The Issues God Encounters with Preachers, Part Three

Judas hanged himself because no one listened to him.

Imagine facing an emotional crisis or committing a certain sin, and you rush to find someone to confide in, hoping they will listen to your problem or that you can confess your sin. But when you reach out to them, they don’t listen as you expected. How would that make you feel? (Take a moment to reflect and answer yourself). I believe your heart would be filled with deep sorrow, and sometimes you might even make harmful decisions as a result.

Psychologists affirm that giving someone time, actively listening with empathy, and putting yourself in their shoes are key elements in helping someone with emotional distress to find relief and heal from their emotional wounds (grief and others). If those who do not believe in God have advanced in addressing emotional issues and teaching future doctors to solve them, has the Church considered how to deal with emotional wounds caused by sin? (This is the issue God asks preachers).

The Issue God Encounters with Preachers:

When Judas, who betrayed Jesus, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was filled with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned, for I have betrayed innocent blood.” But they replied, “What is that to us? That’s your responsibility.” So Judas threw the silver coins in the temple and left. Then he went and hanged himself (NIV-Matthew 27:3-5).

The name Judas is well known in the New Testament as one of Jesus’ disciples, but it is famously associated with negative acts, like his love of money that led him to betray Jesus for thirty silver coins. Sadly, after Jesus was condemned, knowing He was innocent, Judas hanged himself!

Was Judas repentant? If so, why did he hang himself? He was filled with remorse. “I have sinned, for I have betrayed innocent blood.” These were Judas’ words to the priests, showing genuine remorse from his heart. I was amazed by how he recognized his sin and confessed it, which is rare for some believers who metaphorically excuse their sin for the sake of avoiding shame in the community of believers. But Judas spoke it freely, showing his genuine repentance. However, the priests’ reply, “What is that to us? That’s your responsibility,” reflects their lack of care or respect and little to no active listening to his confession. This refusal to listen is what ultimately led Judas to hang himself.

Some might argue that this interpretation could be controversial or debated. For example, someone could say, “If Judas was repentant, why did he confess his sin to those with whom he committed the sin?” My answer is simple. Under the Old Covenant, there was no one else who could mediate between people and God except the priest, so there was no one else Judas could confess to. Others might say that Judas was destined for destruction, but I believe that wasn’t God’s choice for him. God desired that he be saved too “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3-4 (NIV) and “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV). Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

I imagine that if Judas had met Nicodemus and confessed to him, his heart would have found peace and freedom. But let’s not dwell on what could have been; instead, let’s focus on the lessons we can learn.

Lessons for the Contemporary Community:

The church today seems to have lost its mission to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). The time and attention given to members in the church are minimal compared to what they need. Some are even met with harsh words when they need comfort, causing them to harm themselves because no one will listen to them.

One day, I was searching online for hospitals in Rwanda that help people with emotional issues/psychotherapy sessions, and I found a hospital charging 70,000 Rwandan francs per session of 60 minutes. There’s no doubt that giving someone time and actively listening to them is costly, but despite the expense, many people need it and cannot afford it—they need you. Let me say, yes, they need you; listen to them.

Just as Judas couldn’t find someone to listen to him, leading him to make the final decision to take his own life, so too are people in churches today suffering to the point of suicide because there is no one willing to listen to them.

When I was completing my bachelor’s degree in Clinical Psychology, I was particularly drawn to studying suicide. My focus was to explore mental health professionals’ attitudes and perceptions regarding suicidal behavior.

One professional insightfully noted, “No one commits suicide with the desire to die or end their life, but rather to end their problems.” From my findings, I may assume that Judas didn’t commit suicide because he wanted to die but to take away his remorse (My personal opinion).

In Conclusion: “…that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith” (Romans 1:12). As members of the church, we should support and encourage each other through all seasons, driven by faith in Christ. In good times, it’s often easy to find someone nearby, but in hard times, we must take a step forward and actively listen to all who approach us, without judgment or hurting their feelings. Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear (Mark 7:16). “Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor” (those lacking peace, advice, or basic needs), “will also cry out and not be answered” (Proverbs 21:13). And let’s remember that “people curse the one who hoards grain, but they pray God’s blessing on the one who is willing to sell” (Proverbs 11:26).