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 he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and having the money box, used to steal what was put into it.This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.Now this he said, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and having the bag took away what was put therein.
3 sermons cite this verse
Judas is so generous. What a good guy. He really loves the poor. But the verse continues on. It says this, he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief and he had the money bag. Again, what did the world see? They see the external appearance. What no one knows, the heart, that's what Jesus saw. Judas proved, just like Pharaoh before him, that the same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay. And the more that Judas saw, the harder he became. And yet, in spite of all of that, Jesus extends the same love and forgiveness to Judas that he did to the other 11. In the upper room on the night that Judas would betray him, Jesus greets Judas with a kiss. Jesus washes Judas's feet, again, showing that he is a servant serving his disciples. He loved Judas. And prior to identifying Judas as a betrayer, it says he was troubled in spirit. he was troubled in spirit and he said one of you will betray me and the disciples were perplexed they said lord who is it again Judas was so good at pretending he was so cunning that no one suspected him it's not like Jesus said hey someone's going to betray me they're like we've got our money on Judas we've been actually running like tabs on this we've collected bets everyone thinks it's Judas. We've been telling you for months, Jesus, it's Judas. No, nobody knew he had fooled …
We'll be considering most of John 12 today, but I'll only read portions of it for the sake of time. So please join me as I read John chapter 12, verses 1 through 11, and then we'll skip down to verses 20 through 26. I'll be reading today from the New Living Translation. Join me now as I begin at John 12, verses 1 through 11. a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus' feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance. But Judas Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray him, said, That perfume was worth a year's wage. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor. Not that he cared for the poor. He was a thief. And since he was in charge of the disciples' money, he often stole some for himself. Jesus replied, Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. …
… Judas is the first to betray the silence with an ethical objection that clarifies his rightness in this matter. Why wasn't this perfume sold for a whole lot of money and given to the poor, he asks. John says he's a thief who uses the common purse for a common, for a personal expense account. He doesn't care about the poor, but he knows that Jesus does. So he says what he knows Jesus would have said if Jesus weren't so polite. What a waste. What an extravagance. Whatever you meant by it, Mary, this movement, it's not about us. It's about the less fortunate. Try to remember that from now on, huh? but Jesus can speak for himself he turns to Judas and says leave her alone to Judas and anyone else who might agree with him she was keeping it from my burial you always have the poor with you but you do not always have me it's an odd thing for him to say but Mary has broken more than a jar in that room she's also broken open the truth that Jesus is the first to see to speak to The poor are sturdy perennials in God's garden. …