Judas betrayed Jesus.

However, the story of Jesus and Judas is far more than just a story of betrayal. It’s the story of friendship, and how your closest friend can turn on a dime and stab you in the back.

And all it took was a handful of coins–thirty to be exact. This is a significant number and here’s why: first of all, thirty coins was not a lot of money in that time. It was cheap, and that shows what the chief priests thought of Jesus–he wasn’t worth more.

Second: thirty coins was the price of a slave. Exodus 21:32 says ‘If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner [of the bull] must pay 30 shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull is to be stoned to death.’

Jesus was the price of a slave. Not just any slave, but a dead slave.

If you read my post on Jesus fulfilling prophecies, you’ll see that he’s fulfilled a prophecy about this: “And the Lord said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter’ — the handsome price at which they valued me! So, I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the Lord.” Zechariah 11:13 NIV

Now that we know about the history and prophecies of this story, let’s get into the relationship part.

If you didn’t know this, the twelve disciples were some of Jesus’s closets friends. He trusted them with everything, lived with them, ate with them, traveled with them, prayed with them, and taught them.

Judas listened to everything Jesus said, including the words Jesus spoke to him–indirectly–during the Passover meal.

‘And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”‘
Matthew 26:21 NIV

The fact that Jesus knew this didn’t stop Judas. If anything, he might have thought, “He knows. Can’t go back now.”

Then, Judas goes against the grain when he actually betrays Jesus. He betrays him, not with a slap or a curse or a sword, but with a kiss.

‘Now the betrayer [Judas] had arranged a signal with them [the guards]: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. ‘
Matthew 26:48-49 NIV

A kiss in those times was a symbol of respect–often people kissed as a loving greeting or welcome, sometimes even kissed their feet as a sign of respect.

This story isn’t just the story of the betrayer from the Bible, but the story of a man who betrayed his friend for a small wage.

Jesus wasn’t first wounded by the thorns on his head or the nails in his hands, but by the kiss of his friend.

Even Jesus was hurt by his friends.