Bishan church

I did wonder could anything positive come out of taking such a negative position? Would presenting the case against Judas create a negative reaction towards Christianity?    WHAT AN UNPLEASANT SUBJECT !
It is said that in early Christianity Judas was seen as the epitome of Jewishness and formed the basis of anti-semeticism. That surprises me because all of the twelve were Semites including our Lord. There are no grounds for anti-semeticism based on the character of Judas. The subject here is, “Was Judas blameworthy?    

Uttering the very name Judas makes one feel awkward. That could be why his namesake the Lord’s brother is rendered “Jude” in English translations. Judas was a common name. Another of the twelve Apostles was also named Judas. He was distinguished from Judas Iscariot as “Judas …… not Iscariot”.(John 14:12)    Even thinking about the events culminating in Judas’ betrayal and suicide conjures up an uncomfortable sense of horror. [Imagine the depth of the remorse that drove him to plunge himself beyond death into “the awful unknown”. Many outside of Christ see death as the entry into the “awful unknown”].    

There is a gut feeling there may be a bit (only a bit, mind you) of a Judas in all of us. Perish the thought - but could we be as blameworthy as he? On the other hand we live in the “no absolutes” era. Any feeling of guilt we might experience is considered to be a psychological malfunction. So it is forcefully asserted that it is wrong to suggest that any action could be considered to be either right or wrong. Is there perhaps a desire to excuse Judas in order to excuse ourselves?    The living God says: “Woe to them that call evil good, and good evil; ….” Isaiah 5:20    

So even if we make the excuse that we are fated or predestined to do evil - sin is still sin - and the least in the kingdom of heaven are those who not only sin but also advocate it. Matthew 5:19.      The purpose here is to see if Judas was blameworthy.    

BUT SURELY HE HAD TO DO IT DIDN’T HE ?
Does not John, four times in the AV, record Judas as the one who “should betray him”? So it is claimed Judas had to do it -  he had no choice because it was part of the Sovereign plan of God. The AV phrase “Who should betray him” would now be better rendered “Who was going to betray him”.    FOREKNOWLEDGE AND “WHAT IFs”
But, it is argued, what if Judas had not betrayed Jesus - then there would have been no crucifixion - no resurrection - no Christianity - so he had to do it - Does it not say “The Son of man goes as it is written of him “? Matt.26:24, Mark 14:21  Luke 22:22. However, even though the son of man was to go “as it is written of him”, it does not say that Judas had to be the prime mover. Judas is left without excuse, for it goes on to say “but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed. It is good for that man if he had not been born”.    

There are numerous “What ifs” in the scriptures. For example: What if Adam hadn’t sinned and no-one had died - What would have happened to the ever increasing population on this small planet?”  We could speculate for ages as to what might have been - but the facts are: Adam did sin, and Judas did betray the Lord.    BUT DIDN’T THE SCRIPTURE HAVE TO BE FULFILLED ?
As Jesus said “…. none of them is lost save the son of perdition (i.e. son of ruination); that the scripture might be fulfilled.” John.17:12    

There are two things to be borne in mind about God’s predestinations:-    1) God’s character is holy. He is not a respector of persons Acts 10:34. He does not force any person into being damnably sinful against his will. James 1:13-17. Suggesting God arbitrarily damns some and blesses others, risks blaspheming the Holy Spirit of God. Matthew 12:31-32. He is “not willing that any should perish”. 2 Peter 3:9. He has “no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked should turn from his way and live”. Ezekiel 18:23,32, 33:11.    

2) God’s foreknowledge forms the basis of His predestinations (Romans 8:29), not the other way round.    Also in the passage quoted - John 17:12 - Jesus “lost” Judas. To be lost - Judas must have been all right to start with, but somewhere along the line he revealed the characteristic here referred to as “the son of perdition”. “Perdition” means ruin/ruination. It became evident he was disposed to
being disruptive. He wasn’t born bad - he transgressed -he “fell” - “Judas by transgression fell” from apostleship. Acts 1:25. He was chosen personally by the Lord (Mark 3:13). He started off on an equal footing with the others. He was entrusted with the communal money bag. Later he was “lost” (John 17:12) and “fell” (Acts 1:25).    

