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Judas Iscariot

For Judas Iscariot, an empty shield is shown, stating that he has no right to be considered with the other apostles.

that the relationship was begun. Regardless, THE MAN WITH THE FOOTNOTE we do know that Judas participated in all the One author said it well when he wrote, blessings that were bestowed on the other “Poor Judas, he lost , he lost his fellow eleven apostles. As such, the Holy Spirit apostles, he lost his ill-gotten bribe, and finally provided Judas with the capability to preach to he lost his life, his soul, and heaven.” Of all the lost, heal the sick, and cast out demons. For the history portrayed in Scripture, the story of several years, Judas gave his life to the cause of the betrayal of the Son of God becomes the , but he never surrendered his heart. As a saddest, most disturbing, and vilest account of of Jesus, Judas had access to the love all. Perhaps that is because even though we and forgiveness that Jesus offered freely. Yet despise this man and what he did to the Savior, as time went by, Judas grew more and more we also see that we are never immune from distant from his Lord. Certainly this was not doing the same thing, and admit that “there, but apparent to the other eleven, yet Jesus knew by the grace of God, go I.” what was in Judas’ heart. “‘The words I have In the lists of , Judas spoken to you are spirit and they are life. Yet Iscariot is always placed last and always there are some of you who do not believe.’ For receives the footnote that he betrayed the Lord Jesus had known from the beginning which of Jesus. them did not believe and who would betray him” (:63,64). WHO WAS JUDAS? As with several other apostles, we are only THE TREASURER given hints as to the background of Judas. His Judas was chosen to be the apostle in was a common name of the day taken from charge of the funds. John wrote that Judas was Judah which means “praise the Lord.” His the “keeper of the money bag” (:6). surname Iscariot is derived from the Greek Since Jesus and the Twelve devoted all of their word meaning “man from Kerioth”, the town time to the ministry, there was need to collect where he was born. Likewise, his father, offerings and gifts from friends and followers Simon, was given the same surname. “He to keep them fed and clothed. “The Twelve meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, were with him, and also some women who had though one of the Twelve, was later to betray been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary him” (John 6:71). Kerioth was a small town in (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons Judea, no longer in existence today. Judas was had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the the only disciple from Judea; all the rest were manager of Herod’s household; ; and from Galilee. That made Judas the outsider. many others. These women were helping to Unlike the other eleven, who perhaps knew one support them out of their own means” (Luke another’s backgrounds, of Judas they knew 8:1-3). The tragedy was that Judas abused his nothing. position and turned it into a thing of greed and Scripture does not tell us when or how selfishness. John says that he eventually Judas became a disciple of Jesus. Perhaps it became a thief. Yet even at the very last was through the teaching of moment when the Twelve met with Jesus in the upper room, there is not even a hint that the time to prepare his faithful for the future. John heart of Judas was filled with all sorts of evil detailed the evening with four complete schemes, hatred, and self-indulgence. chapters of Jesus’ teachings. Yet at the outset of the evening, there was one matter that THE TIPPING POINT needed to be resolved. was in the midst Certainly Judas’ despicable deed of them, and he needed to be removed. Jesus developed slowly over time. Throughout his said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray stay with the Lord, he had every opportunity to me” (:21). Judas, in his bold and turn to the great healer and receive forgiveness blatant way asked, “‘Surely not I, ?’ and strength to fight off his habits and desires. Jesus answered, ‘Yes, it is you’” (Matthew Yet he allowed them to fester and worsen as 26:25). Finally, Peter nudged John and told him time went by. to ask Jesus who it was. Jesus told John that it The incident that seemed to instigate the would be the one to whom he would give a betrayal may have occurred the night before piece of bread. Then Jesus took a piece of Jesus rode into Jerusalem on . bread, dipped it, and gave it directly to Judas. That evening Jesus and his disciples were Jesus told Judas to leave and finish his deed. invited to a meal at the house of Simon the Through all this we are told the disciples still Leper. It was in Bethany, so Lazarus, Mary, did not realize it was Judas who was the and were also invited. Mary took a pint betrayer. of very expensive , poured it on Jesus’ Judas went to the chief and elders feet, and wiped them with her hair. It was and set in motion the plans for Jesus’ arrest. revealed that the cost of the perfume was as Being the coward that he was, Judas wanted much as a full year’s wages. “But one of his Jesus to be taken in the darkness of night disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to “when no crowd was present” (:6). betray him, objected, ‘Why wasn’t this perfume Judas knew the location well, for sold and the money given to the poor?’” (John he likely had been there with Jesus many times 12:4,5). This was truly a clever, self-righteous before. Accompanied by many soldiers, Judas response from a man who “did not say this came forth and kissed his master, designating because he cared about the poor but because him as the one. Jesus replied, “Friend, do what he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he you came for” (Matthew 26:50). Those were used to help himself to what was put into it” the last words Jesus spoke to Judas. (John 12:6). Jesus’ response was a gentle reprimand, THE DEATH OF JUDAS “Leave her alone” (John 12:7). But the It took only moments for Judas to realize embarrassment of that incident seemed to be that his plan did not accomplish what he more than Judas could bear. His greed now wanted. Remorse and partnered with hatred. Immediately after this guilt came over him, but took place, Matthew writes, “Then one of the instead of falling to the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to ground before the One the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you who alone could offer willing to give me if I hand him over to you?’” forgiveness and freedom (26:14,15). of guilt, he ran back to the chief priests and THE BETRAYAL elders, threw the blood After preparation had been made to eat the money on the ground, meal, Jesus and his disciples and pleaded, “I have sinned . . . for I have proceeded to the upper room. Here Jesus began betrayed innocent blood” (:4). Yet by washing the feet of all twelve disciples. there was not forgiveness to be found there. Jesus had set this night aside for an intimate The reply was simply, “What is that to us? . . . That’s your responsibility” (27:4). Matthew showed weakness, sinned with their egotistical continues to tell us that Judas went out and attitudes, showed coldheartedness, displayed hanged himself. Luke describes it in greater anger and hatred toward others, and even detail: “He fell headlong, his body burst open denied knowing the Lord. Yet they always and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in returned to their Savior and found mercy and Jerusalem heard about this” (:18,19). forgiveness in his voice. Luke’s final words about Judas were: “Judas The betrayal of Judas also proves to us that left to go where he belongs” (Acts 1:25). no matter how hard Satan works to derail the plans of God, he is powerless. Even the worst THE LESSONS onslaughts against the Lord will have no One can gather endless lessons from this ultimate success in destroying the kingdom of tragic account. First, we must come to the God. The Lord will always be victorious. realization that just because one is near the The tragedy of Judas can neither be erased master does not make him or her a believer. nor forgotten. The name of Judas has been Living an outward life of faith, attending forever stained, and the betrayal can never be church regularly, and receiving the sacraments reversed. Yet we can find justice in this does not expose a person’s heart. We should tragedy, knowing that the ultimate outcome of all take a serious look at these words of Paul: Judas’ life and death was that Jesus did indeed “So if you think you are standing firm, be walk the path to Calvary and die for our sins. careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12). But our Lord promises renewed Discuss: If you would place an object into Judas’ coat strength when we read the next verse: “But of arms, what would it be? Why was Judas’ betrayal and death a lesson for us all? Are our sins ever so when you are tempted, he will also provide a great that we should not run to Jesus for forgiveness? way out so that you can stand up under it” How did Peter and Judas approach their terrible sins (10:13). That was the difference between the differently? other eleven and Judas. The record many instances in which the other disciples