This scripture leads us into a Biblical word study. It is not our usual Sunday morning fair, but I believe that I can bring it to an evangelistic conclusion. The word under consideration is “betrayal.” The Lord Jesus, during the Passover meal, told His twelve disciples, “One of you shall BETRAY me.” Christ’s words are given more fully in John 13 – “I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall BETRAY me.”
Of course, we know that Jesus was speaking about Judas Iscariot. We don’t have to read the end of the Bible know this. Matthew has been telling us from the beginning that Judas will betray Christ. So you and I aren’t surprised when it actually happens. But what IS surprising is that the warnings haven’t kept Judas from his sin. You see, the decrees of God are never thwarted – the will of God is never overturned by either the vagaries of man or the hopes of the Devil. By the middle of Matthew 26, Judas was in the process of betraying Jesus into the hands of His enemies.
It was a surprise to me as I began the journey towards this message, that the word “betray” is found only one time in the Old Testament. I expected it more frequently, especially in the life of David – the ancestor and precursor of Christ. It IS David who uses the word, but it’s not in regard to any of his wicked, fratricidal sons or other enemies. It’s not in the story of Ahithophel who counseled with Absalom about the best ways to steal David’s throne. The only time that David used the word it was when the people of Judah and Benjamin were starting to come to David before his coronation. “And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.” The English word “betrayal,” other than in I Chronicles 12:17, is only used almost exclusively to describe Judas Iscariot.
Having said that, I believe that I can still create a five point message on the sins and VIRTUES of betrayal.
Let’s start with the obvious – Judas’ betrayal.
The word is used in forty-one verses of the New Testament – and all but three of them speaks of Judas. I will address the three other verses in a few minutes. As far as the Bible is concerned “Judas” and “betrayal” are synonymous and even interchangeable. Someone who betrays the confidence of another is often called a “Judas.” There are places where the twelve disciples are named, and almost always we read “Judas Iscariot, who also BETRAYED him.” Months earlier in Matthew 20, Jesus said, “Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be BETRAYED unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death.” Earlier in this chapter the Lord said, “Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is BETRAYED to be crucified.” There are only two occasions outside of the Gospels where read this word and they both relate to Judas or to those who hired him. In Acts 7:52 Peter was accusing the Jews of their sins – “Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the BETRAYERS and murderers:” And then in I Corinthians 11:23 Paul was teaching on the Lord’s Supper, so he referred back to Matthew 26, saying, “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was BETRAYED took bread.” The name “Judas” is synonymous with the sin of “betrayal.”
But some thinking person might suggest that others also betrayed Christ, with Peter first on the list. We know that after Judas’ betrayal Christ was taken to the palace of the High Priest. Peter followed along in the shadows, and then entered the palace courtyard. When someone accused him of being one of Jesus’ disciples, he denied the fact. Peter denied his Lord , but her didn’t “betray” Christ – that is something different.
The Greek word here in our text, and in all of the others, is “paradidomi” (par-ad-id’-o-mee). It means, “to hand over” – “to give” – “to deliver.” Peter may have denied and sinned against his Saviour, but he didn’t deliver Him to His enemies. You and I on different occasions may have sinned against our Lord, by denying Him the glory due unto His name, but it is impossible to betray Christ according to the Bible sense of the word. That was Judas’ very special, premeditated and unique sin.
I don’t suppose that there is much more that I need to say about Judas’ betrayal, except for two things. Again I remind you that the all-knowing Son of God, knew that He would be betrayed. And it goes without saying, the omniscient Son of God, knew exactly who it was that would betray him. When Matthew and the others call Judas “the betrayer” they are writing from the future – looking back. But when the eleven were sitting around the Passover table, they were apparently clueless as to who would deliver Jesus to the High Priest. But, again, there are scriptures which prove that Jesus knew perfectly that betrayal was in His future. As early as John 6:64 we read – “For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.” When Peter said, “And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered (him), Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.” The other thing which I must point out about Judas’ betrayal is found in Luke 22:21-22 where Jesus says, “Behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. and truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but WOE unto that man by whom he is betrayed!”
One of the first lessons of this message is that Christ Jesus, knows your sin – ALL of your sins. He know who will betray Him, and who will deny Him. He knows your heart better than you will ever be able to know your heart. Praise be to God that this same omniscient Son of God is also the Saviour of sinners like us. That isn’t to say that He forgives and cleanses everyone, but potentially, He may be your Saviour. Repent and trust the sacrifice that Christ Jesus made on the cross to purchase your forgiveness.
Perhaps only Judas had the only opportunity to betray Christ, but there ARE OTHER sinful betrayals.
As Jesus was answering the disciples’ questions about the future, He warned about upcoming wickedness. “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall BETRAY one another, and shall hate one another.” Mark adds, “The brother shall BETRAY the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.” Luke says essentially the same things – all coming from the prophetic lips of the Lord Jesus.
