Judas betrayed Jesus for a mere 30 pieces of silver. This is widely regarded as one of the greatest sins ever committed. Is there an analogous sin that exists today?
Throughout church history, any who have been willing to trade the things of God for money have been labeled as “Judases,” and not without cause. In fact, the common practice of selling Christian teaching today should be identified as the sin of Judas, regardless of how common or anodyne it may appear.
Let us consider several aspects of the sin of Judas and how they compare to the sale of Christian teaching.
A Greed for Earthly Gain
Greed may be defined as an inordinate desire for material gain. A particular type of greed is that which covets the possessions of others. We see that Judas operated with such sinful motivations.
But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray Him, asked, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” Judas did not say this because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. As keeper of the money bag, he used to take from what was put into it. (John 12:4-6)
This applies not only when one takes that which directly belongs to another, but also when one trades that which belongs to another for material possessions. For example, the thief who pawns catalytic converters for cash is functionally identical to a thief who steals money directly. Moreover, there is something especially heinous about such activity, because the cost of replacing what is lost is greater than the amount that is gained.
When Judas betrayed Jesus, he was not content with the situation in life that God had allotted to him, but sought to increase his own prosperity by taking that which was not his own—the precious life of Jesus—and selling it for some paltry amount.
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot. (1 Peter 1:18-19)
Similarly, the one who sells Christian teaching sells what is not his to sell. Inasmuch as it is of his own imagination—not in accord with the word of God—it ought not to be taught as religious knowledge at all. Inasmuch as it is derived from divine revelation, it has been freely received and ought to be freely given.
As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. (Matthew 10:7-8)
Moreover, since good news of the gospel is Christ himself (Rom. 16:25; 1 Cor. 1:23; Php 1:15), and the one who receives him possesses him as his own (1 John 5:12), the one who sells that message is not transacting in mere words, but in Christ himself, as did Judas.
A Disregard for Heavenly Gain
Values are comparative. Judas’s sin was not merely in valuing earthly riches, but in valuing them beyond heavenly riches, such that he was willing to exchange the former for the latter. Paul describes the folly of this thinking when he remarks that the gospel is not his to sell, but even if it were, the material reward that could be gained by selling it would not match the heavenly reward that may be possessed by offering it freely.
If my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward. But if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility. What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not use up my rights in preaching it. (1 Corinthians 9:17-18)
The one who sells Christian teaching forfeits the heavenly reward available to those who offer the word of God freely. Jesus himself described how those who give or pray for recognition among men trade a heavenly reward for an earthly one (Matt. 6:1-6). The same applies to the work of preaching and teaching. The one who exchanges the word for material honors does so at the expense of heavenly honors.
An Injury to the Kingdom
Moreover, Judas was willing to bring direct harm to the kingdom of God. Those who sell Christian teaching do harm to the kingdom on at least two counts. First, they withhold the teaching of Christ. Second, because the medium communicates the message, they fail to communicate the freeness of the grace of God, instead communicating an alternative message.
Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you without money,
come, buy, and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost! (Isaiah 55:1)
One may argue that this does not harm Jesus himself, but Jesus himself claimed that a neglect of his elect is a malicious neglect of him.
And they too will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then the King will answer, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’ (Matthew 25:44-45; cf. Acts 9:4)
In fact, in considering the way it harms the kingdom, the sin of selling Christian teaching is even greater than the sin of Judas in several ways. Appealing to the Parisian Theologian William Perault, John Wycliffe observed that “simoniacs go beyond Iscariot, who secretly sold to the elders Truth existing in a mortal body, but simoniacs do the opposite entirely with regard to both the Son and the Holy Spirit.”[1] A modern commentator explains Wycliffe’s use of Perault: “The contrast here is that Judas sold God secretly as he exists in the human body of Christ, but simoniacs openly sell the divine Christ and the Holy Spirit.” If we acknowledge that selling Christian teaching is simony, the reality of this assessment becomes apparent.
