Judas Iscariot, a character study. Part 4, the end.

As I close this out, I find I can't give you a definitive answer as to where Judas Iscariot is. However, I think what I have given you is enough to show that we serve a merciful God and that not everything is so black and white that you can exclaim that Judas is in hell.
In talking about what I had learned as I did this study, a person who feels they are a biblical expert brought up the rich man and Lazarus. They pointed out that they think the rich man was in hell. I responded with, there is a problem with that, and it is a fact there has as yet been no judgment. As a matter of fact, that judgment will not occur until the end of the 1000 year reign of Christ, at the great white throne. Since, God has not judged anyone, nor sent anyone to hell as yet, why do you have the right to send someone to hell prematurely? They agreed that no one has been judged as yet, but had no reasonable response as what to do with the rich man.
Apparently, there are some things we don't understand. Now I happen to think that the answers are there in scripture; we just don't see them. An example of this was made clear to as I was editing this document so that I could post it in sections. I was reading John13:25-27 where Peter asks John, who was leaning back against Jesus if he would ask Jesus who is the one who will betray Him?
 (26) Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish."Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.  (27) As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, "What you are about to do, do quickly." [NIV]
For the first time, I read this passage and saw something I have never seen before. Jesus statement toward Judas Iscariot may not have been directed at Judas; Jesus may have been speaking directly to Satan, just as He had done when Peter expressed how he would not allow them to kill him. Jesus turned, and looking straight into Peter's eyes and said, get behind me Satan.
Matthew16:22-23 NIV  Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him."Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"  (23)  Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns."
I expressed this insight to a friend who used to be an administrative law judge (I find him to be a speedy reader who absorbs information,) and he immediately, after looking at the passage for himself, said, you are right, this does open the door to that possibility. There is no doubt in my mind that the Holy Spirit knows that the timing and release of understanding are pertinent and now. This release of information is the theme we see as the Book Of Daniel closes.
Daniel12:1-4 NASB "Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. (2) "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. (3)"Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. (4) "But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."
I obtained the arguments against Judas from these people https://www.gotquestions.org/Judas-Iscariot.html. I have made comments in defense of Judas-Iscariot below the bulleted points. The original document has, for the most part, been turned into bulleted points and the paragraphs as well are highlighted in bold type.
The thesis opened with a question and an answer:
"Who was Judas Iscariot?" Answer: Judas Iscariot is typically remembered for one thing: his betrayal of Jesus.
While his betrayal, as they put it, maybe the one thing we remember about him, let's see if I change your heart and attitude about him.

• Judas Iscariot fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 41:9, “Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me” (cf. John 13:18).

The author of this treatise points out where Jesus says:
"I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen, but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, 'HE WHO EATS MY BREAD HAS LIFTED UP HIS HEEL AGAINST ME.' (John 13:18 NASB)
Psalm 41:9 seems to be what Jesus was referring to. [NIV]  "Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me."
Do not think for a second that this was a surprise to Jesus. He knew all along what would happen.
TheThe Ultimate Cross-Reference Treasury says this about the phrase, may be fulfilled.
“We find something that closely resembles this idea in the NIV, where it tells us “this is to fulfill this passage of scripture.”Maybe fulfilled, is the Greek word plērōthē. It is the subjunctive mood of probability, and cannot apply to predestination. The subjunctive is used when the action "…is viewed as contingent upon certain existing and known conditions—being objectively possible…"”
The UCRT goes on to say, “What is predestinated cannot be a probability, but must be absolute!” (Cf. Mark 14:49).
"Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled." [NIV] 
So again we see that the Jewish council knew who Jesus was and plotted almost daily to take him and kill him. But Jesus makes it clear that this moment in time has been set aside for this action to take place, and nothing will stop the plan of redemption now.

• Yet Judas was fully responsible for his actions. Jesus said, “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born” (Matthew 26:24).

This paragraph may be the most condemning statement of all that has been made merely because it says, "It would be better for him if he had not been born." What are we to make of this? Scriptures related to this statement are:
Psalms 41:9 NASB Even my close friend in whom I trusted, Who ate my bread, Has lifted up his heel against me.
Psalms 109:8 LITV  let his days be few, and let another take his office;

Romans 9:21-22 LITV  Or does not the potter have authority over the clay, out of the one lump to make one vessel to honor, and one to dishonor? Jer. 18:6  (22)  But if God, desiring to demonstrate His wrath, and to make His power known, endured in much long-suffering vessels of wrath having been fitted out for destruction,

While these passages may sustain the argument for many, there is one additional passage, which Jesus spoke, that may demonstrate some form of grace. 

John 17:12 LITV  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name; I guarded those whom You gave to Me, and not one of them was lost, except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

The word perdition is the Greek word apōleia. Sadly, it means ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal), damnation, and destruction. 

