The Emotions of Easter - The Fear of the Pharisees.

Today's reading is about The Fear of Judas.

Here are some quotes from  www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-would-judas-do

The Pharisees loved money (Luke 16:14), feared men (Matthew 26:5), and hated Jesus (Matthew 26:4).  

That formula may be lived out before you more than you realize.  The love of money often looks merely practical. The fear of men can hide behind masks.

But the Bible is clear: If you love money and fear men, you cannot love God or escape hell (Luke 16:13; John 5:44) — and you become a card-carrying member of the crowd who crucified the Author of life (Acts 3:15).  

The cross — that horrifying drama of hatred — was only a symptom of the Pharisees’ craving for money, approval, and power. It was as if they bought a billboard to advertise their love for money, and set on a hill for all to see.But they would never do something so obvious. What would the people say? They “feared the people” (Luke 22:2).  

In fact, the people’s love for Jesus was half the reason the religious leaders hated him so much. The authorities were cowards with cravings. They had to find a way to kill him quietly (Matthew 26:3–5). They had to find a way to murder an innocent man without losing any esteem or influence.

The Pharisees "feared the people" and they feared Jesus, which is why they paid Judas to betray Jesus.