THE COST - Mt 26:14-16
One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
Judas wasn’t the naive disciple of Jesus. Actually he was very advance in foreseeing things. When that lady who poured out the perfume on Jesus’ feet he immediately reproved: “Why was this annointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”. He said it, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the money bag he used to get himself to what was put into it.
Judas was brilliant and pretentious, he seemed to be generous and really interested of the welfare of others. But his interest was only to get more money for himself; more money means more power. Power, means "possibility". His avidity of money hides his desire of power. Jesus knew everything about him, his vice and his weaknesses of being attached to money. But He never fired him, or removed him from his being apostle. Instead, Jesus loved him more.
Despite of everything, Jesus tried to demonstrate to Judas that there's a stronger "power" (possibility), that is Love. The love of money destroys, while the love that is selfless saves: «Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.»
There were two reasons why Judas sold Jesus, first because he was obsessed with money, and second he expected that putting the "Rabbi" on challenge by handing him to the enemies, will unveil the "messianic" triumphant power of the master. Thus, it's an additional profit for him because there will be an increase of GDP Gross Domestic Product. More "power" more money, more "money", more possibilities (power).
The realization was: Judas, the betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? Look to it yourself.” Flinging the money into the temple, he departed and went off and hanged himself.
Money can buy a lot of things... many things but not all things. Many are led astray, even great people in the world because of money; thus, what the money can’t buy are the things most valuable that is beyond every monetary measure.
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