The Untold Story of Judas Iscariot
Judas sat gratefully in the cool provided by the home of Simon. The road to Bethany was long and the days were growing hot. Although Judas was still rather young, only 26, he had grown over-weary from the journey.
And the sight of so many of his people trampled and oppressed by the hated Romans hadn't helped matters. So many were hungry, starving... living in miserable hovels, or with no home at all... He seethed with rage against the invaders. Sometimes he felt that Simon was right: the Romans needed to be thrown out, killed if necessary. But he knew that the Master spoke the truth when he said that violence against the Romans would only breed more violence. The Roman bastards would murder five, ten, twenty, a hundred Jews for any one Roman soldiers killed. Judas had seen it done far too often.
Judas looked over at the Master. Jesus was sitting at the table, and had just asked the blessing of the Lord over the meal. Judas himself was not hungry, he was too hot and tired to be hungry, but he was glad to see that Jesus was sitting and relaxing. He worked far too hard for any man. Judas leaned against the wall of Simon's home, closing his eyes and relaxing himself. Soon it would be the Passover, and the Apostles would return with Jesus to Jerusalem. A slight smile curved his usually serious face. And Jerusalem meant Rebekah.
Rebekah, daughter of Anaias, was Judas' betrothed. He had been engaged to her for three years, but he had been called as one of the Twelve Chosen before he and Rebekah could be wed. He wanted to marry her still, but he didn't know when he would be able. Traveling with Jesus, being constantly on the road, was not the best life to bring a wife into. But at least the travels brought them often to Jerusalem, and he was able to steal a few hours from the day to spend with his beloved.
His happy daydreaming was interrupted by the grumbling and arguing of his fellow Apostles. Annoyed, Judas opened his eyes to see what the confusion was all about. He saw the cause immediately. Kneeling at Jesus' feet was a woman. The woman was anointing Jesus with a wonderfully aromatic perfume so rich that Judas knew it had to be expensive. And a perfume that expensive could only be afforded in a town such as Bethany by a prostitute.
Judas heard Simon next to him, growling that the woman was polluting the room with her presence, as prostitutes often catered to the Roman soldiers, a sin Simon considered worse than the whoredom they committed with their clients. Judas didn't care where the woman had gotten the money for the perfume, be her benefactor Jew, Gentile, or Roman. All that he could see were the faces of his fellow Jews, starving on the streets while this woman wasted untold money on useless perfume.
Judas leapt to his feet and crossed the room. When he reached the table, he snatched the bottle of oil from the woman and inspected it. He growled softly. "How can you spend money on such useless garbage???" he demanded of her furiously. She stared at him, speechless and confused. "This single bottle of perfume could have been sold for three-hundred silver pieces or more!!! Have you any idea how many people could have eaten if you had thought more of your fellow man than of selfish comfort???" he demanded.
Jesus stood. "Do not berate her, Judas! She has anointed me for my burial, which is more than any of the Twelve have done. There will always be poor around, and you will have countless opportunities to help them. Think of the now, and act while I am still among you, for I will not be here for much longer," Jesus told Judas sternly.
These words caused an uproar among the Apostles, and they all crowded around Jesus, begging him to tell them what he had meant by his statement. Judas, however, was too disheartened by Jesus' reprimand to pay any heed to the words that had followed. He had been trying to help the Jews who were poor and starving, and Jesus had called him selfish. His only thought had been for the well-being of his people, and he had been told he didn't do enough.
Jerusalem and Rebekah could not come soon enough. Rebekah was the only person he could tell everything to. She would understand his sadness and pain and would find a way to soothe him.
Judas sat gratefully in the cool provided by the home of Simon. The road to Bethany was long and the days were growing hot. Although Judas was still rather young, only 26, he had grown over-weary from the journey.
And the sight of so many of his people trampled and oppressed by the hated Romans hadn't helped matters. So many were hungry, starving... living in miserable hovels, or with no home at all... He seethed with rage against the invaders. Sometimes he felt that Simon was right: the Romans needed to be thrown out, killed if necessary. But he knew that the Master spoke the truth when he said that violence against the Romans would only breed more violence. The Roman bastards would murder five, ten, twenty, a hundred Jews for any one Roman soldiers killed. Judas had seen it done far too often.
Judas looked over at the Master. Jesus was sitting at the table, and had just asked the blessing of the Lord over the meal. Judas himself was not hungry, he was too hot and tired to be hungry, but he was glad to see that Jesus was sitting and relaxing. He worked far too hard for any man. Judas leaned against the wall of Simon's home, closing his eyes and relaxing himself. Soon it would be the Passover, and the Apostles would return with Jesus to Jerusalem. A slight smile curved his usually serious face. And Jerusalem meant Rebekah.
Rebekah, daughter of Anaias, was Judas' betrothed. He had been engaged to her for three years, but he had been called as one of the Twelve Chosen before he and Rebekah could be wed. He wanted to marry her still, but he didn't know when he would be able. Traveling with Jesus, being constantly on the road, was not the best life to bring a wife into. But at least the travels brought them often to Jerusalem, and he was able to steal a few hours from the day to spend with his beloved.
His happy daydreaming was interrupted by the grumbling and arguing of his fellow Apostles. Annoyed, Judas opened his eyes to see what the confusion was all about. He saw the cause immediately. Kneeling at Jesus' feet was a woman. The woman was anointing Jesus with a wonderfully aromatic perfume so rich that Judas knew it had to be expensive. And a perfume that expensive could only be afforded in a town such as Bethany by a prostitute.
Judas heard Simon next to him, growling that the woman was polluting the room with her presence, as prostitutes often catered to the Roman soldiers, a sin Simon considered worse than the whoredom they committed with their clients. Judas didn't care where the woman had gotten the money for the perfume, be her benefactor Jew, Gentile, or Roman. All that he could see were the faces of his fellow Jews, starving on the streets while this woman wasted untold money on useless perfume.
Judas leapt to his feet and crossed the room. When he reached the table, he snatched the bottle of oil from the woman and inspected it. He growled softly. "How can you spend money on such useless garbage???" he demanded of her furiously. She stared at him, speechless and confused. "This single bottle of perfume could have been sold for three-hundred silver pieces or more!!! Have you any idea how many people could have eaten if you had thought more of your fellow man than of selfish comfort???" he demanded.
Jesus stood. "Do not berate her, Judas! She has anointed me for my burial, which is more than any of the Twelve have done. There will always be poor around, and you will have countless opportunities to help them. Think of the now, and act while I am still among you, for I will not be here for much longer," Jesus told Judas sternly.
These words caused an uproar among the Apostles, and they all crowded around Jesus, begging him to tell them what he had meant by his statement. Judas, however, was too disheartened by Jesus' reprimand to pay any heed to the words that had followed. He had been trying to help the Jews who were poor and starving, and Jesus had called him selfish. His only thought had been for the well-being of his people, and he had been told he didn't do enough.
Jerusalem and Rebekah could not come soon enough. Rebekah was the only person he could tell everything to. She would understand his sadness and pain and would find a way to soothe him.