Judas operated in the shadows, but peddlers of the word of God operate openly. Judas did bodily harm to Christ, but the one who exchanges Christian teaching for money spiritually dishonors Christ who has been given to us freely. Additionally, since he presumably hopes to effect some work of the Spirit in the hearts of the hearers, he likewise dishonors the Holy Spirit who has been freely given as well.
We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. (1 Corinthians 2:12-13)
A Pretext of Friendship
Lastly, Judas turned Jesus over to the Roman authorities under the pretext of friendship.
Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him.” Going directly to Jesus, he said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. “Friend,” Jesus replied, “do what you came for.” (Matthew 26:48-50)
All who sell Christian teaching do so with the stated intention of the good of Christ and his kingdom. In some cases, this is all for show, but in every other case, those good intentions are at best misguided.
These matters are often flipped on their head. For example, in Corinth, the “super apostles” who charged for their preaching were considered as bringing glory to the kingdom while Paul was only bringing shame. Of course, nothing could have been further from the truth.
Was it a sin for me to humble myself in order to exalt you, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? … Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! (2 Corinthians 11:7, 11)
Regardless of how well-intentioned anyone who sells Christian teaching may be, ultimately Scripture implicates them as insincere. They definitionally operate with an ulterior motive, giving teaching in exchange for some material gain.
For we are not like so many others, who peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God. (2 Corinthians 2:17)
The Fulfillment of Prophecy
The prophet Zechariah encountered a situation that shares several details with the story of Judas.
Then I told them, “If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” So they weighed out my wages, thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—this magnificent price at which they valued me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the LORD. (Zec 11:12-13)
In summary,
- he is paid thirty pieces of silver (Matt. 27:3),
- the silver is cast into the temple (Matt. 27:5), and
- the silver is given to a potter (Matt. 27:7).
Matthew himself testifies that Zechariah’s activity functions as a prophecy fulfilled by Judas (Matt. 27:9-10).[2]
So what is the context of Zechariah? His people are as a flock with poor shepherds. These men are hirelings, eager to gain wealth from the sheep through selling them, saying “Blessed be the LORD, for I am rich!” (Zec 11:4-5). As a sign to Judah, Zechariah is commanded by God to take the role of a shepherd, only to abandon the flock.
Then I said, “Let the dying die, and the perishing perish; and let those who remain devour one another’s flesh.” (Zechariah 11:9)
It is at this point that he breaks his staff and asks for payment, which he receives in thirty pieces of silver.
The picture of Judas is not primarily of one who harms the good shepherd, but one who has no care for the sheep and only wishes to profit from them. We should not narrowly interpret its significance or narrowly apply it.
Any sin which takes place in the narratives of Scripture is given as an example for us to avoid (cf. 1 Cor. 10:6). Those who would reject the similarities between the activities of Judas and peddlers of the word risk making the sin of Judas one that cannot be imitated today, and therefore it would be of no real caution to the church.
Conclusion
It may seem absurd that selling Christian teaching could be identified as the sin of Judas, first because it is so common, and second because so many do it with good intentions. Yet as we have seen, it coincides with all the core aspects of that sin. Additionally, in appealing to Zechariah, Matthew himself confirms that Judas’s behavior is identical to the behavior of one who seeks to secure wealth from the flock.
There is a great danger in mistaking the patience of God for his blessing. After Judas’s sin, he was so afflicted that he willingly forfeited his silver and even took his own life; perhaps we would expect a similar divine affliction if our own generation’s sin was as great as his. Yet Micah cautions us against this mistake.
Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.” (Micah 3:11)
The sin of Judas is one that is alive and well. And as it did then, it exists today among Jesus’s closest disciples. Yet he is a forgiving God! For all who have considered it right to exchange the things of God for money, may they heed Peter’s words:
Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. (Acts 8:22)
Wycliffe, On Simony, trans. Terrence A. McVeigh, 39; cf. 46n33. ↩︎
While it is evident that Matthew cites this passage, he attributes it to Jeremiah. He likely speaks of Jeremiah as the largest book of prophecy which stands in place of all the prophets. Note that the Bible often speaks of “the Psalms” to refer to all the second half of the Old Testament or of “Ephraim” to refer to all the northern tribes of Israel. ↩︎