Was Jesus Brother Judas The One Who Betrayed Him?

Why Jesus Was Betrayed by Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot sealed his own fate from the minute he planted a kiss on Jesus of Nazareth in the Garden of Gethsemane: he would go down in history as the world’s most renowned traitor.
The identification of Jesus by the Jewish authorities, on the other hand, set in motion a series of events that would become the cornerstones of the Christian faith: Jesus’s arrest and trial, his crucifixion, and ultimately his resurrection, all of which are collectively known as the Passion of Christ.
WATCH: JESUS: A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE Vault In light of how little we truly know about Judas Iscariot from the Bible, he continues to be one of the most enigmatic–and important–figures in Jesus’s life narrative to this day.
In recent years, the discovery of the long-lost Gospel of Judas, a Gnostic document that was originally written in the second century, has prompted some historians to reexamine Judas’s participation in the events of the New Testament, even questioning if he was wrongfully accused of betraying Jesus.

Who Was Judas Iscariot? What We Know from the Bible

Despite the fact that the Bible provides little details concerning Judas’s upbringing, he is listed as one of Jesus’ closest disciples, or apostles, in all four of the New Testament’s canonical gospels.
Intriguingly, Judas Iscariot is the only one of the apostles who is (possibly) identified by his hometown in the Bible, which is a unique distinction.
Some academics believe that his surname ″Iscariot″ is derived from the town of Queriot (also known as Kerioth), which is located south of Jerusalem in the Judean Hills.
The fact that Judas is not from Galilee, according to Robert Cargill, associate professor of classics and religious studies at the University of Iowa and editor of Biblical Archaeology Review, ″might distinguish him from the rest of Jesus’s disciples,″ he adds.
The northern section of Israel, or Roman Palestine, is where Jesus hails from.

The fact that he has a southern surname suggests that he is from a different region of the nation, and therefore that he is somewhat of an outsider.″ MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT: Photos of 10 Biblical Sites to Explore Others have proposed that the name Iscariot was used to identify Judas with the Sicarii, also known as ″dagger-men,″ a group of Jewish insurgents who fought Roman domination and perpetrated acts of terrorism on favor of their nationalist cause around the year 40-50 A.D., according to some scholars.However, there is nothing in the Bible that links Judas to the Sicarii, and the Sicarii were only discovered to be active after Judas’ death.In addition, Cargill argues, ″we’re not certain Judas came from the South, and we’re not certain Judas was a Sicarii.″ ″These are attempts to determine whether or if there was something that distinguished Judas apart from the rest from the beginning.Because people are always attempting to justify why he would have done anything like this.

″What would have motivated Judas to betray Jesus?″ READ MORE: What Did Jesus Look Like When He Was Alive?

Possible Motives for Judas Iscariot’s Betrayal

According to the Gospel of John, Jesus revealed to his followers over the Last Supper that one of them would betray him if they didn’t repent of their actions.
In response to their question, Jesus responded, ″It is the person to whom I offer this piece of bread after I have dipped it in the dish.″ Later, Judas, who was recognized as the ″son of Simon Iscariot,″ was given a piece of bread that had been dipped in a dish by the apostle.
″Satan came into Judas when he received the piece of bread,″ the Bible says.
(See also John 13:21-27.) When Judas was alone, he went to the priests of the Temple, who were at the time the religious authority, and offered to betray Jesus in exchange for money—30 pieces of silver, according to the Gospel of Matthew—they accepted his offer.
The Gospel of Luke, like the Gospel of John, attributed Judas’ treachery to Satan’s influence rather than simple avarice, as was the case in the Gospel of John.

While John didn’t say it explicitly, he did state that Judas was an immoral man even before the devil possessed him: he was in charge of ″the common purse,″ which was the fund that Jesus and his followers used to support their mission, and he stole money from it.In the words of Cargill, ″there have always been some who have sought to attach Judas’s treachery to the fact that he had a love of money.″ Others have speculated that his disloyal behavior was motivated by a greater political purpose.Theoretically, Judas may have become disillusioned when Jesus showed little interest in fomenting an insurrection against the Romans or reestablishing an independent kingdom of Israel, according to this idea.Alternately, according to Cargill, Judas (along with Jewish authorities at the time) might have perceived a rebellion as potentially dangerous for the Jewish people in general, similar to what happened when Rome destroyed Sepphoris earlier in the first century: ″Maybe he decided to hand Jesus over, in effect, to put a stop to a larger rebellion.″ READ MORE: Why Did Pontius Pilate Order the Execution of Jesus?

What Happened After That

No matter what his motivations were, Judas led troops to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he recognized Jesus as the Messiah by kissing him and addressing him as ″Rabbi.″ (Matthew 14:44–46) As recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, Judas instantly repented of his conduct and returned the 30 pieces of silver to the church’s treasurer, declaring, ″I have sinned by betraying the blood of innocent men and women.″ When the authorities dismissed Judas, he left the money on the floor and committed himself by hanging himself from the ceiling fan (Matthew 27:3-8).
Judas did not commit himself after betraying Jesus, according to another canonical source in the Bible, the Book of Acts (written by the same author as the Gospel of Luke).
As a result, he proceeded into a field, where he ″fell headlong into the center of it and burst asunder, with all his guts gushing out″ as a result of ″falling headlong into it″ (Acts 1:18).
This type of spontaneous combustion-like event was a common cause of death in the Bible, particularly when God himself was responsible for people’s demise.
Because of Judas’ treachery, Jesus was arrested, tried, and executed by crucifixion, following which he was raised from the dead.

This sequence of events is considered to have delivered redemption to humanity in accordance with Christian belief.However, the name ″Judas″ came to be associated with betrayal in a variety of languages, and Judas Iscariot would come to be depicted as the prototypical traitor and false friend in Western art and literature as a result.Famously, Judas was sent to Hell’s lowest circle in Dante’s Inferno, and artists such as Giotto and Caravaggio, among others, immortalized the treasonous ″Judas kiss″ in their classic paintings.MORE INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND AT: How would you describe Mary Magdalene: prostitute, housewife, or none of the above?

Was Judas Really That Bad?

