...And I will acquire the collected estates...
This is what the Bible says about Judas' theft: “Mary took a pound of pure precious ointment, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the world. Then one of His disciples, Judas Simon Iscariot, who wanted to betray him, said: Why not sell this ointment for three hundred denarii and give it to the poor? He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. He had a cash drawer with him and carried what was put in it” (John 12 :3-6). In the Greek original of the Gospel this is stated even more categorically, because the usage of the Greek language allows us to understand the word translated as “carried” to mean “stole.”
Judas was the treasurer of the apostolic community. He had quite significant sums at his disposal, since among the admirers of Jesus there were rich women who were healed by Him from evil spirits and incurable diseases. They all served Christ with their property. But since the Lord was absolutely indifferent to wealth, the donated money was mostly distributed to the poor, with the exception of small expenses for the food of Christ himself and his disciples. Judas was in charge of the financial affairs of the apostles. The amounts distributed to the poor were not accountable; no one could check whether Judas distributed the money or appropriated part of it for himself. This lack of accountability, obviously, seduced the money-loving Judas at an evil hour. Of course, he could not spend the stolen money openly. Transferring them from the box to your pocket would be stupid and inconvenient. Apparently he had some kind of secluded place where he kept the stolen wealth. This treasure is directly mentioned as the reason for the betrayal of Judas in the liturgical tradition of the Church. This is what the Church sings on Holy and Maundy Thursday in Holy Week in one of the stichera of the morning service:
“Judas, the servant and the flatterer, the disciple and the accuser, the friend and the devil, came from his works: having followed the Teacher, and having learned from him the tradition, he said within himself: “I will betray Him, and I will acquire the wealth (wealth) that I have collected...”
It is impossible to find out exactly when he first put his hand into the apostolic treasury. But there is no doubt that Judas stole from there much more than thirty pieces of silver. It is also clear that Judas could use the stolen wealth only under one condition: if the apostolic community ceased to exist. And he achieved his goal. After the arrest of Christ, even the most faithful and devoted disciples fled in fear in all directions. And here a new series of inconsistencies arise. Instead of taking the collected treasure, adding to it the payment for betrayal, and finally living for his own pleasure, Judas suddenly commits suicide.
Judas Iscariot throwing a piece of silver. Platon Vasilievich Vasiliev. 1858
This can be explained in different ways. It is only absolutely clear that neither the thirty pieces of silver nor the stolen treasure he collected were no longer the main value in life for Judas. But what could devalue in the eyes of the thief the fortune that he had been systematically accumulating over three years? The answer suggests itself. The only thing more valuable to a thief and a money-lover... is very big money.
Is the image of Judas Iscariot a traitor or a faithful disciple?
Leonid Andreev became one of the first writers to touch upon the relationship between Christ and Judas. In 1907, Andreev wrote the story “Judas Iscariot.” In the work, the writer retells a biblical story. He portrays Christ's disciples as worthless and cowardly, concerned only with their own well-being. And Judas is shown as a lover of truth, who, through the death of Christ and his own, strives to return people to the true path, force them to turn to eternal values, and help them understand the teachings of Christ. However, Judas does this through betrayal. He challenges all the usual, ingrained social order. However, Judas is for the most part a militant individualist, convinced of his uniqueness and ready to destroy others and himself for the sake of a far-fetched idea.
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L. Andreev’s psychological method lies in the fact that he does not recreate the sequential development of the psychological process and stops at describing the character’s state at turning points in spiritual life.
Note 1
The writer himself described his work as follows: “something on the psychology, ethics and practice of betrayal.”
However, such a definition does not exhaust the content of the story. The writer suggests doubting the traditional interpretation of Judas’ act. No one, even the most vile person, is capable of sending another to death in cold blood. Such an act must be justified by some noble idea. But why did Judas die by hanging himself on a branch? Perhaps the reason lies in the behavior of Jesus Christ, non-resistance to his evil with violence. Christ courageously and humbly accepts death, thereby depriving Judas’ act of justification. Thus, the falsity of the motivation of the hero of the story is exposed, his heroism disappears, melancholy and dissatisfaction appear, which push him to commit suicide.
Finished works on a similar topic
Course work Functions of biblical images in Leonid Andreev's story "Judas Iscariot" 400 ₽ Abstract Functions of biblical images in Leonid Andreev's story "Judas Iscariot" 230 ₽ Test work Functions of biblical images in Leonid Andreev's story "Judas Iscariot" 190 ₽
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It is believed that Christ's self-sacrifice was already predetermined, and therefore someone had to play the role of the traitor. And the finger of fate pointed at Judas, thereby dooming him to bear the mark of betrayal for centuries.
