Reading the Gospels Together The Plot to Kill Jesus and Judas’ Decision to Betray Him We have already touched on much of this material already so we do not need to say much more other than to emphasize the agreement among all four gospel writers at this point. In this section we will need to look at Mark 14:1-2, 10-11; Matthew 26:1-5, 14-16; Luke 22:1-6; and John 11:45-54. We have already looked in detail at how Mark and Matthew used this material. It is likely Mark who has given shape to the story by sandwiching the story of the woman anointing Jesus within it. We also noticed how Luke pulled the story of the woman out of Mark’s version and moved it elsewhere. But Luke also provides a bit more detail regarding Judas. Luke tells his readers that it was Satan who entered into Judas and motivated him to do what he did. In Luke’s gospel Judas is viewed as a pathetic person and much of the sinister nature with which we usually regard Judas is removed. It is interesting that John is the one who tells his readers that Judas as nothing much more than a petty thief and that his motive for criticizing Jesus was driven by his lust for money. But John also will tell his readers that it was finally when Jesus offered the bread to Judas at the meal that Satan entered into him and Judas does his deadly deed of betrayal. John provides his readers with the information regarding the plot to kill Jesus a bit earlier in his gospel and again prior to his actual passion narrative. Seeing that the whole world is now going after Jesus once he has raised Lazarus from the dead, John tells his readers that the Jewish authorities meet and decide that Jesus must be destroyed. We will see later that this is actually the trial of Jesus before the religious authorities in absentia in John’s gospel. He will not speak again of a Jewish trial. The point here is to note that, like the others, John tells his readers of the plot to kill Jesus and of Judas’ decision to participate in it. One more little connection among all four gospel writers regarding Judas needs to be noted. All four introduce Judas Iscariot as the one who betrayed Jesus. When they first mention Judas it is connected to this ominous marker. In the scene during the interpretation of Jesus as the Bread of Life and Peter’s confession on behalf of the Twelve Judas is identified as the one of the twelve who betrayed Jesus (John 6:71). When Mark first lists the Twelve he ends by listing Judas as the betrayer (Mark 3:19). Matthew (Matthew 10:4) and Luke (Luke 6:16) do the same. There can be little doubt that Judas was the betrayer of Jesus. Understanding why and how Judas became that tragic one who betrayed Jesus varies among the writers which ought to indicate to us that he was a far more complicated character than simply an evil man. We may even come to a place where we feel pity for Judas. And we may learn from viewing his tragic life that it is not our place to judge anyone.