...woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”
Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?”He answered, “You have said so.”
The Lord said the same thing when "the high priest said to him, “I order you to tell us under oath before the living God whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
"You have said so."
"You have said so."
And when Pontius Pilate demanded “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus said, “You say so.”
Jesus said, “You say so.”
There seems little point in speaking the truth to liars. They would not know the truth if it bit them on the leg. They lie even when they think they're telling the truth because their eyes are blind; their ears, deaf; and their hearts, corrupt.
Judas and Pilate, like the Pharaoh long before them, are left to their own devices; they have no guidance from God and can only pursue the path they see; that of evil. Such was God's design. Although there is no law which says they must sin and God does not command anyone to sin, they had neither the vision nor the power to resist it.
Saint Ignatius described the course of evil when he spoke of how good people are tempted by good. They find nothing attractive about evil and Satan doesn't waste his time making evil suggestions to them. Rather, he suggests good things like having more money is better than having less; and people are happier when you say this than when you say that. "So try to make more money, and tell people what they want to hear. Doesn't that make perfect sense?"
Once they have set out on the path of not asking what God might want, they must inevitably follow the path of evil.
Satan cannot suggest that good people do God's will because he has no idea what that might be. Even when what he suggests happens to conform to God's plan -- as Judas, Pilate, and Pharaoh did -- neither he nor they can see where it leads. Their intent is to do evil, although they might deny that to themselves. They are completely confused; their minds are dark.
Jesus knew what Judas' question meant. The man was lost and would not return. Judas had accepted thirty pieces of silver, and nothing the Lord might say would dissuade him from the course he'd set. The stage was set; the characters, in place; and their lines were memorized. They had only to begin acting.
As we celebrate Holy Week, our course is also set. We must follow Him from the Upper Room into the courts of Caiaphas and Annas, Herod, and Pilate; and then to Calvary. Our hearts are set on following Him wherever He might lead.
