Judas And The Other Demons -By Efe Agabi

The name ‘Judas’ evokes suspicion and disdain. To betray Jesus is one act that mankind has found difficult to forgive.

The axiom “for every 12, there is a Judas” is fecund in human conversation. It illustrates betrayal, disloyalty, backstabbing and distrust. After Christ, parents stopped naming their wards Judas. In John 13:18, Jesus said for the scripture to be fulfilled, he who eats bread with him would lift up his heel against him. In their curiosity, the disciples sought to know who the person is. Peter who was more curious had to lean back to his chest to know who the person is. “It is he who I will give a piece of morsel. Shockingly, when he dipped the bread and gave it to Judas, satan entered him immediately (read Luke 22:3, John 13:27).

From the moment satan entered Judas. Judas was suppressed; satan was in firm control of his body and soul. His body became the instrument for satan. Some theologians believed Judas did not know what he was doing. Judas died after receiving that morsel. In verse 27, Jesus asked him to do what he needed to do quickly. In African mythology, there are scary stories of how humans morph into animals to perpetrate evil. Some would use the face of a mother in-law to torment the daughter in-law, just to cause strife in the family. The case of Judas was not different. He was destined for the purpose; he could not resist the devil. But he prepared ground for the devil to operate; his love for money was the opening for satan. Scripture says in John 12. 2-5, Judas saw the monetary value of the expensive oil Mary used to wash the feet of Jesus and quarried the wastage. He did not really want the oil sold and money given to the poor. He said this oil can be sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor, but his intent was not to help the poor, for he has been stealing from the money box. Satan displayed the monetary value attached to selling a master, when he conceived it; he became the instrument of the devil.

Man is consumed by his greed, for in his desires lays the seed of destruction. Satan did not only come for Judas, he wanted Peter, the foundation of the Church. In Luke 22:23, before Jesus told Peter he will deny him. He said satan has asked for him, that he may sift him like wheat. To sift is to sieve, to remove his consciousness and implant cruelty, greed and wickedness, another dictionary meaning of sift is to scatter or separate by sieving. Judas was not going to escape it, his greed for money sold him to the devil. For Peter, even though in his consciousness did not see it happening. Jesus knew it will he will deny him. He said, I prayed for you, that your faith may not fail you. And when you come back to me, strengthen your brethren. The world is a spirit world, Rev Fr Bruno said; do not underrate the devil, for the devil has powers.

This is why you can only triumph with the word of God. In the three times Jesus was tempted, he quoted scriptures, the word of God. Revelation 11:12 says, you can only overcome with the blood of the lamb and the words of your testimony. In Jude 1:9, after the death of Moses, satan came to contend with Archangel Michael over the body of Moses. The angel said “The Lord rebuke you”. Theologians have tried to decipher why satan was interested in the body of Moses. Having prevented him from entering the promised land with the sin at Meribah, he still wanted his dead body. That was a little digression, but the point made is that the devil can use anyone to achieve his purpose. He can use your brothers, friends, relations, wife or husband. This is why Jesus quoted from Micah 7:6 that a man’s enemies are members of his household.

Satan cannot use strangers’ that do not know you to hurt you. This is why the faith of your kinsmen should be your priority. While you grow spiritually, working out your salvation with fear and trembling as admonished by Saint Paul in Philippians 2:12-13, watch out for the openings created by the attitude of your brother, sister and friends for the devil to penetrate. He penetrated the fold of the disciples through Judas, attempted to destroy the foundation of the church in Peter.

Satan operates more in the gathering of the faithfuls. When a brother is demonstrating attitude that does not align with his usual self, rebuke the satan in him. That was also a digression. When it was certain that Jesus would not escape the cross, Judas came back to his senses, like Peter, who only became conscious after the final denial of Jesus. He lamented, he was downcast and sought mercy. For Judas, it was a different story.

The weight of his sin was too heavy for him to carry, he tried to redeem it when he returned the 30 pieces of silver, but the deed was done. Satan used him to complete the mission before he left him. It was then that he realized what he did, his humanity returned and he saw suicide as the escape route. Sin is pleasurable, but in it lays the seed of destruction. Mankind is so cruel, fragile and frail that to resist sin, you must stay awake and alert. Sometimes you only realize how deep your have fallen when you see the consequence of the sin, either of omission or commission. Scripture did not record that the other disciples tried to console Judas. Peter that was admonished to strengthen the brethren was not there, if the mission of Christ was to redeem mankind, he would have forgiven Judas, he said Lord forgive them, for they know not what they are doing. But Judas did not tow the path of Peter when he repented to reclaim his place in humanity.

He was destroyed. The passion of Christ is replete with moments of agony, but in them lays the creed of salvation. As we celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ, we pray for the grace to keep our heart tied to the foot of the cross, and our life protected from the antics of satan. We pray for the strengthening of every member of our family, friends and relation, so as to shrug off the enticements of satan. We pray for the courage to pick up ourselves like Peter, to seek mercy and not tow the path of Judas. We pray God to lift the burden of deliberate sins and sins of omission and make us new with the power to overcome.

*_Efe Agabi is wishing you Happy Easter. Cheers*_