BUT  DIDN’T JESUS CHOOSE HIM KNOWING HE WOULD BETRAY HIM ?
It’s suggested that Jesus must have known that Judas would betray him when He chose him because “he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.” John 2:24-25.  Also didn’t He say in the upper room “I know whom I have chosen - but that the scripture might be fulfilled: He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heal against me.” John 13:18, and early in His ministry say “Did I not chose you twelve and one of you is a devil ?” John 6:71    hese passages do not say that Judas had evil intentions when he was chosen as an apostle. In fact there is a note of sadness in Jesus statement “Did I not choose you twelve..?” coming as it did after many of His followers had forsaken Him and Jesus had asked the twelve “Will ye also go away?” Peter’s impulsive yet beautiful answer ” Lord, to whom shall we go? you hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that you art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” was met with the despondent “Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?”    

The word “devil” (diabolos) means a slanderer, maligner, subversive talker. Its the word from which we get diabolical. Already Judas had begun to make disruptive remarks.    BUT JESUS SENT HIM OUT TELLING HIM TO GET ON WITH IT.
In the upper room, after saying it was happening “that the scripture might be fulfilled” he told him “What you do, do quickly” John 13:18,27    

There comes a point when God’s Spirit stops striving with men (Genesis 6:2) and He abandons them to their own devices to suffer the consequences. Didn’t God abandon the idolaters of old to pursue their alternative lifestyle and to reap the consequences Romans.1:26-27. Another example is when Israel wanted a king like the nations around them in preference to God being their ruler He warned them of the consequences. Then when they were obstinately unrepentant, God “gave them a king in his anger and took him away in His wroth.” 1.Samuel 8:7-20 & Hosea.13:11.  Let us be warned - “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” Hebrews 10:31.      In the upper room, Judas had already taken on board the Devil’s - the arch-maligner’s idea to betray the Lord. His heart was wide open for Satan to gain entry, which he did after Judas accepted the morsel of food the Lord offered him. From then on it was outright antagonism (”Satan” = Adversary). It was then, when Judas was all keyed up to do his dastardly deed, that the Lord told him “What you do, do quickly” John 13:27    

It is possible for those who trust God to be indwelt by God (1.Corinthians 3:16). It should not be thought strange that Judas having taken on board  Satan’s plan (John 13:2) should become indwelt by Satan.    BUT WAS HE WARNED ?
It is suggested that Judas’ intention was to precipitate a situation which would force the Lord to reveal himself as the mighty royal Messiah. However, several events should have convinced him - that it would run counter to the Lord’s purpose - that His kingdom was “not of this world”.  He must have heard the Lord’s answer when Peter’s protested that the Lord would not be executed - “Get thee behind me satan (i.e. obstructionist) you are an offence to me: for you don’t savour the things that are of God, but those that are of men.” Matthew 16:23.  And then there was the incident when a Samaritan village refused the Lord hospitality and the sons of thunder (James and John) wanted to consume them with fire from heaven. The Lord’s response was “Ye know not what kind of spirit ye are of, for the son of man hasn’t come to destroy men’s lives but to save them” Luke 9:55-56 - (Sadly, these vitally important clauses are missing from modern liberal translations, even though they were extant in mid second century manuscripts).    

When the Lord announced “one of you is a devil (a maligner)” (John 6:67-71) Judas would know he had been rumbled. Even at the last minute - when the Lord, after washing Judas’ feet said “one of you will betray me”  he could have backed out. He certainly knew the Lord was severely distressed and that he was the cause of His distress ( John 13:21). Even to the last the other apostles were at a loss to know who would betray their Lord but not Judas. He did not - like the others -  sorrowfully, apprehensively asked “Lord - It is I ?” - but after an awkward delay, secretly presented his query - addressing Him formally - “Rabbi - It is I ?” to which the Lord replied “You’ve said it” (Matthew.26:22,25). Despite that response, he went ahead. The rebel no longer acknowledged Jesus as his Lord.    BUT, IT IS PROTESTED,  AREN’T THE GOSPEL RECORDS BIASED AND UNRELIABLE  BEING AN ACCUMULATION OF WRITTEN AND VERBAL TRADITIONS ?
This is a subject in itself . However, as more and more external information comes to light, the historical reliability of the “Gospels” is constantly being verified. Also from internal evidence alone, the sceptic who wrote “Honest to God” - the late John A.T.Robinson - was obliged to re- date them pre-A.D.70.    

There are no other manuscripts written in the lifetime of the apostles giving us detailed information on Judas Iscariot. If this sole source of contemporary information on Judas Iscariot is rejected there is nothing to discuss.    For more information vindicating the historical truth of the New Testament documents, you can consult the internet address http://members.aol.com/muqaddas/ and click on “Fact Sheets” then on “#01 The Historical Authority of the Bible Documents”    

WHAT MOTIVATED JUDAS TO DO IT? WAS IT GREED?
In the last week preceding the crucifixion The Lord Jesus and his apostles visited the house of Lazarus, Martha and Mary. (John 12:2 ff ). Mary spontaneously washed our Lord’s feet with fragrant ointment worth 300 denarii - an average years wage for a worker. I can understand the disciples’ concern that this seemed to them to be ruinous waste (the AV “ruin” is from the same Greek word as “perdition” in John 17:12, “son of perdition”) Matthew. 26:8, Mark 14:4. No doubt they had genuine concern for the poor who could have benefited from the sale of the ointment. But how come they reacted so badly - showing “indignation”? Who took advantage of their mood and stirred it up. John’s record fills the gap for us: Judas - the “son of ruinous waste” - the disruptive maligner - “cared not for the poor - he was a thief” - he stole from the communal money bag with which he had been entrusted John 12:5-6.    Possibly stung into action by Jesus observation “the poor you have always with you” (John 12:8) it was “then” that he consulted the chief priests Matt. 26:14. His question to them was  “What will you give me and I will deliver him to you ?” Matt.26:15    

They set the price (”covenanted”) - 30 Shekels - 4/10ths of a years wage for a worker (Matthew 27:9)  Not a trifling sum of money for a man who would most likely be taking what he considered to be undetectable amounts out of the communal bag.  [”spoken by Jeremiah” - note “spoken” not “written”. It was apparently quoted by Zechariah, see Zech.11:12-13  It was not unusual for one inspired prophet to quote another].    BUT THAT WAS ONLY THE PRICE OF A SLAVE? (Exodus 21:32)
A lot of money for a gready man. A paltry sum for a human being - “the son of man”.    

Greed causes men to slay the innocent and spare the lives of the guilty for a handful of barley and fragments of bread. Ezekiel 13:19 - to sell the righteous for silver and the poor for a pair of sandals. Amos 2:6    WAS IT MEANNESS?
He had shared loaves of bread with the Lord only to lift up his heal against Him, John 13:18 (Psalm 41:9). Lest there be any confusion as to which person was the Lord, Judas proposed that the “kiss” of friendship be the signal. So that he himself wouldn’t have problems he advised them to “lead him away safely” Mark 14:43-44. Judas accepted a company of officers to carry out the arrest. As he “drew near to kiss Him” the Lord implored “Do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss ?” Luke.22:47,48    

IT WAS BETRAYAL - HE HIMSELF RECOGNISED HIS GUILT.
Judas - seeing the chief priests and elders decide on the death penalty - regretted what he had done and tried to return the money back to them saying: “I have betrayed the innocent blood”. Having made no impression on them he committed suicide - plunged himself into “the awful
unknown” Matt.27:1-5    Subversive talk - greed - outright antagonism - meanness - remorse -suicide.    

JUDGING JUDAS
When I think of Judas - seeing the Lord’s sorrow over him - I feel sad for him.    Should we hate Judas for what he did?  Is it for us to dictate the penalty ?    

Archangel Michael would not make any accusation even against the arch maligner - the devil himself - but said the Lord rebuke thee, Jude 9. Vengeance belongs unto the Lord. It is His prerogative. Romans 12:19.    Could there be a bit of disruptiveness, meanness, greed in each one of us? These evils put the Lord Jesus on the tree. Are we culpable? Yes - we are all guilty.    

COULD HE HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN?
If Judas had gone and begged forgiveness of the Lord as He hung on the tree, would He who had washed his feet have said - “sorry - no chance - clear off “?    Forgiveness was available even for those who howled for His death, Acts.2.37-38. Forgiveness is available through trust, repentance and immersion, for us too, despite any of our past disruptiveness, meanness, greed or any other damnable sin. The apostle Paul saw himself as the chief of sinners and an example of God’s readiness to forgive to the uttermost those who put their trust in Him, 1.Timothy.1:15-16.    

DON’T LET JUDAS BE OUR ROLE MODEL
We live in an age when our young are tempted to see vile pop stars as role models. Judas is a warning to all of us what we should not be. We should not even seek to excuse sins either in Judas or in ourselves or we might finish up going to our “own place”, Acts.1:25.    HERE IS THE ONE AND ONLY ROLE MODEL FOR US (Philipians 2:5ff) :-
The Lord of glory - in humility and love - washed even the feet of Judas - “knowing” he had determined to betray Him. John 13:1-5 :-    

“Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come that he would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them to the end.  And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;  Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;  He rose from supper, and put aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.  Then that he poured water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded.”    Would you have washed the feet of Judas? Would you love such a one “to the end”?    

Add comment May 4th, 2006