Mel Gibson's Passion

[The Brain]

Originally posted by Sloats
Judas was a good friend of Jesus and not a betrayer. Messengers customarily were paid a fee and Jesus sent Judas to summon the temple guards who were looking for him. Judas was not paid a fee to betray Jesus.

<i>Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.</i>
-- Matthew 26:14-16

<i>Now the feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was drawing near, and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way to put him to death, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered into Judas, the one surnamed Iscariot, who was counted among the Twelve, and he went to the chief priests and temple guards to discuss a plan for handing him over to them. They were pleased and agreed to pay him money. He accepted their offer and sought a favorable opportunity to hand him over to them in the absense of a crowd.</i>
-- Luke 22:1-6

<i>Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them. When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money. Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.</i>
-- Mark 14:10-11

Only the book of John omits the actual transaction of Judas accepting money to surrender Jesus to the Jewish priests, but he does state: <i>The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over</i> (Jn. 13:2).

And if you read the passages preceding the Last Supper narratives, Jesus always says "Amen, I say onto you, one of you will betray me" (or words to that effect).

[by the way, those passages are <b>Mt. 26:20-25</b>, <b>Mk. 14:17-21</b>, <b>Lk. 22:21-23</b>, and <b>Jn. 13:21-30</b>]