Judas in L. Andreev’s portrayal is ambiguous and complex. Notoriety spread about him throughout Judea. Judas was condemned by everyone, both good and evil. He was called insidious, selfish, prone to lies and pretense. They said that he only brought quarrels and troubles to everyone.
Judas Iscariot is cunning, smart and daring. He masterfully uses these qualities to cynically and openly intrigue and mock the disciples of Jesus. However, upon closer examination, it turns out that Judas can be called a brave, proud fighter against human stupidity.
The author repeatedly emphasizes the duality of the image of Judas and his inner experiences and judgments. Judas goes to great lengths to attract the attention and win the love of his Teacher. He tries to behave defiantly, but does not find approval. He becomes docile and soft, but this did not help him draw closer to Christ. Repeatedly, overcome by fear for his Teacher, Judas saved him from possible death. More than once he demonstrated his economic and organizational skills. He sparkled with intelligence, but despite all his efforts, he could not stand next to Jesus on earth. Therefore, a desire arose to stand near Christ in the kingdom of heaven.
The aura of martyrdom has always attracted people. And Judas was counting on this when he acted out a terrible tragedy. From the very beginning to the end, Judas acts meaningfully, so there is no need to say that fate played a significant role in his action. By his actions, Judas subjected Christ's disciples to a test of strength. He put them in a position where they had to decide their attitude towards the Teacher. Thus, it turns out that Judas understood Jesus better than others, and Iscariot’s actions were necessary to establish the teachings of Christ. The question arises, who was Judas then - a traitor or a faithful disciple? And L. Andreev allows the reader to think about this question for himself.
Royal Treasurer
The disciples recognized Christ as the Messiah. But just like all Jews, they saw in the Messiah an earthly ruler who, having come to power, would make Israel the strongest and richest country on earth. According to their ideas, the Messiah-king was supposed to subjugate all the nations of the world. And all the numerous parables and explanations of Christ that His Kingdom is not of this world could not convince the apostles. Until His Ascension, they were confident that the Lord would finally become the earthly king of Israel. The disciples of Christ saw themselves as the closest assistants and co-rulers of the Messiah and even argued about which of them would be more important in the new government of the Kingdom of Israel. The money-loving Judas, of course, was no exception here.
If Christ becomes king, then he, Judas, will become the royal treasurer, that is, the most influential person in Israel after the Messiah. In his dreams, he already imagined how he managed not the apostolic cash box, but the treasury of the richest state in the entire history of mankind.
Having become a thief, Judas initially made plans to betray Christ in order to acquire the collected money, as the Church sings about this. But the name of Christ became more and more glorious among the people of Israel. After an unprecedented miracle - the resurrection of the dead Lazarus - even those Jews who had previously tried to stone Christ saw the Messiah in Him. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the inhabitants of the capital showed Him royal honors, covering His path with their clothes. After such a reception, it became simply unprofitable for the practical and greedy Judas to betray the future king for the sake of stolen money. The love of money and theft burned his soul to the ground. He even intended to use the Messiah-king as a means to satisfy his passion for wealth.
And suddenly it turned out that Christ was not going to reign. The Israeli treasury, which was only a couple of steps away, again became inaccessible to Judah. It was necessary to urgently make some decision to correct the situation. And the decision was made.
And it was suggested to the traitor by the one whom Christ called “a murderer from the beginning.” True, Judas did not know then that this tipster would eventually drive him into a noose.
Satan's Advice
All interpreters of Holy Scripture unanimously assert that Judas betrayed the Savior at the direct inspiration of the devil. The Gospel text directly testifies to this: “And Satan entered into Judas, who was called Iscariot, one of the Twelve, and he went and spoke with the chief priests and rulers, how to betray Him to them” (Luke 22:3-4).
In Orthodox asceticism, the action of the devil on the human soul is described as follows. An evil spirit gains access to a person through his passions (that is, the sick inclinations of the soul). Mentally, he whispers how best a person can satisfy his sick desires, and step by step he leads his victim to death. Moreover, first the devil assures the person that the sin, they say, is not so great, and God is merciful and will forgive everything. But then, after committing a sin, the evil spirit plunges a person into the abyss of despair, instilling in him that his sin is immeasurable, and God is inexorable. But what did Satan whisper to Judas, with what promise did he seduce him into betraying Christ?
Judas's greatest passion was the love of wealth - the love of money. And his most cherished desire, perhaps, is the position of Minister of Finance in the kingdom of the Messiah, where he would be able to steal such sums that the most successful thieves in the world could not even dream of. And this cherished goal was already very close.
But Christ was in no hurry to become the religious and political leader of Israel. Having come to Jerusalem, He did not expel the high priests and elders in order to rightfully take their place. All of Judas's plans collapsed.
