“Then one of the Twelve, the man called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” So they weighed out thirty pieces of silver for him. And from that time he started looking for a good opportunity to betray him….While they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”….The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for him if he had not been born.” Judas, his betrayer, replied, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” “You have said it,” he told him.” Matthew 26:14-16, 21, 24-25 CSB https://bible.com/bible/1713/mat.26.25.CSB

In the series Chosen, Judas is portrayed as a man who truly believes that Jesus is the Messiah and that he is the smartest person in the room and necessary for helping Jesus become the Messiah of power He is destined to be. Perhaps it really is out of this desire to move Jesus toward political and military power that Judas betrays Jesus to the religious leaders. The thinking might have been that this would force Jesus to use might to free Himself from the authorities. Judas did not betray Jesus for money, though he was paid for his evil deed. We know this because Judas returned his payment upon Jesus’ crucifixion out of his guilt and remorse for his betrayal. The critical takeaway, however, is while Judas’ motive may have been love, help, and trying to accomplish what he believed to be the will of God following the word of God, he was responsible for his actions, which would send his soul to hell. Judas did not listen to Jesus. He did not comprehend Jesus’ teachings about His sacrifice and that He was not sent to be a military leader but the Savior of the world. Woe to Judas for betraying Jesus. Better that he not have been born, God said about him. No one would desire God to say this of them, for God alone determines the eternal destiny of all people. Good intentions will not save us. Right motives will not justify us. Obedience to the word of God by understanding the will of God through surrender to the person of God, Jesus the Savior, is the only way to live forever with God.