Why Did Judas Betray Jesus Yahoo

Did Judas Have a Choice?

Robert thinks that the Holy Scriptures are the only authorized source of information and that they provide the solution to all of humanity’s problems. advancingwomenartists.org According to the New Testament, Jesus Christ, the Savior of humankind, was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver by Judas, one of his loyal followers, in exchange for thirty pieces of silver. This act of treachery ultimately resulted in Jesus’ execution by crucifixion. Many have questioned whether Judas had a choice in the issue, or whether destiny forced him to perform the treachery that would affect the course of history forever.

About Judas

The name “Judah” is derived from the Hebrew word for “thank God.” When “Judah” is translated into Greek, the word “Judas” is used. In Judas’s case, his last name is a surname, which denotes the region in which he resided. Iscariot (Man of Kerioth) refers to the Jordan River’s West Bank, which was the site of a Palestinian city in the ancient world. Judas Iscariot was the son of Simon Iscariot, also known as Simon from Iscariot (John 6:71). The surname Iscariot is associated with southern Judah and the idea that Judas was originally from Judea.

It appears that this circumstance symbolizes the concept that, despite Judas’ presence and participation with and among the disciples from the beginning, he may not have been a real disciple.

The other disciples came from the region of Galilee.

For the Love of Money

The name “Judah” is derived from the Hebrew word for “thanksgiving.” “Judah” becomes “Judas” when translated into Greek. Judas’s last name is a surname, which denotes the location where he grew up and spent his childhood. ‘Iscariot’ (Man of Kerioth) gestures to the Jordan River’s West Bank, which was the site of a Palestinian city, in this illustration. Iscariot was the father of Judas Iscariot, who was also known as Simon of Iscariot (John 6:71). It is believed that Judas was from Judea because the name Iscariot is derived from the southern region of Judah.

It appears that this event symbolizes the concept that, despite Judas’ presence and participation with and among the disciples from the start, he may not have been a genuine disciple.

It was Galilee that provided the rest of Jesus’ followers.

Who Was Judas Following?

Matthew 6:24 declares unequivocally, “No one can serve two masters at the same time. Either you will dislike one and adore the other, or you will be committed to one and despise the other, depending on your perspective. You cannot serve both God and money at the same time ” (NIV). When Judas made the decision to be obsessed with money, he began to show disdain for the way Jesus was conducting the show. At a meal in Jesus’ honor, Judas objected to a choice that Jesus had made. This is recorded in John 12.

  1. Mary, one of Lazarus’ sisters, anointed Jesus’ feet with a substantial amount of expensive ointment and wiped his feet with her hair after anointing them.
  2. He yelled that it was preferable to sell pricey ointment and then donate the proceeds to the destitute, as he had done (John 12:5).
  3. Judas, on the other hand, was merely putting on a show.
  4. The reason he claimed this was not because he cared for the impoverished, but because, as the moneybag’s keeper, he was able to help himself to whatever was placed in it.
  5. Judas became a thief after allowing a poisonous root to develop and fester within of him, and he was only concerned with himself.
  6. On the surface, he started to follow Satan.

Jesus was able to perceive what had happened to Judas’ heart. Judas was the one who would carry out Jesus’ prophecy of treachery in exchange for thirty pieces of silver, and Jesus knew it (Zechariah 11:12-14).

The Fruit of a Bad Seed

The Bad Seed, a psychological thriller produced by Warner Brothers, was released on September 12, 1956, in the United States. Rhonda Penmark, played by Patty McCormack, is a fictional character in the film. In appearance, Rhoda is an eight-year-old dream kid who is nice, charming, and innocent. However, she is anything but. However, in the inside, there lies a terrible seed that contains all kinds of wickedness. Rhoda is willing to go to any length to fulfill her selfish goals and obtain what she desires.

