Studying Judas Iscariot

Matthew 10:4 …and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.

Matthew 13:55 “Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?” (I include this reference because it shows that Judas was a common name, and of the four or five mentioned, only one was bad.)

Matthew 26:14 (right after Jesus said of the one who perfumed his feet, “…she has done a good deed to Me.”) Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests, and said, “What are you willing to give to me to deliver Him up to you?” And they weighed out to him thirty pieces of silver. And from then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Him.

Matthew 26:21-25 And as they were eating, He said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.” And being deeply grieved, they each one began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?” And He answered and said, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me. The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” And Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Surely, it is not I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said it yourself.”

Matthew 26:47-56 And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up, accompanied by a great multitude with swords and clubs from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, “Whomever I shall kiss, He is the one, seize Him.” And immediately he went to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. And Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest, and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place, for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? How then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen this way?” At that time Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me. But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left Him and fled.

Matthew 27:3 Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!” And he threw the pieces of silver into the sanctuary and departed, and he went away and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the temple treasury, since it is the price of blood.” And they counseled together and with the money bought the Potter’s Field as a burial place for strangers. For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled, saying: “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one whose price had been set by the sons of Israel, and they gave them for the Potter’s Field, as the Lord directed me.”

Mark 3:19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.

Mark 6:3 “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us? And they took offense at Him.

Mark 14:10 (right after Jesus said of the woman who perfumed Him: “She has done what she could, she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial…”) And Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went off to the chief priests, in order to betry Him to them.

Mark 14:43 (same as the Matthew account)

Luke 6:16 …and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Luke 22:3 And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. And they were glad and agreed to give him money. And he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the multitude.

Luke 22:47 While He was still speaking, behold, a multitude came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was preceding them, and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” And when those who were around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” And a certain one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus answered and said, “Stop! No more of this.” And He touched his ear and healed him. And Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders who had come against Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as against a robber? While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me, but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.”

John 6:70, 71 Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.
John 12:4 (third account of alabaster jar) But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denari, and given to poor people?” Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.

John 13 account

Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God, and was going back to God, rose from supper, and laid aside His garments, and taking a towel, he girded Himself about…

Jesus washed Judas’ feet !

Verse 26 Jesus dipped the morsel and gave it to Judas Iscariot…Satan entered into him, and Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” Now no one of those reclining at the table know for what purpose He had said this to him. For some were supposeing because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, “Buy the things we have need of for the feast,” or else, that he should give something to the poor. And so after receiving the morsel he went out immediately, and it was night.

(after this the new commandment---love even as I have loved you..)

Love one another just as Christ loved. Don’t betray one another. And I don’t think we can do this in our own power. We need God’s help.

John 18 Judas comes with the Roman cohort, officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, with lanterns and torches weapons.

Vs4 Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth, and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” And they answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them: I AM. And Judas also who was betraying Him, was standing with them. When therefore He said to them, “I AM” they drew back, and fell to the ground. (this happens three times)

Acts 1:16 Brethren, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide tot hose who arrested Jesus. “For he was counted among us, and received his portion in this ministry.” Verse20—“For it is written in the book of Psalms, “Let his homestead be made desolate, and let no man dwell in it,” and “His office let another man take.” And verse 24—And they prayed, and said, “Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which one of these two Thou hast chosen to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” (before the day of Pentecost)

Let’s review class---

Judas ate with Jesus, traveled with, observed, saw Him heal and admonish the rulers.

Judas was a thief.

Judas was left in charge of the money box.

Judas had his feet washed by Jesus.

Judas took food from Jesus’ hand.

Judas conspired, betrayed for money, making the chief priests happy.

Judas felt remorse.

Judas knew and admitted he had betrayed innocent blood.

Judas committed suicide because…_____? He was angry? He was expecting Jesus to stand up to the chief priests? He was expecting the crown before the cross?

It is kinda obvious that Judas is in hell. So, salvation has nothing to do with feeling remorse, or even realizing you betrayed innocent blood.

Judas could have turned, and said, I was the worst sinner, and turned and proclaimed that Jesus is the Son of God, our Savior. Judas could have been saved, but he had a pattern of stealing and thought he was getting away with it. Judas thought he could hide that sin from Jesus. Judas was probably ambitious. Wanted power.

The Judas story fulfilled four OT prophesies. So, either Judas did not pay attention in OT class, in Jeremiah, and David in Psalms.

Maybe a better analogy would be a gang member, to help us understand Judas’ motivation. But, lets use a father/son analogy:

Let’s imagine a little boy looks up to his Daddy. His Daddy is a big strong policeman. His Daddy stands up to criminals, rebukes the proud, and promises justice.

Every time that little boy sees his Daddy in action, his Daddy is like a superhero. And his Daddy whisks sick people to the hospital where they are miraculously healed, and performs CPR on accident victims and they come to life.

Imagine bad guys like drug dealers are mad at your Daddy, the policeman because he is cutting in on their turf. One day the drug dealers sidle up to the little boy and say, we will give you thirty pieces of silver if you will tell us where your Daddy hangs out. The little boy knows his Daddy is stronger and won’t allow the thugs to win, and he thinks that the sooner this showdown, the better. So, the little boy “betrays” his Daddy to the thugs who tie him up, beat him, and the little boy is stunned. The little guy was so sure his Daddy was stronger, and bigger, and would never allow thugs to win. Why was his Daddy allowing the bad guys to win or appear to win? Why didn’t his Daddy call ten thousand policemen to back him up, and corral this crowd? Why isn’t his Daddy using his super hero powers? The little boy knew his Daddy could heal and throw out strong demons.

The little boy is so afraid that his Daddy is going to be mad for snitching that he runs and hides, and …………

Contrast the betrayal of Peter with the betrayal of Judas Iscariot. Peter denied the Lord three times, Jesus looked him in the face when the rooster crowed. But, Jesus had warned Peter ahead of time---when…then turn and help your brothers.

With Judas Iscariot, he had been “handling” the money, and helping himself, and Jesus had never called him on it. Again, Judas either did not know Jesus could read minds and hearts or was sloppy, or was thinking they were going to be so rich and powerful when Jesus established His political kingdom, that his petty cash theft would be forgotten?

Even when Judas is sent out, the other disciples do not suspect him. They just think Jesus is sending him on an errand.

In the study of the alabaster jar, all three accounts mention the fact that this was the straw that broke Judas Iscariot’s back.

So many shadows of Satan, where God gave him enough rope to hang himself…even so with Judas…and do we look down our noses at Judas and think we’d never betray Jesus? Even though there were two or three other good men named Judas, the name is forever synonymous with all that is evil.

But, oh, how we tremble to see one who ate with, slept near, talked, listened, saw…and did not believe.