I think that it can help to conceptualize the rhythm and flow of the history of ideas by the use of narrative.

To that end, I would like to reflect a little on Judas Iscariot’s motivations for his betrayal of Jesus, and draw a parallel between Judas and the post-Christian West.

Why did Judas betray Jesus? I think that we must begin to answer this by recalling that Judas was not evil- at least not at first.

He is consistently referred to as “one of the Twelve.” We are to assume that Judas is included when Christ said “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:19-20)

So, what went wrong? I would like to draw on two quotes from Christ to articulate my point.

First, Christ gives us a hint at the roots of betrayal when he says “No one is able to serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and he will love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and he will despise the other. You are not able to serve God and mammon.” (Matt 6:24)

The second quote is Christ’s summary of the Law and the Prophets:

36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:36-40)

Please note that this summary actually has two parts. Loving God, and loving neighbor (and in that order).

With these two quotes in mind, let us turn to the scene where Judas seems to turn on Christ.

“Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.

And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected,

“Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” (John 12:3-4)

Now, the Gospel writer goes on to say that Judas actually did not care about the poor, but merely wanted the money that the nard would have fetched. (Nard is made from a plant grown in the Himalayas, and would have been extremely valuable in that age).

But, let’s take him at his word. Judas by this point in the narrative would have known from his experiences of the miracles that Jesus was the Messiah, or at the very least a prophet.

And as a first century Jew he also would have noticed the cultural significance of this annointing scene, which harkens back to Samuel annointing King David with oil, as well as the

Daniel’s prophecy about anointing “the most Holy place.” Despite this, Judas is unbalanced in his understanding of Christ’s summary of the Law and the Prophets. He puts helping the poor (love thy neighbor) prior to service to God (Love the Lord). It is this lack of balance- ignoring he first half of the teaching and solely focusing on the

Humanism of the second half, that Judas goes astray.

Suppose, however, that Judas was not being sincere in his objections. Suppose he really did simply want to sell the nard for his own profit. In this case, he would have been

running afoul of the first quote I shared: namely, he would have been serving Mammon (that is, wealth) instead of Christ. And as we have seen, divided loyalties seldom work out.

What does all this have to do with the post-Christian West?

I think that whichever version of the story one opts for, the chief sin of the modern West and the chief sin of Judas are largely the same.

Modern Neoliberal capitalism pays lipservice to human dignity, progress, social order, but ultimately seeks to serve Mammon. Whether Neoliberal Capitalists are

conscious of it or not, they cannot serve two masters. To truncate things to an almost criminal extent- Neoliberal Capitalism has its roots in the Enlightenment project. The West, during the Enlightenment, sought to cast off the shackles of faith and the Church age, in pursuit of human progress and material prosperity. Doing so required the West to “betray” the Catholic Church for the promise of material gain.

It was holding us back, after all- or so we reassure ourselves.

Modern Man is often well-meaning, but like the Judas in the second example I gave, he ignores half of the summary of the Law and the Prophets. It no longer has any meaning for him. Only the Secular Humanism inspired by what is left is of any utility to a man who cannot see beyond the material world of the here and now.

A healthy, more balanced outlook, I believe, would be to remember both of the Great Commandments in all our dealings. Be it in business, daily life, trade, or political policy.