How do you fight against that? 

While the word perdition is fairly damning, how do I treat a man whose job it is to fulfill scripture?

If you must make a statement like Judas being responsible for his actions, then you need to define in what way Judas demonstrated that responsibility. If going back to the Jewish council and telling them, in a manner, that their actions were wrong and therefore his actions were wrong, is taking responsibility, maybe I can see that. Hanging yourself does not demonstrate taking responsibility unless you were a serial murderer and you wanted to save us all from your disease. But aren't we all responsible for Jesus death?
Here is my perspective on responsibility for actions. Satan and a third of the angels had a choice to live in peace with God, but they did not; humankind also has the choice to live in harmony with God and others, but most choose not to. This freedom to choose is called free will; sadly though for every action, there is a reaction, and Judas experienced his. Since free will is so problematic, why allow for it? Because it gives us the freedom to choose to love the Father.

• Matthew 27:6–8 reports that the chief priests took the “blood money” from Judas and bought a potter’s field as a place for burying foreigners (thus fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 11:12–13).

True

• Acts 1:18–19 continues the story of what happened after Judas’ death and gives some additional information. Luke reports, “With the reward, he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field;

So Matthew tells us that the chief priests took the money and bought the field, but Dr. Luke, in the book of Acts conveys that Judas bought the field.

First, none of the disciples were there to see the transactions, and so all anyone has is gossip.

Secondly, why would Judas have the foresight to take care of his own death. Not likely.

Thirdly, where did Dr. Luke get his information? The Biblical Illustrator commentary gives us the most definite clue as to the authorship of the Gospel of Luke, and therefore the clear link to the information Luke was able to obtain about this field. “Of the writer of the third Gospel nothing whatsoever is known, except that he was the faithful friend and companion of St. Paul.”

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.” The additional detail we learn from Luke is that, after Judas hanged himself, his dead body fell into the very field purchased with his ill-gotten gains.

“Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this,” this tells you several things.
1. Judas Iscariot was more well known than we are told.
2. Nothing is secret.
3. It suggests that people cared about Judas Iscariot or else they would not have cared what became of him.

• Given the fact of Judas’ close proximity to Jesus during three years of ministry, it is hard to imagine how he could follow through on such a dastardly betrayal.

Setting aside the crass, unfounded remarks which lay the brunt of all that happened to Jesus on Judas Iscariot, there is 1 Peter.
"He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds, you have been healed." (1Peter 2:24 NIV)

What is my take away from this? That Jesus, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross. Jesus did this for us. Judas was merely a player in the grand scheme.

• Judas’ story teaches us to guard against small, gradual failings that gain strength and power in our lives and that could open the door to more deadly influences.

This idea of guarding against small, gradual failings is sound wisdom and should not be looked at in an accusatory tone.
Although we have no direct evidence of Judas' motivation for handing Jesus over, outside of Satan entering into him, we can make a logical assumption that he had one, and had toyed with the idea frequently. The fact that Satan used him specifically for that purpose readily plays into that idea.

You cannot repeatedly toy with ideas, such as indulging your fleshly desires, without those indulgences becoming deadly.

• His story is also a great reminder that appearances can be deceiving.

The assumption I am left to make is that Judas Iscariot was a poser; you know the type, they act a certain way in front of the religious crowd, or some girl they are trying to impress when their real motive lurks in the dark and is typically played out behind closed doors.

There is nothing about Judas that tells me he was like that; if there were, wouldn't Jesus have perceived that in His spirit? Of course, He would; you can't hide anything from God.

• Jesus taught, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:22–23).

The fact that the writer of this thesis added this passage to tack down his motive, and that is to direct your thoughts. Sadly though, they missed the context, and it had nothing to do with Judas. The reference has everything to do with the judgment of the nations, and we see a tremendous picture of that in Matthew 25 - the sheep and goat judgment.

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Judas Iscariot, a character study. Part 3.

Some might ask why I am defending such a man. Primarily it is because an aspect of what we have learned inside the brick walls we call the church, has imposed bad teaching and skewed traditions upon us; in doing so we have developed into some of the most judgmental people you will ever meet. Do we as Christians run around with swords and guns imposing our will on people, as some groups do, hopefully not, but our words and teachings have a comparable effect.
Secondly, the question itself demonstrates a horrendous judgmental attitude by the one doing the asking, but I suppose, to some degree, it is a legitimate question.
I guess you can say I am standing up for Judas-Iscariot because I am a lot like the man. I too am Sick of my government lying to me; I am annoyed to tears about “law enforcement” bullying good people, while no one seems to care about the drug dealer next door to me; I am fed up with most organized religion, as it is no different today than when the chief priests and elders corroborated to kill Jesus; It grieves me that within the church body I scarcely find anyone willing to focus on and talk about the Word of God (I am excluding those who, as one brother experienced, think they are learned, and therefore think they have the right to say whatever they want, including opinion, as they push some skewed teaching on us.) Oh sure, the men will talk sports, cars, and how important they are at their jobs, but God and the reality of life has no place in their lives, and most of these men, whether they have money or not, have credit cards and therefore put their faith in the credit card instead God – they are thus enabled to actively pursue their idols. So when it comes to “men” who will talk about Godly things I am only aware of a handful, and I sit regularly with two of them.

