Matthew 26:14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, 15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
The same fact of God’s mercy being offered in the gift of repentance, is true of Judas, whose day of grace was extended on numerous occasions, as the gift was offered through Christ. Judas did not appropriate the gift when it would have made all the difference in his after history.
He delayed and avoided the probing of God which had revealed his true character and he continued to deny the fact that the assessments given by Christ were true or pertained to him. Thus, when he was finally ready to confess his sin it had become a mere statement of facts, rather than the utterances of a truly penitent heart.
[The Desire of Ages pp 295] In His teaching, Jesus dwelt upon principles of benevolence that struck at the very root of covetousness. He presented before Judas the heinous character of greed, and many a time the disciple realized that his character had been portrayed, and his sin pointed out. But he would not confess and forsake his unrighteousness. Lesson after lesson fell unheeded on the ears of Judas.
Matthew 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood….. 5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!