, I want to remember that it was for Judas that Jesus did what he did. And I want to remember that Judas played an important role in the greater story of God’s love for creationkind. I want to recognize on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday that Jesus was not the only one who was sacrificed, but that Judas, the “traitor,” also gave his life. It’s not politically correct. It might even be a little heretical. But I guess I just can’t help but see a little bit of myself in Judas, and if God’s grace extends to me, then why not him?

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