There is a point to most of this ranting; I am painfully aware that the things going on around us are a part of the birth pains, known as Jacob's troubles depending upon the translation you use. (You will find the reference to Jacob's troubles in Jeremiah 30:7.) All this is a lead into the time of God's wrath; the seven-year period we so foolishly call the “Tribulation.”
We, as followers of Christ, have been given the power and authority to stand against much of this onslaught, and it is coming in many forms. Most recently France, with the yellow vest protests, has withstood some ridiculous taxation and it seems, for the moment, they won that battle. Sadly, some of us will die (Matthew 26:52.)

Judas-Iscariot was no worse or better than any of the disciples. Are we not told that “all have sinned and come short”? (Romans 3:23)

I have made comments in defense of Judas-Iscariot below the bulleted points. The original document has, for the most part, been turned into bulleted points and paragraphs are highlighted in bold type.

• In fact, Judas was empowered to do what he did by the devil himself: “As soon as Judas took the bread [that Jesus had given him], Satan entered into him” (John 13:27).

Let's take this verse one step further.
John 13:25-27 NIV Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?" (26) Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish."Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.  (27) As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, "What you are about to do, do quickly."
The "he" in this passage is Peter; so can I assume that Peter knew who it was that was going to betray Jesus. The inference is reasonably direct, and yet John 13:28 tells us that NO ONE understood what was happening.
One other thing I noticed as I read John 13:27, “As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” We always assumed that Jesus was talking directly to Judas-Iscariot, but what if He wasn't? What if the statement, “what you are about to do, do quickly,” was directed at Satan? Think about the interactions Jesus had with Peter and the demonic. How did he speak? He spoke directly to the demon(s) and ordered them to come out. Anyway, it's just a thought.

If I stick with the NIV, I get a point-blank inference that Satan entered into Judas. So let's examine that and see if it is a true statement.
The Greek word for entered is eiserchomai and means (According to Thayer'sDefinitions) 1) to go out or come in: to enter; 1b) of Satan taking possession of the body of a person.
So, yes, it is true that Satan entered Judas.
What does Satan entering Judas do to the previous three years and events in Judas' life? Nothing. Get serious; there is not a man on the face of the earth that is immune to Satan's deception unless they have accepted Jesus as the Lord of their life, receive the power of the Holy Spirit, and get firmly planted in God's word; then, you stand a chance.

It seems like being a follower of Jesus Christ would be firm and common ground, but spend a little time in recovery and you will see that people fall off the wagon with regularity. Every few months they come dragging themselves back to meetings, not understanding what they did, or what happened in their religious moment at some altar or a church bench. This lack of understanding opens the door for Satan to run them ragged.

How about those who think they are the pillars of the church; can they be deceived and battered about? Absolutely. The Apostle Paul, in his letter to Timothy, instructs the young man about moving in gentleness and wisdom toward people who seem to betray their salvation, when in fact, they have been taken captive by Satan at his will.

2 Timothy 2:24-26 NASB The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, (25) with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, (26) and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

If Satan can snare a believer, then he can catch Judas as well.

• The other disciples had no clue that Judas Iscariot harbored treacherous thoughts.

This idea that the other disciples had no clue seems to be a contradiction to most everything the authors of this treatise have conveyed. It is, however, a true statement, because, as I said moments ago, when I pointed out John 13:28, that none of them understood what was going on.

• When Jesus mentioned a betrayer in their midst, the other disciples worried that it was they who would prove disloyal (John 13:22).

True

• No one suspected Judas. He was a trusted member of the Twelve.

True

• Even when Jesus told Judas, “What you are about to do, do quickly,” (John 13:27), and Judas left the Last Supper, the others at the table simply thought Judas had been sent to buy more food or to give something to charity (verses 28–29).

True

• Judas Iscariot betrayed the Lord with a kiss, perfectly in keeping with his brazen duplicity (Luke 22:47–48).

Again, that word betrayal. Luke indicated a kiss most likely because it was dark (I say this because they had tried or wanted to kill Jesus on several occasions. The Jewish council knew who he was and what he looked like. They may not have known precisely where he was that night,) who Jesus was.
Judas-Iscariot's actions fulfilled several prophetic words that night; and, played precisely into a Godly timeline that was to be achieved only a few hours from this moment.

