Stephanus - Chapter 6 - The Condemned

Stephanus – Chapter 6 – The Condemned

Still shaking from his encounter in the Garden, Judas Iscariot sought to lift his spirits.

However, the effects of too much wine did not subdue his anxiety. He needed comfort beyond the stupor alcohol brought him.

He managed to secure a ride with a dromedary to Kerioth-Hezron, his parent's home in Southern Judea near Hebron, southwest of the Holy City by the Dead Sea.

As he approached the house, his father saw him at a distance, and ran out to meet him.

"My son!", his father greeted him, "there is much news I have to pass on to you!"

"Greetings, Father," Judas said while nodding his head in understanding. "yes, and I have news, as well."

"I think I should speak first." his father Simon anxiously stated, "This morning we received word that the Sanhedrin Council in Jerusalem has arrested Y'shua! This, of course, caused your mother and I to worry for your safety!"

Oh, my! Judas thought to himself, word has already reached this far from the city!?

"Come down from that beast, and join your mother and I for the afternoon meal" His father urged.

They entered the home and after his mother and Judas had embraced they reclined at table to dine.

"The news father gave me was the very reason I came to see you," Judas began. "I find it remarkable that you already knew!"

"Were you in any danger? We also heard that the disciples of Y'shua are in hiding." Mother added to the conversation.

"Do you think this is a good place for you to hide?" father questioned his son, "Isn't this a little too obvious? And we do not want to deal with Roman soldiers! You don't need to bring trouble to our household!"

"I'm not worried." Judas stated nonchalantly. "And I am fine!" he assured them.

"Praise Yahweh for bringing you safely back to us!" father declared. "But, what is this attitude you have? Why are you so sure you are out of harms way?"

"Judas, have you come to our table after drinking?" his mother joined in.

"I do feel the effects from last evening." Judas honestly admitted to his parents. "But, a good meal will help."

" By the way, what happened to the gate at the property wall?" Judas queried.

"It's old!" father stated."I built that when you were still in your mother's arms"

" Well, why haven't you repaired it?" Judas wanted to know.

" We haven't the money" father and mother agreed.

"I can fix it for you. I have the money." Judas offered.

Now suspicion entered the conversation, and the room darkened strangely in the middle of the day. "Where did you get money?" father began. "What have you done?" mother demanded.

"I worked." Judas offered coyly.

"Worked? Doing what?" father shot across the table.

"I told somebody something." Judas stated with obvious guilt.

"What? Explain yourself! What have you done?" father pressed further.

"I became an informant." Judas shakily admitted, recalling the Garden incident.

"What is going on here?" his mother inquired suspiciously

Now his father's voice boomed, "Tell us what is going on here!" he demanded.

Mother had risen to her feet with a look only a mother was able to give.

Judas' expression changed to a combination of shame and sadness as he detailed the 30 pieces of silver he was paid by the Sanhedrin Council.

"But, what can the Sanhedrin do? Don't you see? This is for the best, father, because Y'shua was getting to many enemies. So, now, the Sanhedrin will banish Y'shua, and Jerusalem will return to a normal life. Instead of all this turmoil." Judas predicted.

His parents were aghast!

"I have not told you everything, my son" Simon's voice was heavy as he went on. "The Sanhedrin Council condemned Y'shua during the night stating that he had arrogantly blasphemed Yahweh while being questioned by Caiaphas."

"In the early morning they brought Y'shua before Pontius Pilate, the Roman Prefect", " Simon stated.

" Pilate ordered that Y'shua be scourged, which we have been told was particularly brutal, with blood all around the pillar! It was as if the Roman soldiers were taking all of their hatred for the Jewish people out on Y'shua!"

"And now, he has been condemned to hang on a cross!" his mother concluded while bursting into tears.

"What?!" now Judas was aghast!

"No, no, this cannot be! I cannot be the one with blood on my hands!"I am innocent!" Judas proclaimed. "I did not want Y'shua murdered, I just wanted to eliminate the turmoil in the city brought by Y'shua's preaching! Father, you know how controversial he is, and this is not my fault! It is the doings of the Sanhedrin! They didn't say anything about condemning Y'shua! I beg you, father, do not pronounce condemnation on me!"

"I do not pass judgment on you my son, nor can I give you my blessing until you make this right. You are the only person that can clear this up! You must hurry to the Holy City, immediately, and return the silver to the Sanhedrin pleading with them for the life of Y'shua!" Simon directed.

"You think that will work?" Judas hesitated.

"It is all I am able to suggest." father counseled.

"How will you be able to live with yourself if Y'shua is executed?" mother chimed in.

Judas jumped from the table, not bothering to finish his meal, raced to the barn, unhitched a donkey, and rode north towards Jerusalem.

"Why is it so dark, out?" he wondered to himself. "It is barely past the noon hour!"

"Hurry up, you stupid beast!" he complained as he spurred the animal on.

It seemed to take a lifetime for Judas to return to Jerusalem. In his impatience, thoughts of Y'shua words invaded his mind, and he was unable to distract himself from so many conversations he was a part of with the Apostles.

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God" am I in this group?(Mt 5:3) he wondered.

"Whatsoever you shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you shall loss on earth shall be lost in heaven." Or am I a loss? (Mt 18:18) he worried.

"I came into this world to divide it. To make the sightless see and the seeing blind.(Jn 19:39) confused him?

"This is the time of fulfillment. The reign of God is at hand. Reform your life and believe in the gospel. (Mt 1:15) he doubted himself.

"What if I am the only witness? My testimony is valid nonetheless!"(Jn 8:14) he is a believer, Judas realized!

 "The Scribes and Pharisees have succeeded Moses as teachers: therefore do everything and observe everything they tell you. But, do not follow their example."(Mt 23:23) I am a fool, Judas admonished himself.

 
Judas Iscariot arrived back at the Sanhedrin Council chambers some three hours later as the unusual darkness continued. He managed to rush in before anyone had a chance to block his entry. "I have betrayed my Lord and friend, and I return the 30 pieces of silver buying back his life!" Throwing the money bag on the chamber floor, scattering it all about the room.

Caiaphas was present, and glibly informed Judas, "You are too late. Y'shua hangs on a cross as we speak, traitor! We have held up our end of the bargain, and now you must live with yours!"

"That is not what I bargained for!" screamed Judas in objection. With this outburst, the chamber guards intervened, but, took no actions as the floor of the temple suddenly convulsed, shaking violently! Only to be followed by the sound of the temple's curtain in the "Holy of Holies" sanctuary ripping in two!

The sight of this sent chills up and down Judas' spine! He ran out of the temple area into the continued darkness.

He saw two men standing at the gate of the courtyard. They looked strangely familiar? Although he tried, he was unable to get around them without speaking. "Judas, I am your grandfather, do you remember me? You were quite young when I passed from this life, and this man with me is my father, and your great-grandfather whom you've never met."

"Judas, how could you have done this?!" they accused him "You have brought dishonor to our family name!" they declared.

Judas was unable to express the way that he felt with this unexpected encounter, he was so confused and forlorn! "What have I done?! What have I done?! he repeated to himself.

"I cannot live with this! I am nonredeemable, and cannot be forgiven! I am lost! I am hopeless!" were his final words before he was found at the end of a rope hanging from a tree with his parents donkey some 100 meters away grazing in the grass.