2 Corinthians 7:10; The Sorrow of the World Worketh Death
2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
The verdict of handing Jesus over to the Roman authorities causes an emotional response from Judas, the treasurer of the group. It causes Judas to be very remorseful. Realizing his sin of betraying innocent blood, Judas offered the money back to the chief priests and elders. This was the deadly fruit of treachery. These godless, lawless men refused to wash their hands from the matter, refusing to hear Judas’.
Matthew 27:2-3 2And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. 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,
We observe here how Judas was remorseful. But it was not godly repentance that leads to salvation. He was sorry for the effects which his crime brought upon himself, he was yet unwilling to acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Saviour!
The word “repent” means to regret. It has the meaning of changing one’s mind or purpose after having done something regrettable. In our text, you notice that the account of Judas’ sorrow and suicide is just a few verses after the godly contrition of Peter.
This is, I believe, to help us make a contrast between biblical repentance and the unregenerate worldly sorrow that leads to death. We notice Jesus prayed for Peter that his faith will not fail so that his backsliding will only be temporary but we do not see the same for Judas, Jesus said “woe unto that man by whom He is betrayed (Luke 22:22b). We see Peter looking to Jesus with love and concern that brought a convicting work of the Holy Spirit upon Peter’s heart. For Judas, there was no loving gaze he is a vessel of wrath prepared for destruction.
Romans 9:22 (KJV) 22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
Both men were completely responsible for their actions. We see in Peter genuine repentance but in Judas apostasy!
Judas was sorry after reflecting on the results of what he had done. He was filled with grief, anguish and even indignation at the consequence of his action but it did not involve a true understanding of the nature of sin or a commitment to return to Christ and seek forgiveness from God. Amen.