According to Joan Acocella in The New Yorker in 2006, ″the most essential aspect about Judas, aside from his betrayal of Jesus, is his association with anti-Semitism.″ Judas has been held up as a symbol of Jews by Christians almost since Christ’s crucifixion, representing what they believe to be the Jewish people’s deviousness and thirst for money, among other ethnic vices.″ Due to the historical inclination to associate Judas with anti-Semitic stereotypes, following the horrors of the Holocaust, this significant Biblical figure has been given a second look, and his image has even been somewhat restored in some quarters of the world.
According to Professor William Klassen, a Canadian biblical scholar, many details of Judas’ betrayal were invented or exaggerated by early Christian church leaders, particularly as the church began to move away from Judaism.
In a 1997 biography of Judas, Professor Klassen argued that many details of his betrayal were invented or exaggerated by early Christian church leaders, especially as the church began to move away from Judaism.

What Is the Gospel of Judas?

It was announced in 2006 by the National Geographic Society that a long-lost text known as the ″Gospel of Judas″ had been discovered and translated into English.
The text is believed to have been written around A.D.
150 and then copied from Greek into Coptic in the third century, according to scholars.
The Gospel of Judas was first mentioned in writing by the second-century cleric Irenaeus, and it is one of a number of ancient texts that have been discovered in recent decades that have been linked to the Gnostics, a (mostly Christian) group who were denounced as heretics by early church leaders for their unorthodox spiritual beliefs.
However, rather than expose Judas as Jesus’ betrayer, the author of the Gospel of Judas extolled him as Jesus’ most favorite disciple in the book of Matthew.

According to this version of the story, Jesus begged Judas to betray him to the authorities so that he may be released from his physical body and fulfill his mission of redeeming people on earth.Despite the fact that some scholars have argued that the National Geographic Society’s version of the Gospel of Judas represented an incorrect translation of the Coptic text and that the public was misled into believing the document depicted a ″noble Judas,″ the document continues to be surrounded by controversy.According to whatever interpretation you choose, given that the Gospel of Judas was written at least a century after both Jesus and Judas died, it offers little in the way of historically reliable information about their lives, and certainly does not provide the missing link to understanding Judas Iscariot″s true motivations.As Cargill points out, ″the fact is that we don’t know why Judas did what he did.″ ″Of course, the great irony is that without Judas, Jesus would not have been sent to the Romans and killed, and without Judas, you would not have the core component of Christianity—the Resurrection.″

Why did Judas betray Jesus?

Answer to the question While we can never know for definite why Judas betrayed Jesus, there are several things we can be confident of.
First and foremost, despite the fact that Judas was chosen to be one of the Twelve (John 6:64), all scriptural evidence indicates that he never believed Jesus to be the Son of God.
He may not have even been convinced that Jesus was the Messiah at the time (as Judas understood it).
Unlike the other disciples, who addressed Jesus as ″Lord,″ Judas never addressed him as such, instead referring to him as ″Rabbi,″ implying that Jesus was nothing more than a teacher.
While the other disciples made public pledges of faith and commitment at various points in the Bible (John 6:68; 11:16), Judas never did and appears to have kept mute.

This lack of confidence in Jesus serves as the foundation for all of the other concerns that will be discussed further down.In our case, the same remains true.If we fail to accept Jesus as God incarnate and, as a result, as the only One who is capable of providing forgiveness for our sins—along with the everlasting redemption that comes with it—we will be vulnerable to a slew of other issues that arise as a result of having a distorted vision of the divine.To add insult to injury, Judas did not only have little or no confidence in Christ, but he also had little or no personal contact with him.

When the synoptic gospels list the Twelve, they are usually given in the same basic sequence, with minor changes, with the exception of Matthew and Mark (Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:14-16).They think that the overall order of their personal relationships with Jesus indicates the relative closeness of their personal relationships with Jesus.Regardless of the differences, Peter and the brothers James and John are always mentioned first, which is consistent with their personal ties with Jesus and the apostles.In the New Testament, Judas is usually named last, which may suggest that he had a limited personal contact with Christ.Aside from that, the only known exchange between Jesus and his betrayer Judas is Judas being scolded by Jesus after making a greed-motivated comment to Mary (John 12:1-8), Judas’ denial of his treachery (Matthew 26:25), and the act of betrayal itself (Matthew 26:26).(Luke 22:48).

In a third instance, as we can see in John 12:5-6, Judas was overwhelmed by greed to the point of betraying not only the confidence of Jesus, but also that of his fellow disciples.Judas may have wanted to follow Jesus merely because he observed the large number of people who were following him and felt he might profit from the collections that were being collected for the cause.The fact that Judas was in control of the organization’s moneybag would show that he had a financial stake in the group (John 13:29).Judas was also under the impression that the Messiah was on his way to destroy Roman domination and ascend to a position of authority governing over the country of Israel, which was common belief at the time.

Judas may have followed Jesus in the hope of reaping the benefits of being associated with Him as the next political force in the world.He undoubtedly anticipated to be a member of the governing class following the revolution.By the time of Judas’ betrayal, Jesus had made it obvious that He intended to die rather than instigate a revolt against the Roman authorities.As a result, Judas may have concluded, just as the Pharisees did, that because He would not topple the Romans, He could not possibly be the Messiah they had been waiting for.Some Old Testament scriptures, some more precisely than others, allude to the violation of the king’s trust.Here are two examples: In fact, ″even my close buddy, in whom I placed my faith, he who has shared my bread, has turned his heel against me″ (Psalm 41:9, see fulfillment in Matthew 26:14, 48-49).

″I also told them, ‘If you believe it’s best, give me my salary; if you don’t, keep it,’″ says the author.As a result, they compensated me with thirty pieces of silver.And the LORD said to me, ‘Throw it to the potter,’ referring to the great price at which they had valued me.’ And with those thirty pieces of silver in my possession, I gave them to the potter who worked in the LORD’s temple (Zechariah 11:12-13; see Matthew 27:3-5 for the fulfillment of the Zechariah prophecy).Several Old Testament prophesies imply that God was aware of Judas’ treachery and that it had been sovereignly prepared in advance as the manner by which Jesus would be slain prior to his death.

