The Judas Syndrome

The Choices Collection – 5/10/2023 (9 ½ minute read)

Every great story seems to have a villain, even the greatest story ever told. As we recently celebrated the Easter story we were reminded of the ultimate villain, the traitor who betrayed the Lord to those who would murder Him brutally. But is there something 21^st century Christians can learn from the story of one of the most controversial figures in history - Judas Iscariot? In this article we will explore that idea by asking a question: How did Judas come to believe that helping Jewish leaders arrest Jesus was the right thing to do?

There are different accounts and interpretations of Judas' motives in the Bible and scholarly sources. Some say he was a greedy and selfish man, a thief who wanted to profit from his association with Jesus. Others say he was a disillusioned and disappointed follower, who hoped that Jesus would overthrow the Roman occupation and establish a political kingdom. Still others say he was a faithful and obedient disciple, who became a traitor according to God's …