Those who, like me, bend towards the Ecclesiastes of salvation which basically is about right or wrong, Judas Iscariot is a very prominent figure. It is Judas who, of the 12 disciples, decided to action Jesus Christ.
Was Judas wrong or right? In the Biblical script, must Judas be defined as a betrayer of a hero who fulfilled the divine promise? For it is said that it was all written by the divinity that someone, according to Christian doctrine, will betray the Son of Man so that mankind would be saved. Judas, to some, gladly took up the role. To others, Judas is a betrayer who, with only three pieces of coins, sold the Son of Man, to people who hanged him.
About who is right or wrong takes forever to be concluded. We all judge who is right or wrong depending on the affiliation we have. But does right or wrong depend on affinity? Who amongst us has the audacity to rebuke a close crony when they get out of bounds? Who in our circles can stand up and tell the big man that things are not that fine and there is need for change?
Judas, as I said earlier, will forever be a villain as far as the scripture tells us to regard him. As someone who professes Christianity, I, as you expect, also row in the boat that has all of us shouting “Go burn you Judas, you betrayed our saviour! But, if it were not for Judas, who would have done it? Did Judas have the power not to do what was predestined? Were all the 12 disciples candidates of the honour or disgrace of Judas? Again, does Judas deserve laurels or helmets on thorns? Judas! Judas! Judas!
Why the story about Judas? The story of Judas is always in all of us. You and I are Judases and we know it. You and I have, for one moment or another, been “Judased” or we have been someone’s Judas.
But Judas’ verdict, again, as I said, is peculiar and will forever attract debate. Judas was wrong and so were those who made him carry the chalice of betrayer. Did Judas serve the divine purpose or not. Was he able to say no and affirm his allegiance to the master? Right or wrong at stake here.
Those who are reading this, I can guarantee that you will not be around in the next one hundred years, I can only hope I will, but whatever we have left of us must be judged on right or wrong as it was with Judas. I am told there is a play that is titled: “Why I love Judas”. I neither know the plot of the play nor the characters, but the mention of Judas keeps me awake. It keeps me awake because I have always debated Judas in my mind. How many of us feel betrayer or ever have felt betrayed? Betrayal is the deepest wound that leaves one wounded and, for the most, very difficult and almost impossible to recover.
We all get betrayed in one way or the other. But must we press the murderous button when betrayed? Must we fume even at the velvet roses because we have been betrayed? Must we, if I may ask again, fill our bowls of memories with tears of betrayal? Must we be kept off balance forever?
There are a thousand questions about betrayal. We will talk about them, veiled, hidden, esoteric or exclusive but by the end of the day, as cryptic as all this has been we just do not know but we are all victims and perpetrators of acts of Judas.