But, if God was aware of Judas’ treachery, did Judas have a choice, and is he held accountable for his role in the betrayal?Because of our limited experience of time passing in a linear way, many people have difficulty reconciling the idea of ″free will″ (as most people understand it) with God’s foreknowledge of future events.This is due in great part to our limited understanding of time.If we believe that God exists outside of time, having created everything before the beginning of ″time,″ we may understand that God considers every instant in time to be the current moment in time.

In a linear sense, we see time as a straight line, and we go from one place to another gradually, recalling the past we have previously traveled through but being unable to see into the future we are about to enter into.
God, on the other hand, is not ″in time″ or on the timeline since he is the everlasting Creator of the construct of time.
He exists outside of time.

It could be helpful to picture of time (in relation to God) as a circle, with God in the center and therefore equally close to all points.
However, Judas had the entire capability to make his decision—at least until ″Satan came into him″ (John 13:27), and God’s foreknowledge (John 13:10, 18, and 21) in no way exceeds Judas’ ability to make any particular option in any specific situation.
God, on the other hand, saw what Judas would finally select as if it were a current observation, and Jesus made it clear that Judas was responsible for his choice and would be held accountable.
″I’ll tell you the truth: one of you will betray me—and it will be the one who is eating with me right now″ (Mark 14:18).

It is important to note that Jesus refers to Judas’ participation as a betrayal.
As for culpability for this betrayal, Jesus said: ″Woe to the one who betrays the Son of Man!
″ I believe that it would have been preferable for him not to exist″ (Mark 14:21).
We see in John 13:26-27 that Satan played a role in this, and he will be held accountable for his actions as a result of them as well.

God, in His wisdom, was able to utilize even Satan’s disobedience to the advantage of mankind, as He has done throughout history.
Because Satan assisted in the sending of Jesus to the cross, sin and death were vanquished, and God’s provision of redemption is now freely available to anyone who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior (Romans 6:23).
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Forgiveness: If Jesus knew that Judas was going to betray him, why did he keep him in the circle of his close companions until the end?

When Jesus chose his twelve closest followers from among the thousands who followed him, he intended for them to participate and carry on his mission with him.
He took the creation of this group of twelve apostles extremely seriously, praying for it for a full night before it took place.
However, at a certain point, Jesus noticed that one of the twelve disciples, Judas, had shifted his perspective.
According to the gospels, Jesus recognized that Judas was growing increasingly away from him, and even realized that he was about to ″give him over.″ According to John’s gospel, Jesus was aware of what was going on in Galilee long before the events in Jerusalem that would lead to his death on the cross occurred (John 6:70-71).
So why didn’t he just kick Judas out of the house?

What was he thinking by keeping him so close to him to the end?We can deduce something from one of the terms used by Jesus to describe the formation of the group of twelve apostles.″Did I not chose you, the Twelve?″ says the Master.(7:70; see also 13:18) (See also John 6:70.) The verb to select is a crucial term in the history of the Bible.

God picked Abraham, and then he chose Israel to be the chosen people for the rest of time.God’s choosing or election is the process by which God’s people, the people of the covenant, are formed.The fact that God has chosen to love Abraham and his descendants for all time is what makes the covenant unbreakable.″God’s talents and calling are irreversible,″ the apostle Paul would say in response to this (Romans 11:29).Jesus could not expel Judas because he had chosen the twelve in the same manner that God had chosen his people, and he could not do so even when he learned that he was about to betray him.He was well aware that he would have to love him until the very end in order to demonstrate that God’s decision was final.

A God hurt and humiliated by the betrayals of his people, but who never ceased loving them with an eternity-long love, was represented by the prophets, in especially Hosea and Jeremiah, who spoke in their names.In spite of the fact that he was humiliated by the defection of one of his closest colleagues, Jesus refused to offer him any less love than he had previously shown him.By prostrating himself in front of his students and washing their feet, Jesus elevated himself to the status of servant to everyone, even Judas.He shared a piece of bread with Judas in particular, a sliver of blazing love that the disciple carried away with him into his nighttime wanderings (John 13:21-30).

If Jesus wished to be true to his Father – to the God who selected Abraham and Israel, to the God of the prophets – he had no choice but to keep Judas near to him until the end of the world.He had feelings for Judas even though Judas was cloaked in shadows of doubt.A ray of sunshine breaks through the gloom (John 1:5).According to the narrative, Jesus was ″glorified″ at the time he gave his love to Judas, when he did so without expecting anything in return and with no regard for the consequences (John 13:31).In the midst of the most difficult night of wrath and hatred, Jesus displayed the incredible light of God’s love.

Why are the gospels so discreet concerning Judas’ motives?

It is incredible that the first Christians did not remain silent about the fact that one of the twelve apostles had turned Jesus up to the hostile authorities during his ministry.
Given this circumstance, it is reasonable to question the character of Jesus himself: did Jesus make an error in selecting one of his closest companions?
However, it is as amazing that the gospels include absolutely no information concerning Judas’ motivations.
Was he dissatisfied when he understood that Jesus was not a Messiah with a political liberation agenda in mind for the world?
Was he under the impression that he was working in the best interests of his people by putting a stop to Jesus’ professional life?

Some believe he was motivated by the promise of a reward, while others believe he acted out of love, assisting Jesus in his decision to offer his life….There are just two indicators in the gospels as to why Judas did what he did: the first is that he was betrayed.The mention of the devil is one of them.’The devil implanted the desire to hand him over into Judas’ heart,’ says the author (John 13:2).

However, this simply adds to the intrigue.The devil, sometimes known as Satan, is the one who opposes, criticizes, or slanders the Christian faith.Jesus could sense the resentment that had been bred in Judas’ heart and that had been entrenched to the point of being unrecoverably entrenched.But there isn’t a single word, not even a hint, regarding why it existed.It is also possible to determine this by referring to the Holy Scriptures.″So that the words of Scripture will be fulfilled: The one who eats my bread turned his heel against me,″ Jesus stated in response to Judas’ betrayal of him (Psalm 41:9, quoted in John 13:18).

