Judas Iscariot is one of the most tragic figures in all of Scripture. He was not some stranger; he was one of the twelve apostles. He walked with Jesus for three years. He heard every sermon, witnessed every miracle, shared every meal. He was entrusted with the money box of the disciples (John 12:6) — though John darkly notes he "used to take what was put in it." He went out with the others to preach and heal in Jesus' name. And he was the one who betrayed Him. The Gospels describe his fall in stages. In John 12, he objected when Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus with costly ointment: "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" (John 12:5). John explains: not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief. Satan "entered into Judas, surnamed Iscariot" (Luke 22:3), and he went to the chief priests and agreed to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver — the price of a slave (Exodus 21:32, fulfilling Zechariah 11:12). At the Last Supper, Jesus identified him: "He it is to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it" (John 13:26). Jesus gave Judas the morsel — an act of honor to a guest — and Judas went out to betray Him. "And it was night" (13:30). In Gethsemane, Judas came at the head of a mob with a kiss as the agreed signal. "Friend, why have you come? Then they came and laid hands on Jesus" (Matthew 26:50). When Judas saw that Jesus was condemned, he regretted his deed, returned the silver, and hanged himself (Matthew 27:3-5). His is the most terrifying warning in the Bible: it is possible to be so close to Christ for so long and be lost. Jesus said of him: "It would have been good for that man if he had not been born" (Matthew 26:24).
John 12:4-6 — "But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief."
Luke 22:3-4 — "Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them."
Matthew 26:14-16 — "Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?" And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver."
Matthew 27:3-5 — "Then Judas, His betrayer, seeing that He had been condemned, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders... Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself."