JUDAS

SCRIPTURE - Matthew 26:14-16, 25; 27:3-10. Mark 14:1-11. Luke 22:3-6. John 12:3-6; 13:2, 27-30. Acts 1:18,19.

Judas was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ. He was the son of Simon (John 6:71) and was known as Judas Iscariot. Iscariot indicates that he was from Kerioth which was located in Moab (Jeremiah 48:24,41 Amos 2:2) or Kerioth Hezron (Joshua 15:25) which was situated 20 kilometres south of Hebron. Judas was the treasurer (John 13:29) and was also a thief (John 12:6). It was Judas who criticized Mary when she anointed the Lord with precious ointment (John 12 3-5). The ointment he saw as a source of income. His avarice eventually became so overpowering that he conspired with the religious leaders of the time to betray Jesus. He did not understand the whole implications of his action because when he saw what the authorities were doing to Jesus Christ, he felt sorry for his actions and eventually committed suicide (Acts 1:18,19).

a) Judas always appeared last on the list of disciples (Mark 3:14-19).

b) He was described as a traitor (Luke 6:16) and betrayer (Matthew 10:4).

c) Judas was an unbeliever who did not address Jesus as Lord (Kurios) but Rabbi - Teacher (Matthew 26:25).

d) At Simon the leper's house, Mary came and anointed the feet of Jesus with ointment while they were eating (Mark 14:3).

e) The disciples, led by Judas, complained about the waste of money, estimating it at a year's salary (Mark 14:5).

f) After this Judas left to barter with the chief priests to betray Jesus (Mark 14:10,11; Zechariah 11:12; Exodus 21:32).

g) At the last supper, Jesus gave Judas his last chance to be saved when he offered the sop, a portion of food reserved for honored guests (John 13:26).

h) Judas rejected Jesus and was then indwelt by Satan (John 13:27). He then went to betray Jesus.

i) Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss (Matthew 26:47-50).

j) When Judas saw that Jesus was to be condemned he felt sorry (Metamelomai, Gk.) for what he had done (Matthew 27:3) but did not repent (Metanoeo, Gk.) or change his mind about Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 7:10).

k) He went and hanged himself (Matthew 27:5) and his body fell into the Kidron Valley (Acts 1:18,19), at Alcadema - the field of blood (Zechariah 11:12,13).

a) We should not doubt the Lord's sincerity in calling Judas to be a disciple. Jesus appealed to Judas on many occasions to believe in Him (2 Peter 3:9).

b) Jesus' fore-knowledge does not imply fore-ordination that Judas must become the traitor.

c) Judas was never a true believer. He remained a son of perdition (John 17:12).

d) Unbelievers are called the sons of Satan (John 8:44).

e) He was lost because he was never truly saved (John 3:36).

f) Judas is an awful warning of the future for the unconverted follower of Jesus (Romans 8:9b).

g) He was doomed and damned because he chose to be, and God confirmed him in that choice (Matthew 26:14-25).

h) The love of money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10).

i) Feeling sorry for your sins does not save; it is a change to belief in Christ (Hebrews 12:16,17).

j) Religious apostates reject the truth and will dispose of collaborators as soon as they are no longer useful to them (Revelation 17:16).

k) The unbeliever ends his life in misery (e.g. suicide) (Psalm 37:38; Psalm 73:17,18).