At this moment, Satan, obviously, suggested to him the thought that pushed him to betrayal. Judas knew that the chief priests and Pharisees, fearing Jesus, gave orders that “if anyone knew where He was, he would announce it in order to take Him.” Judas also knew that Christ avoided direct conflict with the authorities.
And so, incited by Satan, he decides to betray Christ in order to provoke an open clash between the high priests and the Messiah. Jesus' victory in this conflict does not give him the slightest doubt. After all, he saw all the power of the Messiah, saw how the dead were raised at His command, how the storm obeyed Him, how evil spirits unquestioningly obey Him... Who can kill the Messiah? One word from Him is enough, and even the indestructible iron legions of Rome will scatter without a trace, like dry leaves!
Blinded by the lust for wealth and the whispers of Satan, Judas betrays Christ. But at the same time, he does not even admit the thought that He could be killed. After all, in Jesus, who defeated the high priests, was all his hope, all his hope for the future.
Did Judas want Christ to die? No, because it was not profitable for him. Did Judas love Christ? No, Jesus was just a means for him to become fabulously rich. With such a motive for betrayal, the strange method chosen by the traitor to point out Christ to the guards at night in the Garden of Gethsemane becomes clear. With a kiss, Judas simply showed his respect to the king, who was about to defeat his enemies.
Characteristic
Contradictory
. Judas seems to be woven from contradictions. For some reason, a strong, strong man constantly pretended to be frail and sickly. He took on household responsibilities, and in between, he stole from the common treasury. He told the apostles colorful stories from supposedly his life, and then admitted that he had made it all up.
Corrupt
. Mercantile. Sold the Teacher for 30 pieces of silver.
Smart
. He was distinguished by his quick wit and intelligence in comparison with the rest of Christ’s disciples. He, like no one else, knew people deeply and understood the motives of their actions.
False
.
Envious
. The speech is replete with lies, which were either funny or unpleasant.
Purposeful
. He sincerely believed in his rightness and chosenness, and most importantly, he strived in every way to achieve the goal he had set for himself. Betrayal has become the only way to get closer to the spiritual leader.
Experiences real emotions: hatred, love, suffering, disappointment.
Thief
. He makes a living by stealing. He constantly carries bread, and that’s what he eats.
Cunning
. While the other apostles are fighting in an attempt to take first place next to Christ, Judas tries to be with him all the time, becoming indispensable and useful, if only they would pay attention to him and distinguish his efforts from the crowd.
Vulnerable
. I was sincerely offended by the Teacher when he stopped paying attention to him.
Emotional
. Until the last minute, Judas firmly believed that love and loyalty to Jesus would prevail. His people and disciples were supposed to save the Teacher, but this did not happen. Iscariot was sincerely worried and did not understand why the apostles fled in fear, leaving Christ in the hands of Roman soldiers. He called them cowards and murderers, incapable of action. At that moment, he was motivated by sincere love for the Teacher.
Selfless
. He sacrificed his life to prove the power of love by fulfilling the destiny assigned to him.
Source
“...and has nothing in Me”
Satan inspired Judas that Christ would certainly accept the challenge, sweep away the high priests, the Roman occupiers, and Himself reign in Israel.
But he deceived Judas, just as the father of lies should have deceived the unfortunate man, mired in the swamp of his passions and blinded by the brilliance of the ghostly treasures of a man. The idea that the Savior would renounce the Labor of the Cross, tempted by the earthly kingdom, is truly satanic. With this thought the Devil tempted Christ in the desert, before He went out to preach the Gospel. The evil spirit tried to instill this same thought in the Apostle Peter when he began to dissuade Christ from Redemptive suffering, and immediately received a harsh rebuke from Him: “...Get away from me, Satan! You are a temptation to me! Because you think not about what is God, but about what is human.” The Savior knew well who was trying to speak to Him through his most devoted disciple. He also knew who Judas believed. Just before the arrival of the traitor with a detachment of guards, Jesus said to the disciples: “I have a little time to speak with you; For the prince of this world comes and has nothing in Me.” Christ called, of course, not Judas, but Satan, the prince of this world. Who once again, now through a traitorous disciple, wanted to tempt the Savior with the temptation of earthly dominion. But the Lord walked the Way of the Cross, for which he came into this world. Satan was left with nothing, and Judas went bankrupt with him.
Christ really threw down the soldiers who came to take him to the ground. But he did this only to let the students escape, who could also get hurt. And then he allowed himself to be tied up, humbly proceeded to the place of trial, and by the morning, in violation of almost all norms of Jewish law, he was condemned to death.
