As the Biblical story goes, Judas Iscariot, one of the willing and trusted disciples of Jesus (he was in charge of the donated money from which he used to steal), finally realizes that his Master has no intention of taking the country back from the Romans hands in a armed rebellion when He rejects being crowned king by the people and, instead, is even willing to die without offering any resistance as His "kingdom is not of this world".
I think that Judas was willing to die for Jesus in a rebellion, but not in a pacifist revolution as He wanted and that's what this part is about:
"Until now, I knew this of myself [Judas]
That if you had thrown yourself down
Into the lion's den [rebellion]
My brother [Jesus] I'd follow you in"
Judas feels that he has been following the wrong man all along and in disappointment, frustration and ambition decides to betray his Master to the Pharisees in exchange for money (30 silver pieces) by telling them when and where Jesus would be alone with his disciples and by showing them, with a kiss, which one of them Jesus was.
Jesus was fully aware of Judas' intentions, but accepted it as part of God's plan and even told Judas "What you are about to do, do quickly".
During the Passover, the Romans allowed the Jewish people to choose a prisoner to be freed and Judas thought that they would choose Jesus Christ as He was so popular. But the people was also disappointed with Him and chose to have Barabbas (a Revolutioner whose first name was also "Jesus" and his full name means "Jesus, Son of the Father") released instead and Jesus Christ was condemned to death.
Seeing his plan falling apart, Judas then goes back to the Pharisees to cancel the deal, but of course, it's too late. They tell him that's his problem and that they have nothing to do with it as he did it all by his own decision and thus he would have to deal with the consequences and his guilty by his own.
Judas then realizes that the Pharisees were playing him all along, "so Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself." Later, the Pharisees used that money to buy the field where Judas killed himself (an ugly death I have to add) to bury foreigners called Akeldama (Field of Blood).
I see this part as Judas talking to Jesus about all that happened:
"Perhaps I [Judas] lack some foresight (should have known)
But brother [Jesus] you were so right
Sure as the setting sun
You can't trust just anyone [Judas nor the Pharisees]"
And then, Jesus replying:
That's what you want [the betrayal], but it's not what you're asking for [to kill Jesus]
I said that's what you're asking [the money], but you're gonna get more than you bargained for [Jesus death and his own and all the other consequences]
I said that's what you had [his life], but you don't have it any more [he's dead now]
You had it coming [he did it all himself]".
Now, in this part I see Jesus talking to Judas about his suicide and all the implications that His own death would bring to the Jewish people (they were massacred when they went in armed revolt against the Romans and the Temple was destroyed), the other disciples (most of them were chased, arrested and killed) and eventually to the whole world (everything that Christianity caused in History):
"I [Jesus] never imagined you [Judas] dead (I never)
But tell me, are you even aware
That all that we did [the teaching, the pacifism], you undo?
Iscariot, you fool"
It's a very sad story and, in my opinion, the song and melody captures it beautifully!
As the Biblical story goes, Judas Iscariot, one of the willing and trusted disciples of Jesus (he was in charge of the donated money from which he used to steal), finally realizes that his Master has no intention of taking the country back from the Romans hands in a armed rebellion when He rejects being crowned king by the people and, instead, is even willing to die without offering any resistance as His "kingdom is not of this world".
I think that Judas was willing to die for Jesus in a rebellion, but not in a pacifist revolution as He wanted and that's what this part is about: "Until now, I knew this of myself [Judas] That if you had thrown yourself down Into the lion's den [rebellion] My brother [Jesus] I'd follow you in"
Judas feels that he has been following the wrong man all along and in disappointment, frustration and ambition decides to betray his Master to the Pharisees in exchange for money (30 silver pieces) by telling them when and where Jesus would be alone with his disciples and by showing them, with a kiss, which one of them Jesus was.
Jesus was fully aware of Judas' intentions, but accepted it as part of God's plan and even told Judas "What you are about to do, do quickly".
During the Passover, the Romans allowed the Jewish people to choose a prisoner to be freed and Judas thought that they would choose Jesus Christ as He was so popular. But the people was also disappointed with Him and chose to have Barabbas (a Revolutioner whose first name was also "Jesus" and his full name means "Jesus, Son of the Father") released instead and Jesus Christ was condemned to death.
Seeing his plan falling apart, Judas then goes back to the Pharisees to cancel the deal, but of course, it's too late. They tell him that's his problem and that they have nothing to do with it as he did it all by his own decision and thus he would have to deal with the consequences and his guilty by his own.
Judas then realizes that the Pharisees were playing him all along, "so Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself." Later, the Pharisees used that money to buy the field where Judas killed himself (an ugly death I have to add) to bury foreigners called Akeldama (Field of Blood).
I see this part as Judas talking to Jesus about all that happened:
"Perhaps I [Judas] lack some foresight (should have known) But brother [Jesus] you were so right Sure as the setting sun You can't trust just anyone [Judas nor the Pharisees]"
And then, Jesus replying:
That's what you want [the betrayal], but it's not what you're asking for [to kill Jesus] I said that's what you're asking [the money], but you're gonna get more than you bargained for [Jesus death and his own and all the other consequences] I said that's what you had [his life], but you don't have it any more [he's dead now] You had it coming [he did it all himself]".
Now, in this part I see Jesus talking to Judas about his suicide and all the implications that His own death would bring to the Jewish people (they were massacred when they went in armed revolt against the Romans and the Temple was destroyed), the other disciples (most of them were chased, arrested and killed) and eventually to the whole world (everything that Christianity caused in History):
"I [Jesus] never imagined you [Judas] dead (I never) But tell me, are you even aware That all that we did [the teaching, the pacifism], you undo? Iscariot, you fool"
It's a very sad story and, in my opinion, the song and melody captures it beautifully!