The Bible isn’t specific about what Jesus was doing on the Wednesday before the crucifixion. That’s why some denominations call it Silent Wednesday. Others call it Spy Wednesday, as that is the day Judas Iscariot accepted an offer to betray his rabbi for 30 pieces of silver. (Matthew 26:15)
I’m just going to jump right in with questions today, because I have a lot of them.
Question 1: Why are we so uncomfortable with silence?
I am addicted to background noise. I have absolutely turned my car around and been late for work because I left my headphones at home. I listen to podcasts or music at work. Sometimes I listen to sermons, but there is always some sort of noise going on. I sleep with the TV on, even though it drives my `husband crazy that I “watched” the same episode of Perry Mason for two weeks straight.
As a mother of three, if it’s too quiet in my house, I get nervous. I’ ‘ll go from room to room annoying different members of my family just so they’ll make noise. It’s usually laughter. Sometimes, it’s asking me to leave them alone. I’m fine with either…but the silence scares me.
Question: Using your “holy imagination” (shout out to my favorite black women theologians), what do you think Jesus and the disciples were doing on the Wednesday before the crucifixion?
I find it curious that Judas was by himself that day. Jesus famously sent his disciples out, two by two. So where was Judas’ partner? Perhaps it was the disciples day off. (Disciples don’t get days off. It’s not a job. It’s a way of living, but that’s a topic for another day.) I also find it odd, that Judas went to the chief priests and not the other way around. The religious leaders were trying to figure out how to get Jesus since Sunday. Judas Iscariot showing up must have seemed like a gift from God himself.
And perhaps it was…Satan does not have dominion over mankind. If Satan can only do what God allows, then Satan entering Judas Iscariot had to be allowed by the creator. This idea ought to make you wrestle with your theology. It certainly makes me wrestle with mine.
Question 3: Why do we shift our focus from Jesus to Judas for those of us who call it ‘spy Wednesday?’
I think this question ties into our first question. We are as uncomfortable with being still, as we are with being quiet. Our culture glorifies the hustle. It does not prioritize rest. So when Jesus is doing nothing, we focus on something or someone else. But I know a whole lot of church girls, who could benefit from focusing on the restful savior, as opposed to the industrious betrayer, chasing after a buck.
Question 4: Since we are talking about money, why didn’t Judas have a price in mind?
This man has to be one of the worst negotiators in history. He asks how much they were willing to pay and accepts the first offer. He never asks any questions. He doesn’t make a counter offer.
I feel for Judas, mainly because I too have been a terrible negotiator. I paid too much for every car I’ve ever bought. I accepted job offers, when I should have pushed for a higher salary. I’ve joined ministries not because I wanted to, or because I had something to offer, but because I saw a hole that needed to be filled. I pray that I’ve learned my lesson.
Judas didn’t accurately count the cost. Estimates for the amount in today’s currency range from just over $100 to less than $1500. That’s a large range. It’s somewhere between my cable bill and the mortgage payment. Nevertheless, if somebody offered me that kind of money right now, with no strings attached, I’d likely take it. Unfortunately, for Judas, there were strings.
It wasn’t just the amount of money though. The strings attached to those silver coins were attached to the very fabric of Judas’ life. It wasn’t just a betrayal of Jesus, it was a betrayal of his whole community. HE wouldn’t have been welcome in the synagogue. He would lose all of his friends, and an innocent man would be put to death. Everything about Judas’ life would unravel as a result of this deal, and he made it anyway.
Question: What were some of the hidden costs of your most recent life decision? Would you do it again if you had the opportunity?
Jesus was silent while Judas was making back room deals. Sometimes silence is the better option.
The Gospel According to Gabrielle 