At Sunday School yesterday, we watched a video from an Easter series (I do not know the name, but so far it has been awesome!). It really got me thinking…and in that process when we were doing our Lent devotional at dinnertime, I brought up the one thing from the video that had stuck with me the most: How similar Judas and Peter were.
I really had never thought of that before…Peter was always sticking his foot in his mouth about something, but that didn’t make him evil, right? — just less-than-tactful (I can relate). Judas? well Judas was the utimate betrayer—worse than any Benedict Arnold could hope to be. So how could they possibly be alike?
This video basically illustrated how both Judas and Peter betrayed Jesus. There was some question in our household as to whether what Peter did in denying Jesus was betrayal (at least to the same degree), but I believe it was–in some ways perhaps it was worse, since he emphatically insisted he NEVER would do such a thing. In the reading I did, there was no mention of this denial NOT being some kind of betrayal. So I will not beat that dead horse and for purposes of this post, we will assume they both betrayed Jesus.
They both showed remorse for their sin:
Matt 27: 3-4—When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
Matt 26:69-75—Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said. But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said. Then he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!” After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away.”Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!” Immediately a rooster crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
They both knew they did something gravely wrong. So what is the difference between the two men? Why is one spending an eternity with Jesus while the other is in an eternity of fire and misery?
The video and most of the sermons I read spoke to the term repentance. The Bible Dictionary gives this long but helpful definition of the term repentance.
There are three Greek words used in the New Testament to denote repentance. (1.) The verb _metamelomai_ is used of a change of mind, such as to produce regret or even remorse on account of sin, but not necessarily a change of heart. This word is used with reference to the repentance of Judas (Matt. 27:3). (2.) Metanoeo, meaning to change one’s mind and purpose, as the result of after knowledge. This verb, with (3) the cognate noun _metanoia_, is used of true repentance, a change of mind and purpose and life, to which remission of sin is promised. Evangelical repentance consists of (1) a true sense of one’s own guilt and sinfulness; (2) an apprehension of God’s mercy in Christ; (3) an actual hatred of sin (Ps. 119:128; Job 42:5, 6; 2 Cor. 7:10) and turning from it to God; and (4) a persistent endeavour after a holy life in a walking with God in the way of his commandments. The true penitent is conscious of guilt (Ps. 51:4, 9), of pollution (51:5, 7, 10), and of helplessness (51:11; 109:21, 22). Thus he apprehends himself to be just what God has always seen him to be and declares him to be. But repentance comprehends not only such a sense of sin, but also an apprehension of mercy, without which there can be no true repentance (Ps. 51:1; 130:4).
So Judas had a metamelomai remorse, which indicates no real heart change. I’m not sure of the original Greek, but surely Peter must’ve been referred to with metanoia remorse—or that of a changed heart that is turned away from sin and toward God.
Judas turned to the Pharisees and declared his remorse—Peter turned to Jesus. Wow. What a HUGE lesson that is. Judas’ declaration that he screwed up was halfway there, but it didn’t result in the cleansing forgiveness from God that he needed for a restored heart. Where did it lead for him? You got it–death. On the other hand, Peter’s remorse of an almost identical sin lead him to seek Jesus for forgiveness. He drew closer to God and away from the things of this world. Even after Jesus’ resurrection when he met the apostles on the shore, Peter was doubtful that he could ever escape his sin or be forgiven. But Jesus is his Assurance—three times—for each time he denied Christ—”if you love me, feed my sheep.” And Peter spent the rest of his days on Earth doing just that. His changed heart lead to a change in behavior. A Servant’s Heart=Faith in Action.
That is the difference between Peter and Judas. Who do you turn to in your remorse? Do you hide? Do you hope it will go away? Or do you confess it to God (and others as necessary and directed in the Bible). Sin injures, destroys, and kills—it killed Judas and destroys countless other relationships and lives every day. I hope you cry out in your remorse to the God of the Universe who will forgive you anything you’ve ever done—all you have to do is believe in his son Jesus—and He will keep you for eternity, too. ~
From Character Study–Judas Compared to Peter:
The terrible thing about sin is, we can’t turn the clock back; we will have to face consequences when we deliberately deny the Lord or His Word. Once the deed has been done, it cannot be altered; you cannot take it back. But that doesn’t need to be the end of the story. Judas did it the wrong way—Matt. 27:4. He experienced deep sorrow and regret for what he did, but that did not address his real need of confession/repentance to the Lord. He confessed his sin to the wrong group and made restitution to his fellow culprits. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” He could have been forgiven if he had genuinely confessed and repented.
Peter, on the other hand, when he sinned went out and “wept bitterly” after he denied the Lord, but he continued to be with the disciples. He stayed in community, and received restoration from the Lord.
Some questions to ponder:
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