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“When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor. Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is that to us? See to it yourself." And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself.” Matthew 27:1-5
Judas, of course, was not the first or the last person to betray Jesus; just the most famous.
The following is said by some historical chroniclers to be a true story; others question this, but most all understand its powerful message. (Leonardo Da Vinci: A Biography, Elizabeth Ripley)
The most famous religious painting, the painting of the Last Supper, is said to have taken Leonardo Da Vinci seven years to complete. Starting out, Da Vinci wanted to find the perfect Christ caricature for this portrait. Da Vinci always used real people in all his portraits and paintings, so he always searched for just the right people to portray the realism he wanted to capture on his canvas.
According to the story, hundreds and hundreds of young men were carefully viewed in an endeavor to find a face and personality exhibiting innocence, sensitivity and strength. Eventually, after searching for weeks, Da Vinci discovered a young man as his model for Christ. Da Vinci worked on the portrait of Christ at the Last Supper, as he, the artist, saw him in the face and demeanor of this young subject.
Now completed, Da Vinci settled himself into the task of searching for and capturing the faces of the other disciples around that table in the upper room. One by one, over the next six years, Da Vinci searched and worked.
Finally the work had progressed to the point that there remained but one face left to find, Judas Iscariot. It was a face that the old master had purposefully left for last for any number of reasons. Now, near the end of his task, he went on a search not unlike the one he had at first—looking, scrutinizing, and studying faces in the endless crowds for just that one face—the face that would tell the story behind the story.
Da Vinci’s travels to find that face finally took him to a dungeon in Rome, where he had heard resided a man who was thought to be the epitome of what the artist was looking for. Upon introduction, Da Vinci realized that his expectations were not disappointed. Indeed, here was a man of dark soul; a wretched, unkempt and vicious human. Yes, this was the perfect Judas.
By order of the king, the prisoner was released into Da Vinci’s care for the next several months. For both days and nights, the portrait was crafted into the Last Supper scene. The moment finally came when the portrait was completed and the prisoner was returned to the care of his incarcerators.
Turning to leave, Da Vinci suddenly found himself in the clutches of the prisoner crying out, “O, Da Vinci, look at me! Do you not know who I am?”
Upon studying the poor man closer, Da Vinci exclaimed that he did not know the man. “O, Da Vinci,” the prisoner cried louder, “I am your Christ!!! I am the man you painted seven years ago as Christ!”
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If we’re honest with ourselves is it so outrageous to consider that maybe we have within us something of both the Christ and Judas?
Prayer: Redeemer God, help us not to judge Judas and ourselves too harshly. When we turn away from following our Lord Jesus, encourage us, always, to return to his open arms. And when we follow with great passion and purpose, help us to be humble and grace-filled in our faithfulness. Amen.
Rev. Larry VanSpriell
ABCRM Interim Executive Minister
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