Judas realizes what he has done and returned the money and overwhelmed with guilt and grief, he hanged himself.
A Google search for Judas images yieled ~ 48,000 hits. Below is one image found on the Vatican home page.
The image is part of the Second Station of the Cross. There are a number of variations on the Stations of the Cross liturgy. A Google search yields many different ones. But they all have in common a mediation on some aspect of the final hours of Jesus.
In the web page with the photo above, part of the mediation speculates on the motivations of Judas. Excerpts:
How could he arrive at this point, one whom Jesus had chosenJesus is then brought before Pilate.
to follow him so closely?
Did Judas let himself get carried away by an exasperated love for Jesus,
which became suspicion and resentment?
.........
Or perhaps he was overcome by his disappointment with a Messiah
who rejected the political role of liberating Israel from foreign domination?
.........
A mystery of iniquity that escapes us,
but that cannot overcome the mystery of mercy.
The image is from Sermons4kids.com. Plenty of images and other resources!
Pilate is the Roman political authority in the area. However, his dialog with Jesus is the pattern of every person who has an encounter with Jesus. The central question for each person: who is this Jesus? What am I going to do about Him?
Pilate saw that he wasn't getting anywhere and that a riot was developing. So he sent for a bowl of water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this man. The responsibility is yours!"
He was mistaken. We are all guilty of the blood of Jesus. The responsibility is ours. Jesus died on the Cross to pay for our sins.
So Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to crucify him.
The film The Passion of the Christ showed in graphic detail what flogging with a lead-tipped whip looked like. The film was polarizing. For those who do not believe, it seemed to be just gratuitous violence. For those who do believe, this was a reminder of what the Savior endured for us.
Lord, have mercy on me a sinner. Thank you that you have indeed had mercy in sending Jesus to bare my sins on the Cross. Help me to be grateful and humble knowing that I am a sinner saved by grace. Continue the work of transforming me into greater Christ-likeness. Amen.
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