The Sin of Judas and the Sale of Christian Teaching

Judas betrayed Jesus for a mere 30 pieces of silver. Now this is widely regarded as one of the greatest sins ever committed. But is there an analogous sin that exists today? Throughout church history, any who have been willing to trade the things of God for money have been labeled as Judas's and not without cause.

In fact, the common practice of selling Christian teaching today should be identified as the sin of Judas, regardless of how common or anodyne it may appear. Let's consider several aspects of the sin of Judas and how they compare to the sale of Christian teaching.

First, let us consider the greed for earthly gain. Again, greed may be defined as an inordinate desire for material gain. A particular type of greed is that which covets the possessions of others. We see that Judas operated with such sinful motivations.

In John 12, 4 -6 it says,. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was going to betray him, asked, Why wasn't this perfume sold for 300 denarii and the money given to the poor? Judas 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 take from what was put into it. Now, this applies not only when one takes that which directly belongs to another, but also when one trades that which belongs to another for material possessions.

For example, the thief who pawns catalytic converters for cash is functionally identical to a thief who steals money directly. Moreover, there is something especially heinous about such activity because the cost of replacing what is lost is even greater than the amount that is gained.

When Judas betrayed Jesus, he was not content with the situation in life that God had allotted to him. But he sought to increase his own prosperity by taking that which was not his own, the precious life of Jesus, and selling it for some paltry amount.

The Apostle Peter speaks of the value of the precious blood of Jesus in 1 Peter 1, 18 -19. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.

Similarly, the one who sells Christian teaching sells what is not his to sell. Inasmuch as it is of his own imagination, that is, not in accord with the word of God, it ought not to be taught as religious knowledge at all.

Inasmuch as it is derived from divine revelation, it has been freely received and ought to be freely given. Consider Jesus' own words in Matthew 10, 7 -8. Moreover, since the good news of the gospel is Christ himself, as it says in Romans 16 -25, 1 Corinthians 1 -23, Philippians 1 -15, and the one who receives him possesses him as his own, as it says in Matthew 10 -16, it ought not to be taught as religious knowledge at all, as it says in 1 John 5 -12, the one who sells that message sells Christ himself, as did Judas.

Second, let's consider the disregard that Judas had for heavenly gain. Values are comparative. Judas' sin was not merely in valuing earthly riches highly, but in valuing them beyond heavenly riches, such that he was willing to exchange the former for the latter.

Paul describes the folly of this thinking when he remarks that the gospel is not his to sell. But even if it were, the material reward that could be gained by selling it would not match the heavenly reward that may be possessed by offering it freely.

He says in 1 Corinthians 9, 17 -18, if my preaching is voluntary, I have a reward, but if it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a responsibility. What then is my reward? That in preaching the gospel, I may offer it free of charge and so not use up my rights in preaching it.

The one who sells Christian teaching forfeits the heavenly reward available to those who offer the word of God freely. Jesus himself described how those who give or pray for recognition among men trade a heavenly reward for an earthly one.

He says this in Matthew 6, 1 -6. The same applies to the work of preaching and teaching. The one who exchanges the word for material honors does so at the expense of the heavenly honors. And third, let us consider how Judas' sin was one of injury to the kingdom of heaven.

He was willing to bring direct harm to the kingdom of God. Those who sell Christian teaching do harm to the kingdom of God on at least two counts. First, they withhold the teaching of Christ. Second, because the medium communicates the message, they fail to communicate the freeness of the grace of God, instead communicating an alternative message.

Isaiah 55, 1 says, Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters. And you without money, come, buy and eat. Come buy wine and milk, without money and without cost. Now one may argue that this does not harm Jesus himself, but Jesus himself claimed that a neglect of his elect is a malicious neglect of him.

For example, he said in Matthew 25, 44 -45,. And they too will reply, Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to you? Then the king will answer, Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.

And he likewise in Acts 9, 4 tells Saul, Why are you persecuting me? Implying that Paul's persecution of Christians is a persecution of himself. In fact, in considering the way it harms the kingdom, the sin of selling Christian teaching is even greater than the sin of Judas in several ways.

Consider the words of John Wycliffe, who appealing to the Persian theologian, William Perrault, observed that, Simoniacs go beyond Iscariot, who secretly sold to the elders truth existing in a mortal body.

But Simoniacs do the opposite entirely with regard to both the Son and the Holy Spirit. The point here is that Judas sold God secretly as he exists in the human body of Christ. But Simoniacs openly sell the divine Christ and the Holy Spirit.

If we acknowledge that selling Christian teaching is simony, the reality of this assessment becomes apparent. Judas operated in the shadows, but peddlers of the Word of God operate openly. Judas did bodily harm to Christ, but the one who exchanges Christian teaching for money spiritually dishonors Christ, who has been given to us freely.

Additionally, since he presumably hopes to affect some work of the Spirit in the hearts of his hearers, he likewise dishonors the Holy Spirit, who has been freely given as well. Consider the words of 1 Corinthians 2, 12 -13,.

We have not received the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. And this is what we speak, not in words taught to us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit expressing spiritual truths and spiritual words.

Lastly, let's consider the pretext of friendship that makes Judas' sin a betrayal. It is under this pretext of friendship that Judas turned Jesus over to the Roman authorities. In Matthew 26, 48 -50, Matthew records,.

Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them. The one I kiss is the man. Arrest him. Going directly to Jesus, he said, Greetings, Rabbi, and kissed him. Friend, Jesus replied, Do what you came for.

All who sell Christian teaching do so with the stated intention of the good of Christ and his kingdom. In some cases, this is all for show. But in every other case, those good intentions are at best misguided.

These matters are often flipped on their head. For example, in Corinth, the super apostles, as they're called, who charge for their preaching were considered as bringing glory to the kingdom, while Paul was only considered to be bringing shame.

Of course, nothing could have been farther from the truth. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11, 7,. Was it a sin for me to humble myself in order to exalt you? Because I preach the gospel of God to you free of charge?

And then skipping ahead to verse 11,. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows that I do. You see, it is out of Paul's love for the Corinthians that he's preaching the gospel free of charge. Regardless of how well-intentioned anyone who sells Christian teaching may be, ultimately, Scripture implicates them as insincere.

They definitionally operate with an ulterior motive, giving teaching in exchange for some material gain. That's why Paul in 2 Corinthians 2, 17 says the following,. For we are not like so many others who peddle the word of God for profit.

On the contrary, in Christ, we speak before God with sincerity as men sent from God. It may seem absurd that selling Christian teaching could be identified as the sin of Judas. Yet, as we have seen, it coincides with all the core aspects of that sin.

Moreover, two considerations should keep us open to acknowledging this judgment. The first consideration is simply that any sin which takes place in the narratives of Scripture is given as an example for us to avoid, as it says in 1 Corinthians 10, 6.

Those who would reject the similarities between the activities of Judas and peddlers of the word risk making the sin of Judas one that cannot be imitated today, and therefore, it would be of no real caution to the church.

The second consideration is that there is a great danger in mistaking the patience of God for his blessing. After Judas' sin, he was so afflicted that he willingly forfeited his silver and even took his own life.

Perhaps we would expect a similar divine affliction if our own generation's sin was as great as his. Yet Micah cautions us against this mistake. He says in chapter 3, verse 11 of his prophecy,. The sin of Judas is one that is alive and well, and as it did then, it exists today among Jesus' closest disciples.

Yet he is a forgiving God. For all who have considered it right to exchange the things of God for money, may they heed Peter's words. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you.

Acts 8, 22.