How does John 12:5 reveal Judas's true character and intentions? Setting the scene John 12:5: “Why wasn’t this perfume sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” What we see on the surface • The words sound charitable, valuing the poor over extravagant worship. • Three hundred denarii equaled about a year’s wages, so the statement appears fiscally responsible. What Scripture exposes beneath the surface • John 12:6 immediately unmasks Judas: “He 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 pilfer what was put into it.” • The Holy Spirit, inspiring John, reveals Judas’s true motive—personal gain. • Judas cloaked greed in pious language, a classic form of hypocrisy (cf. Proverbs 26:23-25). Patterns confirming his character elsewhere • John 6:70-71—Jesus calls Judas “a devil” who would betray Him. • Matthew 26:14-16—Judas bargains with the chief priests for thirty pieces of silver, reinforcing his love of money. • John 13:2, 27—Satan’s influence enters a heart already open through covetousness. • Acts 1:18—his ill-gotten gain ultimately destroys him. • 1 Timothy 6:10—“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,” epitomized in Judas. Marks of Judas’s heart revealed in John 12:5 • Greed: he assigns a monetary value to worship, measuring devotion in silver. • Hypocrisy: he pretends concern for the poor while planning to steal. • Disrespect for Christ: he criticizes sacrificial love shown to Jesus. • Short-sightedness: he sees only temporary profit, missing eternal worth. Why this matters for believers • Religious talk can mask ungodly motives; discernment comes from Scripture’s light. • Genuine love for Jesus values Him above all material gain (Philippians 3:8). • Stewardship of resources must flow from a pure heart, not self-interest (2 Corinthians 9:7). • Hypocrisy erodes faith; authenticity honors Christ and blesses others (James 1:26-27). John 12:5, set alongside verse 6 and related passages, lays bare Judas’s true character—greedy, deceitful, and ultimately treacherous—contrasting sharply with Mary’s sincere devotion and calling believers to examine their own motives in worship and stewardship. |
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