• After committing his atrocious act, Judas “was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders” (Matthew 27:3). But we learn that remorse does not equal repentance—rather than make amends or seek forgiveness, “he went away and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:5).

The Complete Jewish Bible translation tells us that “he was seized with remorse.” Few other translations treat Judas so kindly. Most read something like this, Matthew 27:3 NASB 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,”

Saw is the Greek word eidō and means to perceive with the eyes, notice, discern, and discover, among others.

Condemned is the Greek word katakrinō and means judged worthy of punishment.

Some questions: if Judas truly wanted Jesus to die because of this so-called “betrayal,” why would he care what became of Jesus?

We are told that Judas-Iscariot saw (perceived) that he had been condemned. From whom and how did this perception come? Did it come from Jesus? I don't think so, and we never see any interaction between the two after the kiss in the garden.

Did the condemnation come from the other disciples? Quite possibly, however, only those who were in the upper room and then the garden would have been aware of what transpired.
Could the condemnation come from the chief priests and elders, the same ones who lured Judas in, that they could have Jesus killed? This type of behavior would have been a common occurrence for them.

Felt and remorse are merely the same Greek word used twice. It is because of conjunctive words, that the meaning can be ascertained as “feeling remorse.” Old English, however, can occasionally be a poor translation and it mandates that we pursue the alternative possibilities from a concordance.
The Greek word is metamellomai and means to care afterward, regret, and repent, denoting a change of place or condition, and mélomai, mid. of mélō (n.f. see mélei[G3199], to concern), to be concerned.
So when we talk of repentance in the Christian community, aren't we talking about 180 degree turns from that troublesome thing or a change in condition?
All these words are religiously applied to repentance, and yet we can't find any room for that in Judas-Iscariot.
So I could read Matthew 27:3 as, when Judas Iscariot determined what the Jewish council's real intent was, he had a deep concern about delivering Jesus over to the Jewish council; as he has now learned their hidden agenda was to have Jesus killed.

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Judas Iscariot, a character study. Part 2

This examination of Judas Iscariot is the outgrowth of a recent group Bible study on Hebrews. During the evening's interactions on Hebrews my friend, in reference to eternal security, adamantly contrasted Judas-Iscariot, declaring, Judas Iscariot went to hell. I have several problems with a statement like that and spoke to the man privately about them after the study was over. Several days later that brother in Christ sent me a text message which directed me to a website he declared offered sound information on the subject of Judas Iscariot. What that website did, was to affirm my friend's arguments. 
I obtained the arguments against Judas from this source https://www.gotquestions.org/Judas-Iscariot.html.
Assuming, and it's a natural assumption, that my friend and several thousand others like him, feel so resolute and judgmental aboutJudas-Iscariot, I decided to pursue this character study on the man.
I have made comments which can be seen below the bulleted points. The original document has, for the most part, been turned into bulleted points and highlighted in bold type.

The overarching question is, Who was Judas Iscariot? 

As I began to respond to the thesis, which seems to have one goal - to have your opinion harmonize with theirs, my answers progressively turned into a ten-page treatise. I have learned that I cannot inundate you, the reader, with something that lengthy, as you will leave my site and probably never come back. Therefore, it is separated into parts. This is part two.

• Jesus knew from the very beginning what Judas Iscariot would do. Jesus told His disciples, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” (John 6:70).

Look how the Message conveys John 6:70, “Jesus responded, "Haven't I handpicked you, the Twelve? Still, one of you is a devil!"

Handpicked, now there's a visual image for you. Jesus, fully aware of the end of this chain of events, choose Judas-Iscariot intentionally. Why is that? Could it be that Jesus was the one with the plan and not Judas-Iscariot?

The plan, since the rebellion and fall of the angels that followed Satan, has been to restore peace, and redeem humanity - a necessary move since one man gave it all away. But then, God knew that would happen, just as He knew Judas would be manipulated into playing the role he did. All of it for the purpose of gaining eternal salvation for all who would follow after Jesus Christ.

What of this idea that one of you is the devil?

Luke 22:1-6 NET. Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. (2) The chief priests and the experts in the law were trying to find some way to execute Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. (3) Then Satan entered Judas, the one called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve. (4) He went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers of the temple guard how he might betray Jesus, handing him over to them. (5) They were delighted and arranged to give him money. (6) So Judas agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus when no crowd was present.

If I look up the word devil I get diábolos; to accuse. A false accuser, used for the devil. It is simply one who accuses. Judas did not accuse Jesus; he did, however, try to push Him to act irrationally and prematurely. How could Jesus have acted prematurely? By taking the throne without going to the cross and redeeming us all.

It seemed that the dramatic change in Judas-Iscariot came when Satan entered him. My perception is always tainted by my humanity and so I see things rather black and white. As Judas Iscariot walked with Jesus, he acted and spoke just as he always did; James and John, the "sons of thunder," were both capable of demonstrating a violent edge; Peter, much like James and John, was accustomed to the harsh, mouthy world associated with the fishing industry. These guys were just men and God saw the potential in them all.

Would God, knowing that He had Satan within His inner circle of leadership, be someone we should think highly of? Of course not. Common sense tells you that you never, knowingly, let the enemy close enough to disrupt your plans; and that is precisely what Satan was trying to do. 

The Tree of Life Version of the Bible uses the term deliver instead of betray. The definition of deliver is to hand over or convey into someone's possession formally. Since the word betray means:

v. To give aid or information to an enemy of; commit treason against or betray one's country.

v. To deliver into the hands of an enemy in violation of a trust or allegiance: 

v. To be false or disloyal to:

Can I then say that the act of delivering Jesus over, not to the Romans, but the Jewish council, was a betrayal? Since Judas never truly fit any of these definitions, especially when Jesus knew all along what Judas would eventually yield to; it does not feel like much of a betrayal, but a man with a mission, who was trying to provoke Jesus into a fight – one which he thought Jesus would quickly win.

You must remember that God's agreements with us were never dependent upon our actions. Yes, there has always been a benefit for following after the covenants, but regardless of our efforts, or lack thereof, God was always going to remain faithful to His end of the deal. Such was the case with God's end plan for the salvation of man. We know that Jesus went to the cross willingly, and would have been put there on that cross by some other means if necessary. Judas merely played a role.

• And at the Last Supper, Jesus predicted His betrayal and identified the betrayer: “Jesus answered, ‘It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon” (John 13:26).

Again, the annoyance is that this is stated as though Judas was some random, last-minute alteration in the course of events. When it came to the Jews, Jesus told those who wanted to hang him, do you not realize that I could call legions of angels to come and rescue me. There is nothing that is happening to me that I have not approved and allowed. So to place words like betrayal and betrayer upon Judas is merely inciting anger and rage in the reader.

• Jesus said that Judas Iscariot was not “clean”; i.e., he had not been born again and was not forgiven of his sins (John 13:10–11).

Jesus did not say, “Judas was not clean,” He merely said one of you.

What does John 13:10-11 say? (MKJV)  Jesus said to him (Peter,) He who is bathed has no need except to wash his feet but is clean every whit. And you are clean, but not all.  (11)  For He knew who would betray Him. Therefore He said, You are not all clean.

The bulleted statement above, unwisely states, “he (Judas,) had not been born again and was not forgiven of his sins.” None of them were born again. Since Jesus had not gone to the cross, they were all living under the law, not grace.

Bathed and washed are translations; however, the Greek word is louō and means to bathe the whole person. We probably perceive this as water baptism. The idea behind the word is an immersion into a wholehearted acceptance, something that none of the disciples did. In contrast to Judas, who clearly was not 100% invested, we have Peter, who betrayed Christ three times; and John, who stayed near the cross and Mary, as Jesus was dying. The problem with thinking that any of them “got it,” is that none of them did, and scripture proves that out.

Has no need – G2192 echō A primary verb (including an alternate form σχέω scheō skheh'-o used in certain tenses only); to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession, ability, contiguity, relation or condition.) -

So I understand there not being a need to hold desperately onto sick relationships or possessions if I have been washed already, but to merely wash your feet as needed what did this mean? It meant that Jesus, through His word, had already cleansed them; but then, there is the daily, trivial nonsense, such stealing from the treasury bag - the stuff we call sin. In no way do I get a sense of ominous retribution worthy of separation from God. In the environment of that day, where you would sit on pillows, next to each other, to dine, I can completely understand why washing your feet would be an exceptional idea.

Would betray Him – paradidōmi - From G3844 and G1325; to surrender, that is, surrender, deliver, give over.

Yes, I am aware that paradidōmi also carries the idea of betrayal, but I do not believe that Jesus saw Judas' actions as insidious. If that were the case, then Peter would have been a write off as well. In general, I could easily say that Judas surrendered or delivered Jesus to the Jewish council; however, I do not believe Judas meant for Him to be killed. Everything I see, as I study Judas' life, demonstrates that Judas intended to force Jesus to rise on their behalf.

Consider this idea of delivering someone over to an authoritative force. 
The Jewish leadership had temple guards, and this is who took Jesus captive that night. The Romans, on the other hand, were under orders to rapidly suppress any violent acts. Would the activities of the Jewish leadership have been seen in that light? This potential of misconduct is one of the reasons that Pilot so “rapidly” relented to the chief priests cries to crucify Jesus.