When the gospels make this reference to the Scriptures, it is critical that we comprehend what they are saying accurately.They are not the same as a screenplay in the sense that the roles of each performer are not written down in advance.Those who have thoroughly studied the Bible are well aware of the extent to which it provides options and places everyone ahead of their societal obligations.When Jesus quotes the phrase from the psalm that says, ″The one who eats my bread turned his heel against me,″ he is not implying that Judas could not have done differently, but rather that God is still the primary actor in the drama that is unfolding.

While there is a dramatic element to the betrayal, God is also at work in the story.Because, if the Scriptures are being fulfilled via Judas, it signifies that God’s purposes are being carried out in a cryptic manner, as he has stated.God is bringing about the fulfillment of his promises (Isaiah 55:10-11).Our faith in God is strengthened by the reference to Scripture, which allows us to believe even when things happen that are difficult to comprehend.When it comes to Judas’ bitterness and animosity, there is nothing more unfathomable than Jesus’ love for him ″until the very end.″ They are so circumspect about Judas’ motivations because they do not wish to satisfy our curiosity, but rather to persuade us to trust in Jesus Christ.The gulf of darkness of the drama of Judas’ betrayal is not illuminated; rather, the depths of God’s love are revealed in an unfathomable and inexplicable way.

Which Disciple Betrayed Jesus

Every month, over 6,000 people search for the answer to the question, ″Who betrayed Jesus?″ Judas and Peter, two of Jesus’ closest disciples, betrayed him, according to the reality of it.
Although Peter and Judas both betrayed Jesus, there are fundamental variations in their methods of betrayal.
They did not conspire to betray Him as a group.
And they didn’t betray Him in the same manner that they could have.
There were differences in their motivations, reactions, and results, as well as differences in the outcomes themselves.

Examine the distinctions between their betrayals and see if there is anything we can learn from their mistakes..

Judas, the betrayer

By the time the Gospel authors were ready to record their encounters with Jesus, enough time had passed for them to reflect on all that had transpired during their time with him.
It is possible to acquire brief glimpses of their sentiments about Judas as a result of this.
The three Gospel authors who spent time with Jesus, Matthew, Mark, and John, are nearly unable to control their emotions.
Every single one of them includes personal comments about Judas in their narrative.
Towards the end of Matthew’s introduction to the disciples, he concludes with Judas, saying, ″…

and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him″ (Matthew 10:4b).It was around this period that Jesus alienated many of His disciples by talking of eating His flesh and drinking His blood, according to John.After the majority of them had departed, He went to the disciples and inquired as to whether or not they were also planning to leave.Peter answered in a sensible manner, ″Who, Lord, do you want us to go?

You have the words of eternal life in your possession.We have come to accept and recognize that you are the Holy One of God, and we thank you for that ″(See also John 6:68–69.) John goes on to say: ″Jesus then said, ‘Have I not selected you, the Twelve?’ ‘Yet one of you is a demon,’ says another.(He was referring to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, although being one of the Twelve, would ultimately betray him.) ″(See also John 6:70–71.) The disciple inserts the parenthetical note to inform the reader of something he was unaware of at the time: Judas was going to be a significant problem for the group.

Judas’s problematic behavior

In retrospect, it’s likely that the disciples compared notes and concluded that something wasn’t quite right with Judas from the start.
Nonetheless, there was no reason not to provide the benefit of the doubt to Judas at the moment.
However, the Gospel authors reveal that there were issues with Judas from the beginning.
This is the narrative that John tells us: Approximately six days before the Passover holiday, Jesus traveled to Bethany, where Lazarus resided, whom Jesus had resurrected from the grave six days before the holiday.
In Jesus’ honor, a meal was hosted at this location.

Meanwhile, Lazarus was among those seated around the table with him, serving as his server.When Mary had finished, she took around a pint of pure nard, a costly perfume, and poured it on Jesus’ feet, wiping his feet with her hair in the process.Furthermore, the perfume enveloped the entire house with its scent.The objection came from one of his students, Judas Iscariot, who was eventually to betray him and was subsequently executed ″Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the proceeds sent to the less fortunate?

It was worth the equivalent of a year’s earnings.″ John 12:1–6 emphasizes that he did not say this out of concern for the poor, but rather out of thievery; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to everything was placed in it (John 12:1–6, emphasis added).It’s improbable that the disciples were aware that Judas was stealing at the time of the betrayal.They probably all noticed him doing things that were out of the ordinary, but they didn’t pay attention to them.It’s likely that it wasn’t until after the crucifixion that they began to wonder how they had overlooked Judas’s involvement.Most likely, it was at this point that they began to notice Judas’s habits.Judas makes a great deal about caring for the poor in this scene, but John reveals that his true purpose was to pilfer the money from the poor.

Striking a deal with the chief priests

The decision to betray Jesus comes at some time, and Matthew informs us that Judas is the one who approaches the chief priests and arranges a deal: ″What are you ready to offer me if I bring him up to you?″ demanded one of the Twelve, the man known as Judas Iscariot, as he approached the chief priests.
As a result, they counted out thirty pieces of silver for him.
The rest of Matthew 26:14–16 tells how Judas waited for a chance to deliver him up to the authorities.
What could possibly motivate him to do such a thing?
Some have speculated that Judas was dissatisfied with the way things were going and intended to instigate a fight between the Temple officials and Jesus—and that if he could profit financially from doing so, that would be even more beneficial.

Because of this, it is possible that Judas was filled with regret when, instead of demonstrating His might and strength, Jesus was captured and condemned to die.This does not appear to be the conclusion that Judas had anticipated.It also helps to explain why Judas promptly returned the money he had taken as a reward for betraying the Lord and then proceeded to hang himself (Matthew 27:1–5) once he was caught.We may never know the exact reasoning for Judas’ treachery, but we do know that there were other considerations at play.

