As we witnessed last week, when Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, it was quite a scene.

The Romans, while always on the lookout for anyone they perceived as a potential threat to Casaer, didn't view a King coming into town on the back of a borrowed donkey to be a legit problem that needed to be dealt with. This wasn't a big deal to them and was likely something they laughed at. Yet the jews that had made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Passover festival felt much differently.

Jesus' arrival on the colt was a fulfillment of prophecy and they responded by waving palm branches while chanting, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"

Not every Jew joined in the chorus of praise, though. The Pharisees, Saducees and Zealots were less that enthused.

Matthew 21:46 “They sought to lay hands on Him but feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet”

In the 22nd chapter of Matthew they begin their attempt to implicate Him by asking difficult questions in hopes of catching Him in violation of Jewish laws, customs or traditions. They quiz Him on things like taxes, the afterlife, and commandments.

Yet, Jesus' answers stump them time and time again.

Matthew 22:46 “No one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone question Him anymore”

Frustrated, their animosity spills over into an earnest desire to have Him killed.

Matthew 26:3-4 “Then the chief Priest, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the High Priest who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him"

What sent them over the edge? What caused them to go from desiring to simply end His ministry to a desire for His death?

There are many things we could cite, but let's zero in on one in particular

The argument can be easily made that Jesus first official act after arriving in Jerusalem on the back of a donkey was, I believe was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back.

The Priesthood in Jerusalem was ordained and instituted by the Lord Himself. The Old Testament Priesthood was marked by honor, integrity and holiness.

By the time we get to the day and time in which our story is set, the Priesthood could not be described in those terms. It was deeply corrupt and had become more of a political position that anything else.

Jerusalem had ceded most of it's independence in exchange for protection from the Roman government. This afforded Rome the opportunity to have a hand in who would serve as the Chief Priest in Jerusalem.

When Rome appointed Quirinius as the Governor of Syria, he removed the Chief Priest from his post and appointed one that he thought would better assist him in fulfilling his political goals...a young, cutthroat, up and coming aristocrat named Annas.

Annas wasn't chosen because of his impeccable integrity but because he lacked it and under his decade long reign, the Priesthood reached its peak as far as power and political influence goes.

In time, the political winds shifted in Rome and a new procurator for the region was apponted. His name was Gratus and his first official act was to remove Annas from his post because he sensed that he'd achieved too much power. At 36 years old, Annas was removed as the Chief Priest.

Yet, he certainly didn't ride off into the sunset.

Annas used his influence to ensure that his son would take his place. When this son was assassinated early into his tenure, another son was appointed, then another (5 in total...and a grandson).

By the time we reach the triumphal entry, Annas son in law, Caiaphus is ruling as Chief Priest.

Behind the scenes, Annas had been calling the shots and continued to do so.

One of the most blatantly corrupt evidences of Annas continued rule was a festival that took place just before Passover each year. It was named in Annas honor...the "Annas Bazaar".

At this festival, the Chief Priest issued an edict that all financial tithes that came in from the millions of pilgrims in Jerusalem must be coins minted by the Jews. That posed a major problem for all of those who came from outside of the city. To "remedy" this, the Chief Priest stationed money changers all over the Temple Complex that would exchange currency, for a fee, of course (which the Priest pocketed). There was also the animal sacrifices that had to be made. In keeping with the law, the lambs must be unspotted and unblemished. To ensure things were done correctly, the Chief Priest stationed inspectors in the Temple and if they deemed the animal unsuitable, they offered another, perfect animal that they could trade for (again, for a fee).

When Jesus arrives in Jerusalem on the first day of the Holy Week, this is what He walks into. At the Temple Complex, the corrupt Annas Bazaar is in full swing.

Knowing this helps us to understand His reaction

Matthew 21:12-13 “Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”

I think it's entirely reasonable that this was the turning point for the Pharisees. I think this is what moves them from being frustrated with Jesus to wanting to see Him dead

It is after this that we find these words: Luke 19:47-48 “The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people sought to kill Him, and were unable to do anything; for all the people were very attentive to hear Him.”

They desired to eliminate Jesus but ran the risk of losing favor with the people. Their hands were tied...this was going to have to be an inside job.

Enter Judas Iscariot.

As is the case with most names found in the Bible, they tell us much about the individual who bears them. This is no exception

The surname Iscariot was given to him by his father, Simon Iscariot, a famed freedom fighter and has two meanings.

