The Devil’s Judah vs the Lion of Judah! (Judas is the Greek for Judah). That was a sloppy one-sided contest! A dead rubber! The fate of the Devil was decided even in the Garden of Eden, and the victory of the Saviour was prophesied there too!

Judas belonged to Kerioth and was the son of Simon. He was one of the twelve disciples chosen by the Lord Himself right at the beginning of His ministry, but Judas did not believe Him as the Christ – the anointed Son of God who would be King of a heavenly kingdom. Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray Him. – John 6:64. He was making a living out of Jesus’ ministry. He gets mentioned as a thief. He was a thief and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. – John 12:6. He probably was also planning a long-term career with Jesus – He had his eyes on an earthly kingdom and in the event of Jesus becoming King, he would become the Finance Secretary / Minister.

When Jesus kept telling His disciples (including Judas) about His impending death in the hands of the Jews, Judas started losing hope of better days under Jesus as King of the Jews.

All the Gospel writers – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John add a qualifier / adjectival clause to Judas – Judas who betrayed Him. Matt 10:4; Mark 3:19; John 18:2; Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor. – Luke 6:16.

Judas was a hypocrite to the core. And as they did eat, He said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto Him, Lord, is it I? And He answered and said, He that dips his hand with Me in the dish, the same shall betray Me. The Son of man goes as it is written of Him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. Then Judas, which betrayed Him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, “Thou hast said”. – Matt 26:21-25.

Jesus also revealed the real identity of Judas as the seed of the Serpent. One of you is a devil. (The Thamizh Bible seems to use the definite article – the devil). He spoke of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: – John 6:70, 71. He that eats bread with Me hath lifted up his heel against Me. – John 13:18. Irony! Jesus would crush Satan by His heel! That Judas would turn a traitor and betray Him, was not a bolt out of the blue for Jesus.

Judas is also identified in the scriptures as the son of perdition. – John 17:12. This is the name given to the man of sin – 2 Thess 2:3. Judas was sin personified. Sin is evil and brings destruction (perdition). And since Satan is described as the one who destroys, so, Satan is perdition personified. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. – John 10:10. That is why Judas is rightly named as the son of perdition. Satan owned Him; the enemy possessed him; the Devil manipulated Judas at will.

With all hopes of brighter days ahead being shattered, Judas Iscariot, went his way unto the chief priests, and said unto them, “What will you give me, and I will deliver Him unto you?” And they were glad, promised to give him money, and covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. And from that time, he sought the opportunity to conveniently betray Him in the absence of the multitude. – Matt 26: 14-16; Mark 14:10, 11; Luke 22:4-6.

Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot – Luke 22:3; John 13:27. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him; - John 13:2. And the devil knew that was the right opportunity for him to turn the tables against Jesus.

Jesus also knew that the time of His betrayal was nearing. So, He prompted Judas to leave quickly so that he could carry on with his diabolical act. But all that was happening was for one reason - Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. – John 13:31.

Money is volatile in nature and hence the term “liquefying of an asset”. Its value keeps changing but, it keeps changing the value of people too. Money can enslave a man so much that he would rather have it than have anything else. While money, as a faithful servant, can certainly help men accomplish a lot of things here in this world, it is certainly a very bad master. Men love money and use people while it should have been the other way around. All men given to money would stoop to any low abysmal standards to acquire as much of it only to know that money has them. The Scriptures say that the love of money is the root of all evil.

And while He yet spoke, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people with lanterns and torches and weapons. – John 18:3. Whom seek ye? They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am He. And Judas also, which betrayed Him, stood with them. – John 18:4. Now he that betrayed Him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He: hold Him fast and lead Him away safely – Mark 14:43-46. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Master; and kissed Him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? (Betray thou the Son of man with a kiss? – Luke 22:48). Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took Him. Matt 26:47-50.

Then Judas, which had betrayed Him, when he saw that He was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, “What is that to us? See thou to that”. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself. And falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. – Acts 1:15-22.

And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, “It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood”. And they took counsel, and bought with them (the reward of iniquity – Acts 1:15-22) the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood (Aceldama), unto this day. (Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of Him that was valued, Whom they of the children of Israel did value; And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me). – Matt 27:3-10.

Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. – Acts 1:25.

Satan thought that he managed to use his weapon well enough that he was on track to put an end to the Seed of the woman. Now that Jesus was in the hands of the Jews, the rest of his seed would take over and complete the rest! And, the Dragon also had his man in the judgment seat to aid the accomplishment of his counter-plan!

Enter Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor of Judea.