Your enemies will be right in your own household! Matthew 10:36 (NLT)

Even those closest to you—your parents, brothers, relatives, and friends—will betray you. They will even kill some of you. Luke 21:16 (NLT)

The traitor, Judas, had given them a prearranged signal: “You will know which one to arrest when I greet him with a kiss.” So Judas came straight to Jesus. “Greetings, Rabbi!” he exclaimed and gave him the kiss. Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.” Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. Matthew 26:48-50 (NLT)

The world and sadly Christendom chose a pagan festival after the fashion of Aaronic syncretism to commemorate the death and resurrection of Christ. Even more sad is the inability of Christendom to learn from the life of Judas Iscariot who was numbered among the twelve disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, yet never knew Him!

A major pointer to his ‘tare’ nature among the twelve is expressed best in Psalm 139:1-4 (NLT):

O Lord, you have examined my heart, and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.

Judas was a witness to this attribute of the Lord, His all knowingness, yet would try the Lord. At least on four occasions he was an eyewitness to the display of this power of knowing all things, viz.

1. Luke 7:36-40, the Pharisee host didn’t have to say a word, but the Lord spoke his thoughts.
2. Luke 16:14-15, the Pharisees only derided him regarding their love for money, yet He declared their thoughts.
3. Luke 19:28-34, when Jesus told the disciples where the donkey would be found and what the owners would say, and
4. Matthew 26:17-19, regarding the place where the Passover would be eaten.

With such overwhelming evidence, Judas, like Gehazi, would not only go to cut a deal with the Sanhedrin but would go ahead and test the Lord on this attribute.

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus. Matthew 26:14-16 (NLT)

When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the tablewith the Twelve. While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?” He replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!” Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?” And Jesus told him, “You have said it.” Matthew 26:20-25 (NLT)

Oh, He sees all you do, and He hears even the thoughts of our hearts, the Lord is watching all the time. How many pretenders are amongst the believers! We each need to search our hearts to know whether we belong as wheat or just tares pretending to be wheat! Selah.