  • In appearance, Rhoda is an eight-year-old dream kid who is nice, charming, and innocent.
  • However, in the inside, there lies a terrible seed that contains all kinds of wickedness.
  • The film demonstrates that the germ of evil was inherited genetically and developed in Rhoda from the moment of her conception.
  • Fruit is produced from seeds.
  • The fruit of selfish ambition is produced by bad seeds, and this fruit leads to robbery, impurity, and debauchery (Galatians 5:19-21).
  • Terrible seeds can’t help but yield bad fruit since they are so contaminated.

Was There Hope for Judas?

Judas had the potential to turn his life around after betraying Jesus, despite the fact that he had committed a heinous act. Jesus died on the cross for everyone, even Judas Iscariot. Judas, on the other hand, had to repent first before he could seek for pardon. As the Bible says in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to purify us from all unrighteousness” (KJV). Judas’s thinking had grown so warped with selfishness that he could no longer see how God could aid him no matter what predicament he was facing.

quora.com Judas had witnessed others attempt and fail to assassinate Jesus.

When it did not happen this time, Judas was overcome with guilt.

“Because of his betrayal, Judas was stricken with sorrow and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, whom he had deceived.

In the end, Judas just threw the money into the temple and fled. Then he went out and committed himself by hanging himself “3:1-5; Matthew 27:3-5; (NIV).

Praise God

Despite the fact that his given name means “thank God,” Judas’ actions appear to be the polar opposite of what his name implies. We can, on the other hand, express thanks and praise to God for the great teachings that he teaches us through the life of Judas. We must be careful not to present ourselves as one person on the surface while being a completely different person on the inside. The story of Judas demonstrates that it is possible to be in the middle of God’s people on a daily basis but still not being totally dedicated to God’s methods.

We can, on the other hand, express thanks and praise to God for the great teachings that he teaches us through the life of Judas.

Free Choice

Dr. Roger Barrier, a retired senior teaching pastor from Casas Church in Tucson, Arizona, provides a wonderful illustration concerning predestination and free will in relation to the concept of free choice in the Bible. In a card game, each participant receives a hand of cards that is dealt to them. When we are born into this world, God provides each of us with a specified hand in which to walk. Furthermore, we are permitted to play that particular hand. With the ability to select how we play our hand of cards, the outcomes of our life are determined by how we play the cards that have been dealt to us.

  • When we are born into this world, God provides each of us with a specified hand in which to walk.
  • WallpaperFlare.com God has dealt us a hand that we are unable to turn around or reverse.
  • God gives each and every one of us a hand.
  • He does, however, want us to pray to Him for knowledge, strength, endurance, and will power in order to play our cards appropriately.
  • He, like the rest of us, was given the option to choose how to play the predestined hand that he was dealt in the first place.

Predestination or Choice

R. Barrier is credited with inventing the word “barrier” (2014, August 28). Is it possible that Judas was predestined to betray Jesus, or did he have a choice? Staff, B. S. T. S. was able to retrieve this information (2018, July 20). Judas betrays Jesus, according to the Bible. n.d., from n.d., retrieved from Do you think Judas had a choice about whether or not to betray Jesus? | Answers on Yahoo! (n.d.). R. has been retrieved (n.d.). Judas Iscariot’s Biography and Biblical Background. This information was obtained fromA.

(2018, August 26). Was Judas truly forced to betray Jesus because he had no other option? This information was obtained fromA. (2019, June 21). Who Was Judas Iscariot, and What Was His Story? Retrieved from the year 2020 Robert Odell, Jr. is an American businessman.

did judas have free will?

15 years ago today Favorite Response from an anonymous source The irony of Christians claiming that Jesus was destined to die on the cross is that they also believe everyone has free will. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. The betrayal of Jesus was either predestined or Judas committed it because he wanted to, whether for money or other reasons. The third possibility is that Jesus instructed Judas to hand him up to the authorities. As far as I can tell, this is a form of suicide. This is the most significant inconsistency that may be found in religion.

  • If he is all-knowing and all-powerful, then there is no such thing as free will.
  • jackiedj8952 Jesus’ betrayer Judas felt that by handing Jesus up to the authorities, he would aid in the speedy takeover of the Roman government by Jesus and the subsequent delivery of the Jews to slavery.
  • Later, Jesus reminded the troops that if my kingdom were of this world, my disciples would fight for it.
  • However, Judas wanted to be recognized, and sure, he had free will in aiding Jesus, which is why, when he realized what he had done, he walked outside and hanged himself.
  • However, he did not give up the Spirit, knowing that he had believers waiting for him in the lower parts of the earth, and that he also had to preach to those who had never heard the gospel, in order that no one should be without excuse.
  • is a slang term that refers to a person who is deaf.
  • Even Judas was a traitor.
See also:  Who Denied Jesus Three Times In The Bible

God foresaw that Judas would be the one to pull the trigger, therefore He told Jesus from the beginning that he would die on the cross in order to free the world from its sins.

It is possible that if Judas had prayed for forgiveness before hanging himself, he would have ended up in paradise rather than damnation.

Judas did the same thing.

Even if Judas had refused to succumb to the devil’s temptations, Jesus’ destiny would have been fulfilled on the cross anyway.

Yes, he had the ability to choose.

He informed him of this.

Jesus’ foreknowledge is analogous to our ability to look back in time.

Being omnipotent, God can appear to be looking back in time even while He is in the present moment.

God is the beneficiary of omnipotence, whereas we are not so fortunate.

015 years have passed since Cols Judas, like everyone else, exercised his or her own free will.

I’m even more curious about what might have happened if Adam and Eve had not succumbed to the temptation in Eden that resulted in their expulsion from paradise.

Even at the Last Supper, Jesus stated that one of you would be the one to betray him.

Because the prophecy was fulfilled when Judas betrayed Jesus, I am unable to think in that manner.

015 years agobonzo the tap dancing chimp How much is the 30 pieces of silver in today’s money.

015 years have passed since Anonymous Judas had a choice, Jesus probably still would have died, some people hated him alot.

Not to mention the Son of man is vengeful, plans vengeance for them all, both them vs them, having warfare in heavens on high; to the leftright of a divided God on high in the heavens.

Christ is notably seated right, denoting the matter is forever settled in Christ: the end of the law.

And because old Noah notably did both: all God commanded and all the LORD commanded, which were as contrary as 2 and 7, as contrary as keep seed alive and sacrifice(slaughter) it. Selah. The “grace” of our Lord Jesus Christ with you all. Amen.0

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RARA-AVIS Archives: RARA-AVIS: Judas

Tim Wohlforth ([email protected]) is the sender. Date: April 9, 2006

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Okay, so it’s an old story, but bear with me. However, we now have a better understanding of what happened. After 2,000 years, there’s nothing like a fresh perspective. It’s impossible to talk about noir writing without at some point bringing up the subject of treachery as a topic of discussion. That is, engaging with the person known as Judas. According to what we now know, it is plausible that Judas was a nice man, Jesus’ most faithful follower, and that the betrayal was arranged by Jesus himself.

  • Consider the implications of this for a moment.
  • That is a fairly dark commentary on the human condition, to say the least.
  • If, on the other hand, Jesus was a mortal, this sheds a fairly bleak light on his life and character.
  • It’s a little like Moussaoui.
  • I’m attempting to communicate something about tale.
  • As is the case with redemption, treachery is woven into the fabric of the human story in one form or another.
  • The noir fiction takes advantage of this and investigates one aspect of the bigger story, the dark side, in order to put it another way.
  • Tim Wohlforth is a freelance writer based in New York City.
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Why did Judas betray Jesus since everyone knew Him?

Why did Judas betray Jesus when everyone was aware of His presence?

Bible Answer:

What was the reason behind Judas’ betrayal of Jesus? This is a frequently asked question. However, the question of why Judas had to betray Jesus in light of the fact that so many people knew and recognized Him is not frequently questioned. The solution to the question will be provided in three parts. Part 1: What is the question?

Judas Betrayal of Christ

The twelve disciples Jesus picked early in His career included a man by the name of Judas, who was betrayed by one of them. Judas is described as the one who betrayed Christ in Matthew 10:4 and Mark 3:19, while Luke 6:16 states that he would be considered a traitor. Have you ever questioned why Jesus selected Judas, given that he was well aware of the thoughts and motivations of human beings? We will find out the solution as soon as possible. As recorded in John 6:70-71, Jesus informs Peter and the other disciples that one of them is a demon.

  • Asked why he chose them, Jesus said, “Did I not personally pick you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” He was referring to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon Iscariot, because he was one of the twelve who was about to betray Him.
  • A thief, according to John 12:6, Judas took money from the box that housed the funds used to assist Christ and his followers, the Bible says.
  • Judas is a character about whom we know very little.
  • The betrayal of Jesus by Judas is detailed in all four gospels, which is significant information.
  • “What are you ready to offer me to betray Him to you?” demanded one of the twelve apostles, Judas Iscariot, when he went to the chief priests with his request.
  • His search for an appropriate moment to betray Jesus began immediately after that.
  • Earlier in John 13:2, the Bible claims that the devil had already influenced Judas towards betraying Christ before the Passover Meal.
  • John 13:2 (NASB) says that one of the disciples was to be revealed as a traitor over the Passover dinner, despite the fact that no one had suspected him.
  • He, on the other hand, was not a sincere disciple.
  • At the conclusion of the dinner, according to John 13:27, Satan entered Judas and caused him to flee in order to betray Christ.

The betrayal of Christ by Judas is described in John 18:2-12. Matthew 26:47-50 and Mark 14:43-45 both inform us that Judas betrayed Jesus by kissing him on the cheek. When Jesus was arrested, he was carried away to be judged by the Sanhedrin Council, and he was subsequently executed the next day.

Primary Reason Judas Betrayed Christ

Given the fact that so many people knew who Jesus was and could recognize Him, why would Judas betray Him? First and foremost, it is not evident that everyone was familiar with Christ. However, the major solution to the issue may be found in both John 17:12 and Acts 1:16-20 of the New Testament. In the time that I was with them, I was protecting them in Your name, which You have given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished save the son of perdition, in order that the Scriptures may be fulfilled.

That Judas would betray Christ was foreordained at the time of Christ’s selection of him as a disciple, as shown by this passage.

More information may be found in Acts 1:16-20.

Because he was numbered among us and received his part of the ministry,” says the pastor.

And it became known to everyone who lived in Jerusalem, to the point where the field became known as Hakeldama, which means “Field of Blood” in their own tongue.) Psalms says, “Let his home be made desolate, and let no one live in it,” and “Let another man take his place of business,” which means, “Let another man take his place of business.” Acts 1:16-20 (KJV) (NASB) Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8 are the two predictions that are being cited here.

Judas did, in fact, betray his position as a Christ-follower.

It was necessary for Judas to betray Christ in order for the prophecies to be fulfilled.

Second Reason Judas Betrayed Christ

The second part of the solution to our query may be found in Luke 22:1–6. The leading priests and scribes were scared of the people, and this was the reason for their fear. They desired to capture Jesus in the most discrete and covert manner possible, and a traitor was an excellent choice. If the religious authorities had been brave and not fearful of the people, they would not have agreed to pay Judas to betray Christ. Instead, they would have refused to do so. Their need for secrecy had a role in the fulfillment of the prophecies.

The chief priests and scribes were scrambling to figure out how they might put Him to death because they were terrified of the people.

And Satan entered Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve disciples who belonged to the number of the twelve.

They expressed their delight and agreed to provide him with money.

Satan entered Judas and persuaded him to accept to betray Christ, according to Luke 22:3-6 (NASB). This had transpired before to the Jewish holiday of Passover. (Matthew 26:14-16; Luke 22:14; Matthew 26:14-16).

Third Reason Judas Betrayed Christ

In response to the question “why did Judas betray Jesus?” the third argument is that Judas was easily seduced for thirty pieces of silver, according to Matthew 26:14-16. He betrayed Christ, the Son of God, for the sake of thirty pieces of money, according to the Bible. Judas is said to have returned the thirty pieces of money, according to Matthew 27:3. Both of these events were foretold in Zechariah 11:11-14 as well. Judas was motivated solely by avarice. This demonstrates that Satan and his army of demons can attempt to encourage us to commit sins such as greed, pride, pleasure, wrath, and a variety of other offenses.

Conclusion:

We’ve learned that Christ picked a group of twelve disciples, one of whom was a traitor, to follow him. He had been a thief. He was a philanderer who was readily swayed by the devil, sometimes known as Satan. He was similar to several of the people who pretend to be excellent Christians in our churches today. They may even believe that they are a good Christian, but this is not true. However, they are not genuine. There are tares or unbelievers in the church, according to Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the tares (Matthew 13:24-26).

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Is it true that Judas was not rescued according to the Bible? For what reason did Jesus chose Judas Iscariot to be one of his disciples? Is it possible that Judas did not believe in Christ in order to cast out demons? Is it possible that Jesus had two followers called Judas? Jesus Was Betrayed by a Friend Who Went by the Name of Judas In what ways are chief priests and high priests distinguished from one another? 1st Module of Discipleship Training

IN DEFENCE OF JUDAS ISCARIOT

Dons Eze, PhD published IN DEFENSE OF JUDAS ISCARIOT on February 4, 2021. 1,216 people saw this video. To commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary, the whole Christian world is in a solemn mood today. The world is remembering what occurred more than 2,000 years ago in the Jewish city of Jerusalem, and how it all ended. When we think of Christ’s death, one guy who had a significant role in the fate that awaited Jesus Christ was a man named Judas Iscariot, who we should remember.

  1. Judas was born in the Southern Kingdom of Israel, as opposed to the majority of the other Apostles, who were born in the Northern Kingdom, which was also the place where Jesus Christ was born.
  2. Despite the fact that Evangelist John had prejudged Judas and cast him in a negative light by referring to him as a “thief,” in any organization, it is generally someone who is trustworthy who is appointed as Treasurer.
  3. Regardless, let us remember that everything concerning Jesus Christ’s betrayal, crucifixion, and death on the Cross was preordained or part of a greater divine plan.
  4. In other words, Judas’ position was divinely preordained, and if he had not played that role, the Jews would not have arrested Jesus, and Jesus would not have died on the cross for our sins, as is often believed.
  5. It was either because they were afraid of being stoned if they did it in public, or because they were afraid Jesus might slip away from their grasp.
  6. That was Judas’s function, and it is possible that this was the reason why Jesus chose him to be one of his disciples.
  7. The fact that he hadn’t eaten anything yet had him debating whether or not to go forward with the plan “Satan entered him soon after eating the “morsel” that Jesus had given him.

(Jn.

As a result, Judas was only a tool, performing the role that was predestined for him.

The Roman authority should be overthrown immediately, he said, in order to “establish the Kingdom of Israel.” He was one of many who believed this should happen immediately.

According to Judas, Jesus was the Son of God and the one who would deliver Israel from the terrible tyranny of the Romans, among other things.

He then made the decision to hand Jesus over to the authorities in order to provoke Him into descending on them with His Divine powers and “restoring the Kingdom to Israel,” as the Bible states.

The reason for drawing his sword and cutting off one of the soldiers who had come to capture Jesus was to show his displeasure with them.

When the Roman troops arrested Jesus, Judas was dissatisfied because Jesus did not intervene in any way.

He felt apprehensive.

The people, on the other hand, were adamant.

Possibly, if Jesus had prayed for Judas in the same way that He prayed for Peter, the man might not have taken his own life in the manner in which he did.

According to the Scriptures: “The Son of Man will follow in the footsteps of those who have gone before Him.

(See also John 14:21.) Many of us are like Judas Iscariot, slaves to what the world refers to as fate, destiny, or chance.

The Scriptures, even if they had stated that Jesus would be betrayed, did not specifically mention Judas by name.

As a result, it serves as a wake-up call for each and every one of us to take responsibility for our own progress rather than becoming slaves to what they call fate.

We could all relate to them since they were like many of us: fair whether friends or a bag of disappointments.

What happened to the Rock upon which Jesus would build His Church, the one who witnessed His Divinity during the Transfiguration of the Son of God?

We do precisely what they did through our acts and inactions: we refuse Jesus at the first sign of temptation, just as they did.

What happened to the 4,000 people he also fed?

How could He have forgotten about Jairus’s father, the little girl He had resurrected from the dead?

What happened to Bartimus, who was blind?

They couldn’t be discovered at any time.

There is little question that if all of these people had come in solidarity with Jesus, their collective voices would have drowned out those of the Jerusalem throng, whose evidence Pilate relied on to sentence Jesus to death.

“He who is without sin, let him be the first to throw the first stone,” as Jesus himself has instructed.

Socrates exhorted his fellow Athenians to “know oneself,” emphasizing that “no life worth living is worth living until it has been investigated.” To put it another way, we should strive to look inwardly and ask ourselves if we, like Judas, have betrayed Jesus in any manner via our acts or inactions.

  • We pray that the Crucified Jesus will save us.
  • Dons Eze, KSJI (Kingston South Jamaica Institute) Posted at 7:22:07 PM on February 4, 2021 You may also be interested in.
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COVID-19: SGF and wife are separated from the rest of the family. A Nigerian student was shot and killed in the United States because he was talking too loudly. While her husband is in prison, the woman gives birth to triplets.

Can the recent Gospel of Judas be fully deciphered and translated?

Of course, it’s possible, but you have to ask yourself, “Why?” What is the significance of this “alleged” book of Judas suddenly appearing on the scene after two millennia? I am well aware that Judas was just as likely as any of the other apostles to pen a book or two during his life time. I’m also aware that it’s possible that the general agreement over the centuries during which the Bible took shape was that the book written by the traitor Judas should not be included, for the obvious reason.

  1. The New Testament contains significant repetition from book to book, particularly in the books written by the Twelve Apostles, as you will see if you read it.
  2. Judas was no longer alive at that point.
  3. Now, why would that deceitful pig Judas compose volumes to change Moses’ Bible at a time when the other apostles were still doubting Jesus’ talents is beyond comprehension.
  4. AND, because, hey, the chances are stacked substantially in favor of their being no proof of that fact.
  5. One of the most tragic aspects about today’s intellectual world is that individuals are frequently wrong.
  6. Some clever and knowledgeable creatures will use pure sugar-flavored fluff to excite the minds of the masses in order to demonstrate to their colleagues that they are still alive and well.
  7. To be honest, if I were you, I wouldn’t anticipate it to be the single most devastating blow to the Bible, Judaism, and Christianity that has ever been dealt to mankind.

Why Did Judas Betray Jesus?

A new Off-Broadway play, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, created by the writer Stephen Adly Guirgis, was being staged at the time, and I was asked to act as “theological consultant.” The dramatist placed Judas Iscariot on trial for his betrayal of Jesus, and the jury found him guilty. The conversations with the author and the actors of ‘A Jesuit Off-Broadway,’ which was recently released in paperback last month, led to a debate about a major part of the play: why did Judas betray Jesus. Early on in the production, the actor who plays Judas, Sam Rockwell, inquired as to what may be learned about Judas and his motivations.

A Marginal Jew is a multivolume study on Jesus written by the Rev.

And it is from these views that two millennia of creative portrayals of Judas have sprung out in response.

It is believed that Judas was a member of thesicarii, also known as “dagger wielders,” around the time of Jesus’ death, which gave him the nickname “dagger wielder.” According to this theory, Judas was allied with the Zealots, a fanatical sect that had included another apostle, Simon, at the time of his death.

  1. Thesicarii, on the other hand, did not appear until the 40s or 50s AD, which was long after the death of Jesus of Nazareth, according to Meier.
  2. In addition, the name Iscariot is supposed to have sprung from the Semitic root verbsqr, which means “to deceive.” However, in this case, the fault is more subtle: Judas is not depicted throughout the New Testament as a liar, but rather as a betrayer, which is more accurate.
  3. For example, by the conclusion of the play, Sam Rockwell would have grown a full reddish-brown beard, prompting one of my Jesuit friends to inquire whether he had dyed it for the role.
  4. As a result, he would be referred to as “a guy from Kerioth” (‘ish qeriyyot) in Hebrew.
  5. Unfortunately, it is not known whether or not a town named Kerioth ever existed in the first place.
  6. The origin of the father’s given name, on the other hand, remains a mystery.
  7. “The moniker, like the person,” adds Meier, “remains a mystery at the end of the day.” To borrow a phrase from the Old Testament, the absence of historical information would be both a blessing and a curse for the play’s development team.

On the other side, it made it more difficult to do study on the “motive” of the title character.

Particularly when even the “facts” are provided by writers who are attempting to persuade us of the underlying reality of their tale.

(Earlier and later Renaissance painters frequently depicted Judas with grotesque, even animalistic, characteristics; for example, Giotto’s picture of the Betrayal of Jesus depicts Judas kissing his master.) After all, Judas Iscariot had been chosen to be one of the twelve apostles by Jesus.

In a similar vein, Judas recognized Jesus as someone worthy of following and originally agreed to make the sacrifices necessary to become his disciple and follower.

To put it another way, how could someone who was purportedly so irredeemably terrible make the decision to forsake everything and follow Jesus of Nazareth is beyond comprehension.

In any case, it goes without saying that the writers of the gospels were unlikely to incorporate any information in their story that would portray Judas in a favorable light.

(A more recent historical analogue may be that supporters of George Washington have little interest in ensuring that Benedict Arnold be given a favorable public image.) Therefore, the widely accepted knowledge of Judas begins with materials that portray him in the most negative light imaginable.

  1. Late-antiquity Christian traditions were based on such presentations, and they were also affected by emerging anti-Semitism, as the early church sought to remove itself from its Jewish roots.
  2. John Chrysostom, patriarch of Constantinople, who wrote in the fourth century and lived during the time of Christ.
  3. Judas was terrible not just because he had betrayed Jesus, but also because he was a Jew, which made him much more vile.
  4. “This desolationwas a forerunner to that of the Jews, as would apparent on closer examination of the circumstances,” he says in his Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles.
  5. These characterizations would go on to inspire authors and painters of the early and late Renaissance periods, and they would be carried over into the medieval Passion plays.

Professor Kim Paffenroth of religious studies at Iona College in New York writes in his extensive historical studyJudas: Images of the Lost Disciple that “Dante considers Judas to be an example of the worst sin possible, betrayal, and therefore places him at the center of hell, the worst of human sinners.” Paffenroth’s book is a wide-ranging historical study of the lost disciple.

  • The development of the most well-known of these plays demonstrates how important this identification was to the play’s success.
  • It is written that the Oberammergau play, which was similar to other European versions until the late seventeenth century, was popular because it featured many devils tearing Judas apart for his perfidy, which was a crowd-pleasing depiction, according to Paffenroth.
  • According to Paffenroth, the Oberammergau Passion is still performed; however, only in 2000 were any “substantial” changes made to the script in order to address anti-Semitism in the play.
  • Under the artistic representations of Judas, the historical Judas was suffocated.
  • Reed, a Scripture scholar who wrote in the Biblical Theology Bulletin.

Reed suggests that Judas’ suicide would have been interpreted in the first century as a calculated decision to humiliate the Jewish religious leaders for refusing to return the money that they had given to Judas in payment for his betrayal, as well as a means for Judas to atone for his own sin.

  • The actor Sam was playing Judas was interested in knowing as much as he could about his character’s background since it would be difficult to depict him authentically or compellingly on stage without an in-depth grasp of his character’s past.
  • Sam’s ability to represent Judas as someone other than the monster that most Christian writers have depicted him as was dependent on his ability to recognize Judas as someone who was originally supportive of Jesus’ ministry at the time of his death.
  • On a Saturday afternoon, I made my way to Sam’s flat in the city center.
  • According to Meier’s book, “A Marginal Jew,” the four canonical Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) provide ambiguous and even contradicting explanations for his motivations, which further complicates the situation.
  • Further complicating matters, Mark has Jesus urging Judas at the Last Supper, “Do what you must,” which implies force on the side of Jesus, further confounding the issue.
  • Similarly, the Gospel of John takes up the theme: even before the Last Supper, Judas is represented by the evangelist as the avaricious guardian of the public purse.
  • “Now he stated this not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief,” John explains to the reader in an aside.

After all is said and done, Luke’s gospel informs us that during the Last Supper, “Satan had entered into Judas.” Daniel J.

Another possibility, which is commonly overlooked by Bible scholars, is that the evangelists just made up the entire account of Judas’ betrayal for dramatic purposes, rather than telling the truth.

Furthermore, Judas may have been introduced in order to place the guilt for the crucifixion on Jewish people rather than on the Jewish people themselves.

Mark’s gospel, according to most traditions, was written about 70 A.D., approximately forty years after Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Accordingly, the early Christian community would have included among its members those who knew Jesus personally, were eyewitnesses to the events of the Passion, or were familiar with the sequence of events from a previous generation, as well as those who were friends of Jesus.

Judas’ betrayal of Jesus was a well-known and embarrassing fact, according to Father Harrington, who recently shared his thoughts with me.

Overall, however, none of the four Gospels gives a clear or persuasive explanation for why one of Jesus’ closest circle of students would betray the teacher whom he held in such high regard as he did.

After all, why would someone who had walked with the destitute rabbi for three years suddenly be filled with greed?

He speculates that Judas anticipated Jesus’ imprisonment to spur him to expose himself as the long-awaited Messiah by defeating the Roman invaders, which he believes was the case.

To put it another way, suicide would only make sense if Judas had hoped that his acts would result in some kind of positive outcome.

We had been debating Barclay’s idea for quite some time when Sam paused for a while and said that perhaps Judas had thrown Jesus into the deep end of the pool in hopes that he would swim to safety.

After the service, one of the parishioners approached me on the steps of the church and remarked, “That was a wonderful insight into Judas’ character.” “Can you tell me where you got that?” If I hadn’t said something, I would have asked, “Do you go to the movies a lot?” Eventually, Sam’s insight would make its way into Guirgis’s play, where it would be said by Simon the Zealot, one of the twelve apostles, who gives the primary justification for Judas: he wished to assist Jesus in fulfilling his destiny.

“I believe Judas was attempting to push Jesus into the deep end of the pool,” Simon speculates.

“Jesus was there to lend zee helping hand? “Of course! The last thing I remember thinking as I gasped for air while bleeding to death was: “Wow, that Judas – what an incredibly helpful guy!” A Jesuit Off-Broadway’ was the inspiration for this essay, which was initially published in America Magazine.

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