In Hebrew, "Ish-Karioth" - This means man of Kerioth, a city in southern Judea

The other meaning - "dagger bearer" (used in Acts 21:38)

His first name, Judas, was a common name given to Hebrew boys as their fathers desired to name them after one of the greatest freedom fighters the Jews had ever known, Judas Maccabeus (led the rebellion in 144BC)

By him name and lineage alone, it's suggested that Judas Iscariot was a proud Jew willing to fight for the independance of Jerusalem at any cost. Because of this, Jesus' selection of Judas as one of the original 12 would have made much more sense to onlookers than any of the others chosen (unlearned, working class men).

AS ONE OF THE 12 – Judas received the same training and instruction of the others. Just as the rest – empowered to heal this sick and cast out demons
John 13 tells us that Judas had even gained enough trust from the other 11 that he became the groups treasurer

BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED IN JUDAS….something deep within…that sent his life on a much different path than the other disciples.

We don’t know exactly when this shift took place – but there are a couple of clues

- After Jesus had fed 5,000 men plus their families, they were ready to make Him their King! Judas heart must have skipped a beat! It was finally time for Israel to rise up against the Romans

Yet the Bible teaches that Jesus sensed what they were desiring to to and retreated into the mountains alone.

When they’d come back together at Capernaum, Jesus began to separate those who where fans from those who were followers – He explained that filling the baskets wasn’t about temporarily satisfying the hunger of the Jews by restoring the independence of Jerusalem BUT symbolically – it meant that HE was the bread of life and those who abide in Him would be satisfied forever.

The disciples began to grumble - John 6:60 “This is a hard saying, who can understand it?”

Jesus turned to the 12 and called for a decision – Are you going to stay or go?

Simon Peter – “Where would we go? You have the words of eternal life and we believe that you are the Christ! The Messiah sent from God”

John 6:70 “Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?”

On another occasion, Martha, a women with a sordid past breaks a bottle of expensive perfume and anoints Jesus' feet with it.

It was a incredible moment of extravagant worship! Yet note Judas' response: John 12:5-6 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it”

Soon after this meal, the greed of Judas brought about resentment & bitterness toward Jesus – by dawn, he was willing to betray Him

Matthew 26:14-16 “Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him”

WE KNOW HOW THIS STORY OF BETRAYAL UNFOLDS:
With Passover just around the corner, Jesus assembled His disciples for the Paschal Meal. In keeping with Jewish custom, Jesus had instructed his disciples to select a sacrificial lamb – a room would have been rented or borrowed, thoroughly cleaned and any trace of leaven removed.

At 3:00pm – A Levite would sound a trumpet and each worshipper would take their lamb to the Temple court, kill the lamb, dress it and drain its blood into a basin (to be splashed against the altar to signify atonement) and the fat and kidneys were placed on the Altar as a peace offering.

After the sacrifice was complete – the worshipper would take the remaining meat back to family & friends – smear blood on the doorpost (reminder of Passover) and share a ritual meal – lamb, bitter herbs, unleavened bread and wine)

It was at this Paschal meal that Jesus would wash the disciples feet & explaining to them as I do for you, do for others”

JUST BEFORE Jesus gave instructions on the Lords Supper:
John 13:21 “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”

The room burst into debate and discussion – speculation over what he meant and who he was talking about. John ask who it was that would betray Jesus?
Jesus answered...John 13:26 ““It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon."

SOMETIME after the meal – Jesus and the disciples made their way the the Garden of Gethsemane. He asked them to pray and slipped off into the darkness to seek comfort from the Father
A little while later he emerged to find his disciples asleep – The hour of my betrayal is at hand. Judas Iscariot slipped into view and began to smother Jesus hands and cheeks with nervous kisses, identifying Him for the waiting soldiers.

Jesus called out, “Who do you seek?”. They answered, “Jesus the Nazarene”....I am He

Judas Iscariot – the disciple, the man of Kerioth, the freedom fighter loyal to the cause of Jerusalem’s independence had betrayed the Lord Jesus

WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS STORY?
- Association With Godliness Doesn’t Guarantee Godliness (Jesus spent time in close proximity with Jesus yet betrayed Him)
- Corruption In Private Is Deadlier Than Corruption In Public (no cancer more dangerous than the one that goes undetected
- No Sorrow Compares To The Remorse Of Someone Who Realizes Too Late That They Misunderstood Jesus