John Calvin Commentary John 12:6

"Now this he said, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and having the bag took away what was put therein." — John 12:6 (ASV)

Because he was a thief. The rest of the Apostles, not from any bad disposition, but thoughtlessly, condemn Mary. But Judas resorts to a plausible pretext for his wickedness when he brings forward the poor, though he cared nothing about them. We are taught by this instance what a frightful beast the desire for possessions is; the loss Judas believes he has sustained, by the loss of an opportunity for stealing, incites him to such rage that he does not hesitate to betray Christ.

And probably, in what he said about the poor having been defrauded, he not only spoke falsely to others but also flattered himself inwardly, as hypocrites are accustomed to do; as if the act of betraying Christ were a trivial fault by which he endeavored to obtain compensation for the loss he had sustained.

Indeed, he had only one reason for betraying Christ: to regain in some way the prey that had been snatched from his hands. For it was the indignation aroused in him by the gain he had lost that drove him to the plan of betraying Christ.

It is astonishing that Christ chose as a steward a person of this description, whom he knew to be a thief. For what else was it than to put into his hands a rope to strangle himself? Mortal man can offer no other reply to this than that the judgments of God are a deep gulf.

Yet Christ’s action should not be viewed as a general rule that we should entrust the care of the poor, or anything sacred, to a wicked and ungodly man. For God has laid down for us a law concerning who should be called to the government of the Church and to other offices, and this law we are not free to violate.

The case was different with Christ, who, being the eternal Wisdom of God, provided an opportunity for his secret predestination in the person of Judas.