The Worth of Worship

Besides the fact that he was a total shmuck, have you ever wondered what motivated Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus? I was reading this morning in the 14th chapter of Mark and it suddenly occurred to me. I've read it many times, I 've preached on it a few times, and the connection was never really there for me until today. Judas betrayed Jesus over a bottle of perfume.

Imagine the scene with me

The twelve disciples are reclining around a banquet table in the home of a man called Simon the Leper. Why he was nicknamed that, I do not know, as most lepers are social outcasts and allowed no fellowship with other people; perhaps he was one of the lepers that Jesus healed during three years of miracle-working ministry. At the head of the table, Simon the leper and Jesus are quietly conversing together, and servants are busy serving the feast. There are lots more interesting details found in other gospels, but we'll stick to Mark's account.

In the middle of dinner, a young girl slips into the room with something in her hands. It is a vessel carved from a soft mineral stone, and it contained a costly and aromatic lotion. Standing behind Jesus, she breaks open the seal and pours the contents of her bottle over the head of Jesus.

Judas Iscariot, group treasurer, offers a snide remark: "Why was this fragrant oil wasted?" Are you kidding me? Jesus is the guest of honor at a banquet leading into the most celebrated time in their culture. He's a very popular, not to mention, important man in their Jewish communities. Everybody loves him. Everywhere he goes, people flock to him. This little girl, in other accounts, is shown to be part of a family of Jesus' closest friends, and she has performed an extremely extravagant act of affection for this man who has done so much for so many people.

Then to justify his comments, Judas adds: "This oil could have been sold and the money used to help poor people!" Yeah, that was Judas' motivation; he was concerned about poor people, namely himself.

With an entire jar of thick, scented oil running down his hair, onto his face, into his beard, down his shoulders and back, and quite possibly dripping onto a fancy tablecloth, Jesus looks over at the critical disciple and replies, "You will always have poor people to help when you want to help them, but you won't always have me. What this woman did was a good thing. She used what she had to bless me, and she has prepared my body for my burial. What she has done will be spoken of in all the world forever."

The girl's outpouring of costly ointment on the head of Jesus was an outrageous act of worship, probably more costly and extravagant than anything anyone else in that room had ever done for Jesus in a single exploit. That's what made Judas mad, and that was the catalyst to his betrayal. Offended at being put to shame in front of a crowd of people by a little girl, Judas agreed to betray Jesus.

One act of worship--300 days' wages

One traitorous kiss--30 pieces of silver

The soul of Judas--worthless

The heart of worship--priceless

Think about that the next time someone's worship bothers you.