I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Matthew 27-28

I came across an Internet meme a few days ago which said that Christians identify with the heroes of the Bible and not with the villains.  They identify with Peter and not with Judas.  The meme had a point, but failed to truly comprehend the Bible.  Peter and Judas are in many ways two sides of the same thing.  Both betrayed Jesus and both felt remorse for their betrayal.  However, Judas punished himself for his failure, whereas Peter threw himself upon Jesus’ mercy.  Both felt terrible remorse for their sin, but Judas refused to live with the shame.  Yes, from a human perspective (and perhaps from God’s as well, but I won’t know that as long as I am on this earth), Judas’ sin was the greater sin, but it was also necessary for God’s plan.  I believe that if Judas had been willing to face others after his betrayal became obvious, Jesus would have forgiven him.  Neither Judas nor Peter could make their betrayal right, but Jesus could and did for Peter.  While Judas never heard Jesus say the final words Matthew recorded, I believe he was unwilling to live with their truth.  Are we?