History abounds with cultures where betray became a part of everyday life. Germans betrayed Germans to the Nazis for privileges and their own protection. The Soviets lived under the same kind of society for generations. And during the Middle Ages, our Baptist forefathers were betrayed unto death – first to the Catholics and then to the Protestants. The very things of which the Saviour warned have been fulfilled upon believers just like us. And there is every reason to think that the same sort of wicked betrayal will befall you and me, our children and grandchildren, as we get nearer and nearer to the days of the Tribulation. But this is not a point pertinent to my message today, so let’s move on.
The title which I have given to this message is “The Sins and Virtues of Betrayal.” Virtues? There hasn’t been a single virtue in betrayal thus far, and how can there possibly be any? The virtue appears when we learn more fully the Greek word “paradidomi” (par-ad-id’-o-mee). I said that it means, “to hand over” – “to give” – “to deliver.” The word is translated “betray” in forty-one different verses, but it is translated differently in another eighty. The English word “betray” is almost entirely negative and sinful, but it’s other translations and uses can be somewhat different.
For example there is the evangelistic or didactic use of the word.
In the midst of Romans 6 – Paul’s great chapter beseeching you and me not to sin – he says in verse 11 – “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was DELIVERED you.” The words “delivered you” in verse 17 is “paradidomi” (par-ad-id’-o-mee). Praise should be given to the Holy Spirit of God for delivering to us the great truths of the gospel. It could be argued that we have never deserved even to hear the story of God’s saving grace. The Lord, in a sense, “betrayed the truth,” permitting His sworn enemies to possess classified information.
I said minutes ago that Paul used the word “betrayed” when he was teaching about the Lord’s Supper. I Corinthians 11:23-26 – “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was BETRAYED took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.” In referring to Judas, Paul used the word “paradidomi” (par-ad-id’-o-mee) – he betrayed Christ Jesus. But Paul also used the word in regard to himself – “For I have received of the Lord that which also I DELIVERED unto you.” When Paul “delivered” his Biblical instruction to the Corinthians, in a positive sense he “betrayed” it. We – you and I – are supposed to be in the delivering business – starting with gospel and going forward.
Paul’s great statement in I Corinthians 15 contains our word once again. “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; For I DELIVERED unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”
Jude used the word as he began his little epistle. “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once DELIVERED unto the saints.”
This word “paradidomi” (par-ad-id’-o-mee) – translated “betray” in some places and “deliver” in others – is used to talk about God’s delivering the wicked to judgment. It speaks about the end of fallen angels. Besides these, it is used in several other ways as well.
But the use which is most blessed is in regards to the Lord Jesus – our Saviour.
Not only did Judas “betray” Christ, but in a very special way, so did His Heavenly Father. God the Father “delivered” His eternal son to the demands of His law, in order to provide an atonement for sin. And even Christ willingly delivered Himself to the executioner on behalf of His elect. Without this very special use of the word, there would be no hope for any of us.
I Peter 2 is a precious scripture describing the sacrifice that Christ Jesus made for our salvation. Verse 21 – “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but COMMITTED himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” When Christ “committed himself to him that judgeth righteously,” He “paradidomi” (par-ad-id’-o-mee) – He betrayed Himself.
In Ephesians 5 Paul used our word twice in the most wonderful of ways. Verse 1 – “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and HATH GIVEN himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” Christ “betrayed” “himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God.” Then in verse 22 – “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and GAVE himself – delivered Himself – for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.”
In Galatians 2, Paul was correcting those people about the nature of salvation and the forgiveness of sin. The Lord doesn’t look at our efforts at reform or our works of righteousness before He forgives our sins. God the Father only looks at the sacrifice of Christ Jesus. Galatians 2:16 – “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and (BETRAYED) himself for me.”
As many of you know, Romans 8 is my favorite chapter in God’s Word. Verse 31 begins – “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but DELIVERED him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
“Paradidomi” (par-ad-id’-o-mee) – is one of those words which can be either positive or negative – horribly evil or perfectly righteous. Perhaps it can be used as a verbal parable – In the hands of man, it is evil – sinful. But in the hands of Lord the evil can be transformed into righteousness. The Bible declares that we – who are by nature all enemies of God – can be transformed into His saints and servants. But be clear, it is only by the grace of God that such a miracle can be performed.
I’ll close with one other scripture – this one coming from Romans 4. Paul was talking about Abraham, the former idolater from Ur in the Chaldees. Jehovah sovereignly chose that man to save Him, anoint Him, and glorify Him over all the people of the earth. Abraham was given a few great and wonderful promises when we pick up Paul’s discourse in verse 20, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was DELIVERED for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Christ Jesus was delivered, betrayed, given over to death for our offences and sins. Christ was crucified in order to provide a vicarious sacrifice, satisfying the demands of God’s holy law against us. In Abraham’s case, as it must be in ours, when that salvation is applied to our account, it will be – it must be – received by faith.
Do you believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross to save YOU from your sins? Do you acknowledge your wretched condition before God? Do you repent and trust the sacrifice of Christ to cleanse your soul. Do you whole-heartedly believe that Jesus Christ was “delivered for my offences, and was raised for my salvation?”