Because He was a Thief

“Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for Him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with Him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples (he who was about to betray Him), said, ‘Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag, he used to help himself to what was put into it” (John 12:1–6).

Isn’t it interesting that among the disciples whom Jesus chose, there was a thief? Is this something that slipped Jesus’ notice during the interview process of Judas Iscariot? Other passages of Scripture tell us that Jesus knew that Judas would ultimately be the one who would betray Him. If He knew that, I am sure that He also knew Judas was a thief. I also wonder who it was that elected Judas to be the treasurer of this band of thirteen.

I have been pondering this passage in light of recent revelations concerning the failures of well-known Christian men. In 2011, the late Timothy Keller wrote a book titled Counterfeit Gods, a book that highlighted the temptations that have brought more than one Christian leader to the end of his ministry. Keller identified three primary threats: money, sex, and power. In most cases, the revelation that brought these sins to light followed—sometimes by many years—of prolonged immoral activity. I believe we see the same pattern with Judas.

Judas, like the other disciples, spent roughly three years being discipled by their Rabbi, Jesus. It would seem, then, that before Judas handed Jesus over to Jerusalem’s religious authorities for thirty pieces of silver, he had been “borrowing” from the group’s common moneybag for some time. Making a deal with the high priest and his cronies appears to have been the culmination of his long-standing misuse of the common purse—an inevitable climax to his unchecked thievery.

When we hear of the moral failings of well-known Christian leaders, the revelation often uncovers a sin that has been present for many, many years.

When one is tempted by Keller’s “big three”—money, sex, and power—the first step of compromise is always the hardest. But once an individual has stepped over the boundary lines, or as Proverbs says, “…removed the ancient fences…,” each subsequent crossing becomes easier. With every crossing, the conscience grows more anesthetized, no longer feeling the sharp pricks of conviction that come from God’s Word.

Years ago, a colleague who fell into sexual sin shared with me the story of his downward spiral. In his role as a pastoral counselor, he became a bit too familiar with a female counselee. She happened to be struggling in her marriage in much the same area in which he was struggling in his own. Session after session—during which he was convinced he was genuinely helping her spiritually—began to include physical advances. Seemingly harmless brotherly-and-sisterly hugs turned into inappropriate embraces; inappropriate embraces turned into kisses; and inappropriate kisses eventually led to a motel bed. Along the way, the deception became so deep that he remained convinced he was still helping this woman on a spiritual path.

He went on to tell me that when the deed in the motel bed was done, Satan pulled back the curtain of deception and said, “Gotcha!” That was the moment when everything fell apart and when their actions were brought into the light. Two families experienced devastation, a man’s ministry came to an abrupt end, and great reproach was brought upon the name of Jesus.

In fifty years of gospel ministry, I have witnessed many men forced to leave ministry because of abuses of money, sex, and power. These three are powerfully seductive. Like Samson of old and his dalliance with Delilah, such individuals discover that sin first blinds and then binds. Over the years, I have heard far too many confessions from those trapped in the quicksand of money, sex, and power. When they finally look over their shoulders and retrace their steps, they see clear warning signs along the way—signs that were ignored because they had been hog-tied by their emotions, their greed, and their lusts.

When we hear of such failures—and the media does its best to ensure that we do—let us not be too quick to play judge, jury, and executioner. But for the daily, restraining grace of God, none of us are beyond such falls. So, my friends, remember the words of the writer of Hebrews:

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1–2).

Like a steeplechase, the course before us is rife with barriers and obstacles, strategically placed to trip us up. Keep your eyes on Jesus, He alone can deliver us victoriously across the finish line.