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Activities
for
individuals or groups
Why
did he do it?
Judas is the archetypal villain. Very little is known about him: there
is no mention of him during the ministry of Jesus in Galilee, as there
is of the other disciples.
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'Conscience'
by Nikolaj Nikolajewitsch |
Was he simply not there at the time, or was
his name excluded later one because of what he had done?
Stand
back and look dispassionately at Judas. List all the different motives
he might have had for doing what he did.
Rank them in their order of likelihood.
Standing
in another's shoes
Read the gospel chapters dealing with the last days of Jesus, prior to his
death on the cross.
List the series of events in the lead-up to the
crucifixion.
Now write a paragraph on each event, telling the story
from
Judas' point of view.
Films About Betrayal
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The Judas
Kiss
painted wooden statue, Spain |
(group or single activity)
Stage 1: Make up a list
List
some films about betrayal. You can choose
recent films or classics. If this is a group activity, choose films most
people know.
Stage
2: Glance over your list
1.
Have you chosen films that are personal, relating to daily life, or ones
that are more about the big picture?
2.
Do your favorites have a little of both?
3. What does this say about you and what you need in a story?
Stage
3: Choose your favorite
4.
What are the central themes in this film?
5.
Is the betrayal shown in a realistic light, or is it heavily weighted
into 'goodies' and 'baddies'?
6.
Do any of the situations remind you of your own life or experiences?
7. Or does the film have universal themes?
Stage
4: Think about your choices
Group
activity: discuss these questions, making sure everyone in the group has
a chance to talk about their ideas.
Single
activity: sit down for a few minutes and focus your mind; make a quick
list of your favorites; read through the Stage 3 questions, and think
about your responses as you do other tasks in your day.
Famous
Quotes
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"I have
sinned by betraying innocent blood." But they said "What is that
to us?"
(Matthew 27:4)
"Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me". (John
13:21)
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The wonderful
thing about the gospels is that they can sum up universal problems in just a
sentence or two.
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Crown of
thorns |
Think about these questions:
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How
much innocent blood has been spilt in the centuries since the words
above were written?
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How
many people have said, in effect, 'What is that to us?'
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How
many times has each of us betrayed Jesus and what he stood for?
Extra Websites
Bible
Archaeology: Crucifixion
Did Judas watch Jesus die this horrific death?
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