It is as follows in Luke’s account of Judas’ betrayal: In preparation for the Passover festival, the chief priests and other teachers of the law were scrambling to find a method to expel Jesus from Jerusalem because they were scared of the people’s reaction to his teachings.Then Satan entered Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, whom he named Iscariot.Afterwards, Judas proceeded to the leading priests and officers of the temple guard, where he discussed with them the possibility of betraying Jesus.They were ecstatic and decided to pay him money as a result.Then he consented and waited for a moment to deliver Jesus over to them when there was no throng around (Luke 22:1–6, emphasis added).He was successful.

Apparently, Luke wants us to realize that there were supernatural powers at work in this situation.As a matter of fact, the last time we saw Satan in Luke’s Gospel, he was tempted by Jesus in the wilderness.As soon as Jesus passed his test, Luke informs us that ″after the devil had done all of his enticing, he withdrew and left him till an appropriate moment″ (Luke 4:13).After all, the devil was seeking for a chance, and Judas’s character turned out to be just that!

Judas, the son of perdition

When all was said and done, Judas’s image had been tarnished irreparably.
As a misunderstood person in need of compassion, the other disciples never looked him in the eyes again.
The last chapter of John’s Gospel contains Jesus’ prayer to God for the protection of the disciples.
He makes the following observation: ″While I was with them, I protected them and kept them secure by using the name you gave me,″ he says.
Except for the one who was sentenced to destruction in order for Scripture to be fulfilled, no one has been lost (John 17:12, emphasis added).

The Greek terms for ″the one condemned to disaster″ are literally ″the son of destruction″ or ″the son of lawlessness,″ which translates as ″the son of lawlessness.″ Interestingly, these are the exact terms that Paul used to characterize the antichrist: ″Do not be deceived in any way, for that day will not come until the revolt occurs and the man of lawlessness is exposed, the man condemned to destruction″ (2 Thessalonians 2:3).The employment of the same terminology in this context is not an accident.Judas allowed himself to be used by the devil to accomplish evil purposes, and Judas will never be remembered for anything other than his role as a traitor.This is in stark contrast to Peter’s previous experience.

Peter turns his back on Jesus

There’s no denying that Peter was a crucial member of the discipleship.
Peter was a member of Jesus’ inner group, along with the brothers James and John.
Jesus was acknowledged as the long-awaited Messiah by both Peter and the rest of the disciples.
As a result, how did Peter come to betray his Lord and Savior?
A Passover feast is the setting for this story, which takes place immediately before Jesus is arrested.

Towards the end of the evening, they engage in the following conversation: Jesus then informed them that ″this very night you will all fall away as a result of me, since it is written: ″’I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed.’″ (Matthew 24:15) I will, however, travel ahead of you into Galilee once I have risen from the dead.″ ″Even if everything falls apart because of you, I will never give up.″ Peter said.In response, Jesus stated, ″Truly I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.″ Nevertheless, Peter stated, ″Even if it means dying with you, I would never abandon you.″ Matthew 26:31–35 indicates that all of Jesus’ other disciples agreed with him.As was often the case with Peter, he takes the high road here, refusing to consider the possibility that Jesus is correct.Peter can’t envision ever being in a position where he would be forced to deny his Lord.

Peter, on the other hand, has no idea what is about to happen.This discussion most likely influenced Peter’s decision to chop off the ear of the high priest’s servant in order to establish his allegiance (Matthew 26:51).After all was said and done, Jesus was still detained.

Peter denies Jesus

In Peter’s defense, when the priests arrested Jesus, the majority of the disciples fled the scene.
As a result, Peter wasn’t the only one who turned his back on the Lord.
Peter got himself into difficulty when he was mistakenly recognized as a disciple of Jesus in the courtyard: Peter was sitting in the courtyard when a servant girl approached him and asked if he was a follower of Jesus.
Then she went on to say, ″You were also with Jesus of Galilee.″ He, on the other hand, denied it in front of everyone.
″I’m not sure what you’re talking about,″ he said apologetically.

Then he proceeded out to the entryway, where he was noticed by another servant girl, who informed the people in the vicinity that ″this person was with Jesus of Nazareth.″ He rejected it once more, this time with an oath: ″I don’t know who he is!″ The people who had been standing there for a time approached Peter and remarked, ″Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.″ Afterwards, he began to pour down curses on them, and he declared to them, ″I don’t know who this man is!″ Immediately, a rooster began to crow.That’s when Peter remembered the words Jesus had said to him earlier: ″You will repudiate me three times before the rooster crows.″ Matthew 26:69–75 describes him going outdoors and weeping hard.

What is the difference between these betrayals?

In contrast to Judas, Peter’s reputation was not tarnished for the rest of his life.
At Pentecost, Peter takes over as the chief apostle, presenting a speech that inspires more than 3,000 people to join Jesus.
Finally, his devotion to Jesus would lead to his execution at the hands of those he had chosen.
Why did Judas’ treachery completely destroy his life, whilst Peter appeared to emerge from his ordeal stronger and more passionately devoted than before?
First and foremost, Judas’ betrayal was a cruel act.

He didn’t just make a terrible judgment because he was under the influence of the situation; he actively sought out a chance to betray Christ.It’s possible that he never imagined for a second that Jesus would be tried, convicted, and condemned to death, but that doesn’t really matter.It didn’t matter what his motivations were; he attempted to get financial gain by handing Jesus up to the authorities.On top of that, Judas’s character flaws made him a candidate for Satan to exploit as a weapon to bring Jesus’s ministry to a premature conclusion.

Without realizing it, Judas allowed himself to be used by God’s greatest adversary to conduct a coup attempt against the Christian faith.A stressful circumstance, on the other hand, had a negative impact on Peter.He had no intention of betraying Jesus in any way.When compared to Judas’s premeditated betrayal, Peter was caught off guard in a scenario when he was overcome by terror.Is this sufficient justification for his denial?No, but it helps to make things more clear.

Conflicting examples of remorse

While both Judas and Peter expressed regret in their respective accounts, there is much to be learned from their responses to their sins.
Judas attempted to return the money he received in exchange for handing Jesus in right away.
He was well aware that what he’d done was terrible, and he confessed to the priests, saying, ″I have sinned because I have betrayed innocent blood.″ When the chief priests refused to accept the money, Judas tossed the money into the temple and walked out of the building.
He would eventually commit suicide as a result of his embarrassment.
When Peter understood that he had done precisely what Jesus had indicated he would do, he broke down and sobbed loudly.