Luke 22:52 NIV  Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs?

One of the pieces of evidence we have that demonstrates that the Chief priests and elders took Jesus in the garden, is the fact that they brought Jesus to the “jail” beneath Caiaphas' home. Archaeology has proven that this place existed. Here is where Jesus was challenged over His claims to be God's son, and therefore God - a blasphemous claim worthy of death according to Jewish law. The result is that the Jewish temple guards beat Jesus, based upon claims that have nothing to do with what Romans consider rebellion before they ever handed Him off to Pilot.

Judas knew full well what the Romans could, and would do to those that caused trouble, but Jesus never did any of those things; he also knew that the Jews had no power to put someone on a cross and this was, therefore, a moot issue in the mind of Judas.

Judas, just like all the others, walked beside Jesus in a state of puzzlement. 
Just a few days before this, what had taken place? At Jesus direction they had secured an unridden colt (Matthew 21) – this would have been comparable to borrowing a new Mercedes luxury car, just as dignitaries might arrive in, and placing Jesus in it. Just the sight of such an event triggered off a mad rush of onlookers, many of whom had experience with Jesus and the miracles He performed. But now He is riding into town as a King might. This moment has to be significant, and it is a long enough ride for many to have the time necessary to gather palm branches to spread upon the ground before Him.

Now, put yourself in the place of the disciples, especially Judas, as none of them were sure how this entrance into Jerusalem was going to end; for some, I am sure they were hoping for some kind of overthrow. The underlying motive is the possibility that they would hold important cabinet positions under the rule of Jesus.

Did Jesus step up and rule? 
No, but He did overthrow the tables of the money changers and chased the vendors out of the outer court. The blind and lame came to Him in the Temple, and He healed them.  (Matthew 21:12) Jesus then became embroiled, for two days, with the chief priests and elders about His authority to do what He did, and who He was. All this was the lead into what we see in Matthew 24 and 25, and the questions the disciples asked, “when will all these things come to pass and what will the sign of your return?” You see, they expected Him to step up and reign two days before; obviously, based upon what you are telling us now when you come back it will be to reign, so when is that going to happen?

When the disciple John wrote “For He knew who would betray Him. Therefore He said, You are not all clean,” it was understood to mean, Jesus could see the end result. In the perfect tense, the word see, meant to know. Can I surmise Jesus knowing or seeing to be comparable? Yes.

Bullet points and blocks of copy in bold have been extracted from Got Questions Ministries. I have done this to make their information distinct from my own thoughts and comments. 

©Copyright 2002-2018 Got Questions Ministries.

Judas Iscariot, a character study. Part 1.

This study originated from a Bible study on Hebrews, led by a man I know. During the evening's bible study my friend, in reference to eternal security, added his thoughts on Judas-Iscariot, by adamantly declaring, Judas Iscariot went to hell.
I have several problems with a statement like that, but the Holy Spirit told me to hold my tongue until after the meeting was over and I could address his out of line and adamant statement quietly. I did just that and told him briefly the reasons why I disagreed with him.
Having spelled out some aspects of what you will find in this rebuttal, my friend responded with, “well, we just don't know everything,” and I agreed, we don't. I hoped that he would never speak with such adamancy about something he doesn't understand. The next day I got a text message from him. In that message, he said, “my wife and I have discussed this, and Judas may have felt remorse, but he never repented;” he added, “there is a difference you know.” and quickly tried to define those differences. I responded with, “I will study this character Judas-Iscariot more closely soon, but not today. Until then, I must continue to err, if that is what I have done, I will do so on the side of mercy.
My friend then sent this link and said, “I get much of my understanding from this website https://www.gotquestions.org/Judas-Iscariot.html. I obtained the arguments against Judas from these people. Assuming, and it's an easy assumption, that my friend and several thousand others like him, feel just as adamantly about Judas-Iscariot, I decided to pursue this character study on Judas-Iscariot. Let me add, that this is not the first time I have heard such anger, judgment, and lack of understanding about some Biblical character.
I have made comments which can be seen below the bulleted points.
The original document has, for the most part, been turned into bulleted points and highlighted in bold type.

Question: "Who was Judas Iscariot?"

Answer: Judas Iscariot is typically remembered for one thing: his betrayal of Jesus.
If I were to ask you why Judas is only thought of as a betrayer and thief, you might say, well, for one thing, scripture, such as John's gospel, in particular, directs us to think that way.
Alright, that is a reasonable response, that is until you begin looking at the words, as found in concordances. For there you will see that they can have several meanings and I frequently find that the alternate wording better fits the context.
Let's say you cling to the KJV as it is often represented as the authorized version. Yes, it was commissioned by King James, with whom they pleaded against continued efforts as the language alone was outdated by the time they published the limited and expensive copies they could make.
So, the authors answer to his own question is given above, and it statesJudas is typically remembered for one thing: his betrayal of Jesus. There are other things about him such as he was one of the original, handpicked, disciples, but you don't think about that until you do something as peculiar as writing an eleven-page thesis in defense of a man who may not be in hell, as some prescribe.

