Earlier this week Jess, one of our alumni team leaders and the worship coordinator gave the worship team an assignment for the week. We were to write a poem, letter, spoken word, song or something of worship from the perspective of a character from the Bible. Immediately the name Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Jesus, popped in my head. (Not sure why or how but I just went with it.) Growing up in the church I heard the story of Jesus’ betrayal by Judas many, many times. But, I went back to the word to see if I could dig up any details I could have missed over the years. I researched where in the Bible Judas specifically is mentioned, throughout the gospels. The parts of scripture that I referenced the most was Mark 14:43-45, which is the story of Jesus’ betrayal and arrest, and then John 13:21-31, which says,
“After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly,” “truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at the table by Jesus’ side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.” (Excerpt From ESV Global Study Bible Crossway)
Later in the story after Judas betrayed Jesus he is “overcome with guilt” and kills him self.
Here is the poem that I wrote:
Dear Teacher,
I know what I have done, and I am overcome with guilt
You called me to come follow, so I came
You called me your close friend, one of your 12
We ate and drank, we broke our bread together
I was beside you when you healed men from Leprosy, raised the dead and told the lame to walk
Yet in secret
I plotted with the Pharisees against you
I sold your life for 30 pieces of silver
I waited until I knew you would be alone
I lead the Pharisees and teachers of the law to you
We came with clubs and swords but I knew full well you would not put up a fight
I marked you with a kiss of betrayal and the last word I said was, “Rabbi”
I betrayed you
I will be known as a traitor
Now I know you will be put to death
To fulfill the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah
Initiated through my sin
You will die on a cross for sins you didn’t commit
For sin such as mine
Put to death at the hands of man
I returned the 30 pieces of silver,
A ransom for my sin
You chose me to come follow you
Knowing I would turn against you
Surely you’ll show mercy, Son of God
Before writing this piece my feelings toward Judas was that he was this really terrible guy that betrayed Jesus and caused him to die on the cross, that he committed an unforgivable sin against God. However, I learned through this project that really we are all Judas Iscariot. Judas in that moment decided to choose money over God, how many times do we choose to do that too? Maybe you do that with money but maybe you choose to put your pride, self image, goals, partying, alcohol, sex, drugs or whatever before God. Then you have done the same thing as Judas. He is no worse as you, or you as him. And Jesus died just as much for Judas‘ sin as he did for yours and for mine.
I will definitely be doing more poems like this in the future. I am discovering that I really like digging deep into the word, discovering context, references to other parts of scripture, the fulfillment of the Old Testament in the New, and comparing the Gospels to each other.
I want to do more of these I just don’t know what stories of the Bible and what character I should take the point of view from. So please comment some suggestions and I will take a look at them!