However, from that point on, we see him alongside the rest of the disciples in the story.He didn’t let his embarrassment keep him from socializing.He is present when Mary Magdalene proclaims that the tomb has been found empty; in fact, he overtakes John as the first person to enter the tomb.When the disciples are out fishing and Peter sees Jesus on the shore, he doesn’t waste any time in recognizing him and calling out to him.

As he prepares to swim to the Lord, he takes off his outer garment and dives into the water.Instead of driving him away from Jesus, his grief draws him closer to him.And it is in this setting that Jesus and Peter engage in a dramatic dialogue about restoration and reconciliation: Then, after they had done eating, Jesus turned to Simon Peter and asked, ″Simon son of John, do you love me more than these things?″ ″Yes, Lord,″ he acknowledged, ″you are aware of my affection for you.″ ″Feed my lambs,″ Jesus instructed.″Simon son of John, do you love me?″ Jesus said yet another time.″Yes, Lord, you are aware of my affection for you,″ he said.″Take good care of my sheep,″ Jesus instructed.

″Simon son of John, do you love me?″ he said of him on the third occasion.Peter was saddened when Jesus questioned him, for the third time, ″Do you love me?″ Peter didn’t know how to respond.Lord, you know everything; you are aware of my affection for you,″ he said.’Jesus said,’ he said ″Please feed my sheep.

In all honesty, I can say that when you were younger, you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted; but when you are older, you will reach out your hands, and someone else will clothe and take you to a place you do not want to go.″ Jesus stated this to point to the type of death that Peter would undergo in order to glorify God.Afterwards, he instructed him to ″Follow me″ (John 21:15–19).Both Peter and Judas had spent a significant amount of time with Jesus.They’d heard Him preach on the need of loving one’s adversaries.The crowds had witnessed Him show mercy to prostitutes, adulterers, Roman centurions, Samaritans, tax collectors, and a host of other despised individuals.Regardless of the cause, their similar encounter with Jesus prompted them to respond in very different ways.

Peter made his way toward Jesus, as Judas made his way away.Peter had faith in the kindness and grace of his fellow disciples as well as in the Lord, while Judas had no such confidence.Although Judas spent years traveling beside Jesus, he never completely understood the lesson that kindness wins over judgment, and so when he needed mercy, he didn’t know where to turn.

Remember to run toward Jesus

Every single one of us will make errors at some point in our lives.
We can only hope that they are not deliberate acts of disobedience, but even if they are, we must not allow such sins to drive us from God’s presence.
Our greatest need for Jesus is when we are at our lowest points.
And if there is anything we can take away from the contrast between Peter and Judas, it is that we should always use our failings to push us into the arms of Jesus.
Looking for inspiration to assist you through a difficult time?

Check out the post 30 Bible Verses on Peace for some helpful ideas.

Judas Iscariot: The Mysterious Disciple Who Betrayed Jesus with a Kiss

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References

A monument at Rome’s Lateran Palace shows Judas betraying Jesus with a kiss, and the statue is known as the Kiss of Judas.
(Photo courtesy of Noyan Yalcin/Shutterstock.com) Known as the betrayer of Jesus, Judas Iscariot was a follower of Jesus who betrayed him in return for a sum of money.
William Klassen said in his book ″Judas: Betrayer or Friend of Jesus?″ that, among the 12 followers of Jesus, ″only Peter receives more lines of coverage from the Gospel writers than does Judas″ (Fortress Press, 1996).
Klassen worked as a research professor at the Jerusalem-based École Biblique et Archéologique.
Although he is well-known in the Bible, little is known about Judas.

Due to the ambiguity of his biography, while many historians believe he existed, some researchers believe Judas is a mythical character.The author Susan Gubar, who retired as a professor of English at Indiana University, wrote in her book ″Judas″ that ″no one has succeeded in locating any sources of Judas independent of retellings of the New Testament narratives,″ which is why ″reputable thinkers″ can continue to disbelieve in his historical reality (W.W.Norton & Company, 2009).

Biblical Stories

The Gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John, as well as the Acts of the Apostles, all contain accounts of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus (also called the ″Book of Acts″).
The biblical accounts do not specify where or when Judas was born, and they give several distinct accounts of how he passed away.
According to legend, Judas was a follower of Jesus who betrayed him by consenting to hand him up to a mob commanded by the chief priests in return for money — 30 pieces of silver, according to the Gospel of Matthew — in exchange for the death of his master.
Several accounts in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke mention the fact that Judas identified Jesus by kissing him as the multitude approached.
The crowd then took Jesus to Pontius Pilate, the Roman ruler of Judea, where he was arraigned.

Afterwards, Jesus was tried and killed on the cross.Because Jesus had the capacity to change his appearance, according to a freshly translated 1,200-year-old literature written in Coptic (an Egyptian language that employs the Greek alphabet), Judas used a kiss to betray his lord, according to an ancient passage recently translated from the original Coptic.The kiss of Judas would be a strong identification of Jesus among the throng.While the four gospels make no attempt to explain why a kiss was used to identify Jesus, they do make some observations.

All four gospels suggest that Jesus knew he was about to be betrayed when he gathered with his disciples for supper just before his arrest, according to the gospels.As recorded in the Gospel of John, Jesus approached Judas during the final supper, warning him, ″Whatever you are going to do, do it now.″ Several times in the Gospels of Luke and John, Satan is said to have ″entered″ Judas at different points in his life, which may have affected his choice to betray Jesus.Judas is described as an untrustworthy individual in the Gospel of John.According to the story, Judas was the treasurer for Jesus and his 12 disciples, responsible for transporting the money bag that the group shared and occasionally stealing from it.When a lady applied perfume to Jesus’ feet just before the Last Supper, Judas reacted negatively, according to the Gospel of John ″’Why wasn’t this perfume sold, and the proceeds sent to the less fortunate?I could have made a year’s salary off of that.’ He didn’t say this because he cared for the poor; rather, he said it because he was a robber who used to help himself to whatever was put into the money bag while he was in charge of it.″ John 12:4-6 is an example of a parable.

Death of Judas

The Bible has two separate narratives of Judas’ death, each with its own explanation.
According to the Gospel of Matthew, Judas was remorseful for betraying Jesus and attempted to return the 30 pieces of silver that he had been compensated with.
In Matthew 27:3-5, Judas informs the chief priests and elders that he has betrayed them ″’I have sinned,’ he confessed, ‘for I have betrayed the blood of innocent people.’ ‘What does that mean to us?’ they inquired.
You are solely responsible for this.
Because of this, Judas tossed his money into the temple and walked away.

Then he walked out and committed himself by hanging himself.″ In turn, the 30 pieces of silver were put to use to purchase a parcel of land that would eventually be utilized as a burial cemetery for foreigners – a location known as the Field of Blood.A more dramatic finale for Judas is depicted in the Acts of the Apostles, with the assertion that he spent the 30 pieces of silver to purchase a field, in which he was brutally murdered.″After receiving money for his wickedness, Judas went out and purchased a field, where he fell headfirst, causing his body to break open and all of his intestines to stream out.Everyone in Jerusalem had heard about it, and as a result, the area became known as Akeldama, which means ″Field of Blood″ in their language.″ Acts 1:18-19 is a biblical passage.

According to the Acts of the Apostles, a man called Matthias took Judas’ position as one of the twelve disciples.

Gospel of Judas

National Geographic released the ″Gospel of Judas″ in 2006, a late-third-century document that may portray Judas in a more favorable light than previously thought. The work is classified as a ″apocryphal″ document, meaning it was never included in the Bible, according to academics. Apocryphal literature about Jesus and his life were written all across the ancient world, and many of them are still in existence today. The Gospel of Judas, like certain other ancient manuscripts, is written in the Coptic language. The material was translated by a group of researchers who worked with National Geographic to complete the project. According to the translation, Jesus begged Judas to betray him in order for his execution to take place on the cross. Judas was informed by Jesus, according to the translation ″Please take a step back from the others, and I will reveal the mysteries of the kingdom to you. It is conceivable for you to get there, but you will suffer greatly as a result of your efforts. Because someone else will take your position in order for the twelve to once again reach a state of completeness with their deity.″ Other experts, on the other hand, have expressed dissatisfaction with the team’s translation and interpretation of the text. April DeConick, chair of the department of religion at Rice University in Houston, wrote on her website that the Gospel of Judas is actually a ″parody about a ‘demon’ Judas written by a particular group of Gnostic Christians we call the Sethians,″ and that there are a number of errors in the translation. The Oxford University Press is planning to publish a new translation and study of the Gospel of Judas in April of this year, according to their website. Additional materials are available at: Learn about the history of ancient Israel
find out who Jesus was
and more.
Find all about the World’s Earliest Christian Engraving in this article.

New Testament people named Judas or Jude – Wikipedia

The names Judas and Jude, which are both derived from the Greek o (Iodas), which is itself derived from the Hebrew name Judah (, Yehûdâh, which means ″God is praised″), appear together 36 times in the Bible. Because of the legendary figure Judas Maccabeus, the name Judas was a particularly popular given name throughout the historical time and territory of Jesus. Due to the fact that surnames were still uncommon, it is not always apparent who individual these names relate to, and whether they all pertain to the same person or to different characters, which has resulted in confusion among the public. As a result, Christian authors and modern researchers have given these men names based on the characteristics that are known about them. In English, the name ‘Judas’ is occasionally transcribed as ‘Jude,’ in order to better identify some of the persons identified in the New Testament, despite the fact that the original Greek texts made no distinction between the two names. According to the New Testament, the following Judases or Judes are mentioned: Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon Iscariot, was betrayed by his father. Jude the Apostle, son of James, is one of the Twelve Disciples of Jesus, and he is the one who delivers over (or ‘betrays’) Jesus to the Jewish authorities (also called Jude Thaddeus, Judas Thaddaeus, or Jude of James). One of Jesus’ Twelve Disciples, named after the apostle John the Baptist. In John 14:22, Jesus plainly separates himself from the apostle who came before him. ″Judas (not Iscariot)″
Jude, brother of Jesus (or Judas or Judah) according to Mark 6:3 and Matthew 13:55
Judas Barsabbas, one of the early Christian apostles who appears in Acts 15 with Silas, who was a disciple of Jesus after his death He is possibly a brother of Joseph Barsabbas, but the last name Jude, brother of James, and author of the Epistle of Jude might also be a coincidence
he is the author of the Epistle of Jude. Scholars are split on whether this Judas/Jude is the same as Judas, brother of Jesus (Matthew 13:55), or if this Judas/Jude is an otherwise unknown Judas/Jude, or whether this Judas/Jude is a counterfeit in the name of a well-known Judas. They do, however, widely agree that he is neither Jude the Apostle, son of James
Judas the Galilean (Acts 5:37), an anti-Roman Jewish rebel leader whose insurrection against Quirinius was defeated about 6 CE
or any of a number of other possible candidates.

References

Bibliography

Gubar, Susan (2009), Judas: A Biography, New York City, New York and London, England: W. W. Norton & Company, ISBN 978-0-393-06483-4
Stanford, Peter (2015), Judas: The Most Hated Name in History, New York City, New York and London, England: W. W. Norton & Company, ISBN 978-0-393-06483-4
Gubar, Susan (2009), Judas: A Biography, New York City, New York and Counterpoint, Berkeley, California, ISBN 978-1-61902-750-3
Counterpoint, Berkeley, California, ISBN 978-1-61902-750-3

What Did Judas Iscariot Do Before Following Jesus?

Photographs courtesy of Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images Despite his enormous influence on Christianity and its surrounding cultures, little is known about Judas Iscariot’s life before he joined Jesus’s army of followers in the desert.
Just as Judas’s name is generally listed last among the twelve disciples, the significance of Judas’s life is ranked far behind the significance of his acts in the New Testament.
Thus, little is known about his life appears to be a patchwork of information gleaned from a variety of sources, ranging from religious books to ancient stories.

1 Cultural Legends

Judas Iscariot has become synonymous with immorality, lying, and betrayal because of his role as Christ’s betrayer.
This point of view is reflected in the ″Golden Legend,″ a medieval narrative about the lives of saints produced between 1260 and 1275 that reflects this point of view.
In this passage, it is said that Judas murdered his father and then married his mother while he was a child.
It is not explained in the text how the murder or marriage took place or how this information escaped the notice of Jesus or the other disciples, but it is implied that they did.

2 Origins

It is known relatively little about Judas’ life before he became one of Jesus’ disciples, according to the biblical record.
Judas Iscariot was the son of Simon Iscariot, according to passages such as John 6:71, 12:4, and 13:26.
According to the Greek language, the surname Iscariot means ″a guy from Kerioth.″ Kerioth, which is described in Joshua 15:25 as a town in the south of Judah, is believed to be the remains of el-Kureitein, which is located approximately 10 miles south of Hebron and was founded by the Israelites.
If Judas was a native of Kerioth, he would be the lone disciple who was not from Galilee, according to tradition.
Judas belonged to the Jewish faith, just like the rest of the disciples.

3 A Disciple of John

In certain Christian traditions, Judas followed John the Baptist before he became one of the twelve followers of Christ.
In section 177:4.11, the Urantia Book not only presents Judas as a former follower of John, but also argues that Judas came to despise Jesus for failing to save John.
The book argues that this episode, which occurred immediately before Judas became a follower of Jesus, was a crucial cause for Judas’s future betrayal of Christ.

4 Considerations

The Codex Tchacos, which was authored by Gnostics in ancient Egypt, has a 26-page document named ″Gospel of Judas,″ which was written by the Gnostics.
This narrative delivers a radically sympathetic version on the story of Judas – here, Christ urges Judas to murder him in order to liberate him from the earthly realm – but provides no information about Judas’ past prior to his association with Jesus.
Despite the fact that Judas Iscariot is mentioned in the Bible, the Codex Tchacos, and a plethora of other Christian scriptures and cultural tales, there is no substantial evidence that he existed in historical times.

About the Author

Dan Ketchum has been a professional writer since 2003, and his work has appeared in a variety of publications, both online and offline, including Word Riot, Bazooka Magazine, Anemone Sidecar, Trails, and other publications. Among Dan’s many diversified professional experiences include costume design and screenplay, as well as mixology, physical work, and PR for the video game business.

Thirty pieces of silver – Wikipedia

János Pentelei Molnár’s painting of Judas getting thirty pieces of silver as compensation for betraying Jesus was completed in 1909.
According to the New Testament’s Gospel of Matthew 26:15, Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver in exchange for the promise of eternal life.
Judas is reported to have gone to the chief priests before the Last Supper and promised to deliver over Jesus in exchange for 30 silver coins.
Later, he is claimed to have sought to return the money, presumably out of sorrow, but he was unsuccessful.
A prophesy of Zechariah, according to the Gospel of Matthew, was fulfilled by Jesus through the later purchase of the Potter’s field by the apostles.

The picture has frequently appeared in works of art representing the Passion of Jesus Christ.The word is used in literature and everyday speech to refer to those who have ″sold out,″ meaning that they have compromised their trust, friendship, or loyalty for their own personal benefit.

Biblical narrative

Jesus’ disciple Judas Iscariot, according to the Gospel of Matthew, was betrayed by his master.
Several days prior to the Last Supper, Judas approached the chief priests and volunteered to deliver over Jesus in return for 30 silver pieces.
After that, Jesus was captured in Gethsemane, where Judas disclosed Jesus’ identify to the soldiers by kissing him.
The gospel of Matthew records that Judas was overcome with guilt and returned the money to the chief priests before committing suicide by hanging.
It was determined by the leading priests that they could not deposit it in the temple treasury since it was deemed blood money, and so they used it to purchase the Potter’s Field.

It is recorded in the Book of Acts 1:17–20 that Judas was killed in a field with the money he received for his wickedness.Peter is quoted as saying: ″With the money Judas received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, and the contents of his stomach and intestines spilled out.″ It is mentioned in 22:3–6 of the Gospel of Luke, which is widely believed to have been written by the same author as Acts, that Judas and the chief priests and temple guard officers had come to an agreement on a price, but the amount was not specified, and the money was not paid up front as in Matthew.

Types of coin

The Antiochan Stater is one possible candidate for the identification of the coins that make up the thirty-piece set, according to some scholars.
Another candidate for the sort of currency involved is a Tyrian shekel, which is also a possibility.
The Greek term for ″silver money″ in Matthew 26:15 (argyria) simply means ″silver coins,″ and academics are divided on what kind of coins would have been used in the passage.
President Donald Wiseman proposes two possible outcomes.
If they were tetradrachms of Tyre, also known as Tyrian shekels (14 grams of 94 percent silver), or staters from Antioch (15 grams of 75 percent silver), they would have been inscribed with Augustus’s head.

Alternatively, they might have been Ptolemaic tetradrachms (13.5 1 g of 25 percent silver), which would have been worth the same amount.A troy ounce weighs 31.1035 grams, which is a fraction of a gram.In 2021, at a spot silver price of $28/ozt, 30 ″pieces of silver″ would be worth roughly $91 to $441 in present-day currency (USD), depending on the coin used to represent the silver.

Type	Purity	Weight (g)	Actual Silver Weight (g)	ASW of 30 coins (ozt)	Silver Value at 2021 prices
Tyrian shekels	94%	14	13.16	12.69	$355.32
Antioch Staters	75%	15	11.25	10.85	$303.80
Ptolemaic tetradrachms	25%	13.5	3.375	3.26	$91.28
Athenian Tetradrachm	95%	17.2	16.34	15.76	$441.28

However, while the Tyrian shekel weighed four Athenian drachmas, or around 14 grams, it was considered to be the equal of the older 11-gram Israeli shekel when it came to religious obligations during that time period.
Because Roman money was only 80 percent silver, the purer Tyrian shekels (94 percent or more silver) were necessary to pay the temple tax in Jerusalem, despite the fact that Roman coinage was on