• He was one of the twelve disciples who lived with and followed Jesus for three years.

And therefore, a part of the inner circle. As far as I can see you never let the spy or betrayer into the inner circle unless you have a higher, more significant plan; and Jesus did.

• He witnessed Jesus’ ministry, His teaching, and His many miracles.

They (the disciples) were all given the mission to go out and heal the sick and cast out demons, and Judah Iscariot was included. However, Judas apparently had to be placed at the back of the listing, and Mark, among the others, had to mention the betrayal.
Mark 3:10-19 MKJV For He had healed many, so that they pressed on Him in order to touch Him, as many as had plagues.  (11) And unclean spirits, when they saw Him, they fell down before Him and cried, saying, You are the Son of God! (12) And He strictly charged them that they should not make Him known. (13) And He went up into a mountain and called near those whom He would. And they came to Him.  (14) And He ordained twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them out to proclaim,  (15) and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons. (16) And He put on Simon the name Peter.  (17) And He put on James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, the names Boanerges, which is, the Sons of Thunder.  (18) And HeappointedAndrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite,  (19) and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. And they went into a house.

• He was the treasurer for the group and used this trusted position to steal from their resources (John 12:6).

John was the only one to mention this act. Even under Mosaic law, judgments we make against others, are only legitimized by the mouths of two or three witnesses. Let's say Judas Iscariot's stealing from the bag is a true statement, then what am I to gather from it? That this action on the part of Judas was never a concern for Jesus or most of the disciples. When Jesus told the disciples to provide for the thousands gathered on the hillside that first day, they never said, we do not possibly have enough money.

• Judas was a common name in that era, and there are several other Judases mentioned in the New Testament. One of the other disciples was named Judas (John 14:22), and so was one of Jesus’ half-brothers (Mark 6:3).

The fact that Judas is a common name of the day is an irrelevant point to make; it does, however, address the need to specify which “Judas” you are speaking about.

• To differentiate, John 6:71 and John 13:26 refer to Christ’s betrayer as “Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.”

Sadly, Judas is always mentioned last in the apostolic lists of names and continuously with the notation that he was the one who betrayed Jesus. There is nothing in the gospels to suggest that he was set aside or treated differently from any of the twelve, even though Jesus knew what his future actions would be.
Scholars have several ideas about the derivation of the surname.

• One is that Iscariot refers to Kerioth, a region or town in Judea.
• Another idea is that it refers to the Sicarii, a cadre of assassins among the Jewish rebels. The possible association with the Sicarii allows for intriguing speculation about Judas’ motives.
• The fact that he made a conscious choice to betray Jesus (Luke 22:48) remains the same.
• The surname Iscariot is useful because it leaves no doubt about which Judas is being addressed.

None of the above information, about his name and the town he is from, is provable and therefore pure speculation.
Here are some of the facts we glean from key verses about Judas and his betrayal:

• Money was important to Judas. As already mentioned, he was a thief,

If John had not brought it up, would it even be an issue?
The assertion that money was important to Judas alone is purely conjecture and irrelevant.
People steal all the time; some steal by cheating on the time clock, or by merely taking a pen from a desk. We all have a sin nature, and it drives us, just as it drove Judas Iscariot.
Peter, as we should be aware, had a family to support and a house to maintain; perhaps he needed a steady supply of money as well, and yet, we see very little money involved in the life of Jesus and the disciples, outside of paying taxes on one occasion, and that money came out of a fishes mouth.

• And, according to Matthew 26:13–15, the chief priests paid him “thirty silver coins” to betray the Lord.

