Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve disciples of Christ and is most widely remembered as the one who betrayed him. Not much is known about the early life of Judas Iscariot. He was probably experienced with accounting and money management since he was selected to handle the financial resources of the group as they traveled with Jesus. With that in mind, Judas was evidently respected and presented himself with a high level of trustworthiness that was never doubted by the disciples until after his betrayal of Jesus. We should note that Jesus certainly knew the fate of Judas when he chose him but he apparently did not reveal that knowledge to any of the others immediately (John 6:64). When Judas was dismissed from the last supper, he left and collected his 30 pieces of silver and led the soldiers to the location of Jesus. As he greeted him he called him Master and gave a traditional kiss, which was the signal to the soldiers. In the end, Judas was stricken with remorse and guilt and tried to give back the money and went and committed suicide by hanging. Later his body fell and split open and spilled out onto the ground. This betrayal by one close to the Messiah was prophesied in the Old Testament:
If an enemy were insulting me,
I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me,
I could hide.
But it is you, a man like myself,
my companion, my close friend,
with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship
at the house of God,
as we walked about
among the worshipers.
Psalm 55:12-14
There is no doubt Jesus was aware of the eventual betrayal even as he chose Judas to be a disciple. He did not reveal it to the others immediately, but early on he did reveal that one of the twelve would betray him. Later, during the last supper, he brought it up again and when John pressed him for more information, Jesus discreetly revealed that it would be Judas (John 13:21-27). Then Jesus dismissed Judas and he left to fulfill the prophecy of betrayal. It is staggering that Jesus knew about this betrayal all along and yet allowed Judas to be an integral part of the group without speaking ill of him to the others at any point along the way. He was confident in how things would turn out. It all worked out according to God’s plan and prophecy. Judas was doomed to destruction and the other disciples were saved from condemnation.
[Jesus speaking] I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
John 17:11-12
[Jesus speaking] The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)
John 6:63-71
Judas Fulfilled his Destiny
From the previous quote we can emphasize the words of Jesus, “No one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them (John 6:65).” This is a reference to the doctrine of election. Some people are chosen by God to believe and be saved, and some are not. This is a doctrine that rises above human comprehension but we must merely trust God that he is just and righteous and one day we will understand how. Judas was chosen to be a disciple and worked with Jesus and the other disciples for about three years. During that time he witnessed countless miracles, presumably even performing miracles himself. On at least two occasions the disciples were sent out in teams of two to drive out demons and cure diseases (Luke 9:1, Luke 10:1). Judas was included in this ministry but never really did believe that Jesus was the Son of God nor that he was the true Messiah or Savior. He did not believe because he was not elect, or chosen or enabled. For example, Peter denied Christ three times but was restored and forgiven and professed his belief. Other disciples experienced doubt (Matthew 26:22, Matthew 28:17, John 20:25, Luke 24:38). The difference is that they were all chosen to believe and were saved. Judas was not.
When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.
Luke 9:1-6
Signs of Judas’ True Character
Not much is mentioned about most of the disciples. Peter, James and John are spoken of most frequently. The others, hardly at all. There was an exchange recorded involving Judas Iscariot when Jesus was anointed with perfume by Mary at Bethany. She used a large amount of expensive perfume and anointed Jesus. Judas, greedy for the money that the perfume could have generated if it was sold instead of poured out, spoke against her actions. Jesus affirmed Mary’s decision and Judas was silenced. Still, none of the other disciples suspected anything out of the ordinary. Judas had presented a plausible case stating that the money could be used for the poor. Jesus knew his true motive but allowed him to continue with the group. The group did not pick up on this early warning sign.
Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.”
John 12:1-8
The New Testament writers always mention Judas last any time the list of disciples is recorded. They connected Old Testament prophecies regarding his betrayal to him personally. In the end, even Judas himself was repulsed by his own actions.
The Death of Judas
The records of Matthew and Acts both mention the death of Judas though they don’t appear to be consistent at first glance. Since we know that the Bible is God’s Word and is accurate and true, we can trust that there is a way to reconcile these differing accounts. We know that Judas’ betrayal of Christ was premeditated and he made arrangements with the chief priests to betray his Master. Though the time and place was not decided, the amount of payment was promised to him. This was enough for him to begin planning to purchase the field.
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
Mark 14:10-11
During the last supper, there came the time that Jesus dismissed Judas and he went to collect the money. Later that night he betrayed Christ with a kiss and the soldiers came and arrested Jesus. After Jesus was arrested, Judas was filled with grief. He returned the money and went to hang himself.
Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people made their plans how to have Jesus executed. So they bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate the governor.
When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
“What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.”
So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.”
Matthew 27:1-10
The account in Acts states that Judas bought a field and fell there and his body burst open. These two accounts are different but that doesn’t mean they can’t both be accurate and true. Say for example, when Judas was promised the money, he went and made arrangements to buy the potter’s field from the owner. In modern terms, we would say that the transaction was “under contract” or that the terms have been agreed to by both parties but the transaction has not been completed quite yet. Everything was agreed upon but the money wasn’t yet paid. Once Judas obtained the money, he was filled with remorse. He threw the money into the temple and the priests must have been aware of his pending transaction. This would not be uncommon as the Jews often discussed these matters in public to have witnesses to any transactions. So the priests may have decided to complete the transaction that Judas had initiated with his money that he threw into the temple. It can be said that Judas purchased the field even though it was done by proxy. Then he went to the field that he had arranged to purchase and hanged himself there. The account in Acts doesn’t confirm that fact but it is consistent with what it says about him falling in the field and his body bursting open. That doesn’t happen from a typical fall, but it would be likely if Judas hung himself, died while hanging and his body was left unattended for a period of time. After enough time, the body would begin to decompose and the rope may have broken, or the tree limb may have broken. Then his body could have fallen to the ground and opened up spilling his intestines on the ground. So while the accounts recorded don’t provide those or other details, there is no evidence to conclude that they are not able to be reconciled and offered as parts of longer series of true events.
Long after all these events transpired, Peter summarized certain aspects of it with the intention of building a case to replace Judas with another disciple.
In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”
(With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
“For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:
“‘May his place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in it,’
and,
“‘May another take his place of leadership.’
Acts 1:15-20
Summary
Judas was chosen to be a disciple. He chose to follow and learn from Christ but he never truly believed that Christ was the Messiah. His evil character is seen in his stealing, greed and betrayal. He ultimately committed suicide and has been remembered ever since as the one who betrayed Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World. Judas fulfilled what was prophesied regarding him so it can be said that his doom was certain. At the same time, he made the choices he made of his own free will. Though he apparently exercised miraculous feats while on mission, he ultimately did not believe in Christ and Satan is said to have entered him just before the final betrayal (Luke 22:3). Jesus said of him that it would have been better for him if he had not been born (Mark 14:21). What a terrible fate, but one that is true of every non-believer.
Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.
Daniel 12:2
All Scripture quoted from:
New International Version (NIV)
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