None of the disciples were there to hear or witness the transaction between the chief priests and Judas; so all we have is an assumption as to how we came to know what happened in that private meeting. It may be that Judas was vocal enough to convey how he felt, and it seems that his greatest motivation was to force Jesus to step forward as the warring Messiah for which they all longed. Since all the theories put forth about why he did it are conjectural, then this statement I made about Judas motivation is as well; but, it is logical and here is why:
When Jesus rode into town on a young colt that no one had ever ridden before He was riding on the best that could be offered for that period, and, it was a very significant event as all of Israel's kings had done something similar. But this entrance was different, as the first thing He did after the big entrance, was to overthrow the tables of the vendors and money changing thieves, in the outer court of the temple and then verbally accost the Jewish leadership, for two days. The Jews, including Judas, anticipated that He would integrate into their system; and He did not.
Matthew 26:14-16 MSG That is when one of the Twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the cabal of high priests (15) and said, "What will you give me if I hand him over to you?" They settled on thirty silver pieces. (16) He began looking for just the right moment to hand him over.
The word betray is the Greek word paradidōmi and also means to surrender, that is, yield up, entrust, transmit:- commit, deliver(up).
Odd how the primary function of the word is to surrender. Thanks to the Apostle John's hostility, and some bad choices in translation we are mired down with the idea of betrayal.
For the author of this treatise to try to direct us into a wholehearted acceptance of their thesis demonstrates their lack of faith that we have the ability to think logically when given the facts; that the Holy Spirit is capable of leading and guiding us into truth, and, it establishes their lack of skill in presenting an apologetic.
Everyone, in the course of writing, and this includes the disciples and great theological minds, are trying to convince or direct you to see things their way. Historians, such as Josephus – a Jew under Roman rule, who had the task of recording the events of the day, had a strong motivation to make the one in control - Caesar or the Roman empire, look good. To do that they occasionally skewed history to make the current leader look better than he really was; such was the case with American history, and this skewing of a historical recollection may be the case with Judas Iscariot.
Bullet points and blocks of copy in bold have been extracted from Got Questions Ministries. I have done this to make their information distinct from my own thoughts and comments.
©Copyright 2002-2018 Got Questions Ministries.
www.GotQuestions.org

Why was the beggar Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom?

Having made the post about Judas Iscariot, my father approaches me and says, I read your post about Judas. It was somewhat long, but tell me this: Why was the beggar Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom? The question was a little off topic, but I suppose I opened the door, as I had made the point about the beggar Lazarus and the multiple levels of hell theory. Still, it is a great question.

The question is really deeper than it seems. I know this because of previous conversations we have had. However, the answer may not be a simple one. To start with, we have to set up a starting point to work from and that is God’s character. This character is evident in the Son, Jesus Christ, and it is mercy.

I know already that the answer is going to be difficult for many to wrap their minds around because: (1.) mercy has never been a theme intentionally taught in religious circles. When I hear complaints about the sad state of the church today, I also hear this, why do they not preach on sin anymore. Perhaps that is because we are all very adept at sinning, however, few of us are any good at showing mercy? (2.) You have to work on the principle that God’s word is true, and this is a huge obstacle for many.

My desire is to never teach from conjecture. I am sure that most know what that means: A preponderance of opinion without proof. So, how do we find enough evidence to prove a point about subjects within a parable, especially when most of us consider the parables to be mere stories?

First, we will operate on the principle that Jesus, the Jew, was speaking to Jews, and it is probable that these men knew whom Lazarus the beggar was, therefore in most cases, we should assume that these are real people.

Secondly, we have a recorded history of the ideals and traditions of the Jewish people. Thanks to Josephus, Tacitus and others like them, we can understand the mindset of the men that Jesus was dealing with, and it goes like this:

“The Pharisees considered wealth to be a proof of a person's righteousness. Jesus startled them with this story in which a diseased beggar is rewarded and a rich man is punished.” Life Application Study Bible

An aspect of this story that must be understood is that the hearers immediately registered that the rich man was righteous. That understanding was based in tradition, not scripture. It also tells you that many religious leaders had money, and this attitude helped to justify any dubious methods or lifestyle issues they had.

“The rich man did not go to hell because of his wealth but because he was selfish, refusing to feed Lazarus, take him in, or care for him. The rich man was hard-hearted in spite of his great blessings.” Life Application Study Bible

Now, how do we know that the rich man did not go to hell because of his wealth? Because this one of the few things on which we actually have evidence, based upon what Jesus tells us transpired in the parable.

“And it happened that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. The rich one also died and was buried. And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now he is comforted and you are tormented.” (Luke 16:22-25 MKJV)

The rich man is in hell, separated from Lazarus, and yet his habitual routine of demanding from people “beneath him,” is still there.

Here is a part of that conversation:

“Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame.”

The rich man is demanding that Lazarus get him some cool water and cross over into this area of misery, merely to comfort him.

Abraham responds with:

Luke 16:25 LITV …Child, remember that you fully received your good things in your lifetime, and Lazarus likewise the bad things. But now he is comforted, and you are suffering.”

Nelson's New illustrated Bible Commentary “The standard by which the rich man treated others was applied to him. In his lifetime he lacked compassion, so now there was no compassion for him.”

All we know about Lazarus is that he was a Jew, a beggar, and now in Abraham’s bosom, comforted. The mere fact that he is in Abraham’s bosom, should tell us that he was a Jew.

Therefore, we have two Jews; obviously from opposite ends of the monetary spectrum, but as Jews, both fall into the class of “God’s chosen people”. We tend to think that merely because they are Jews they should have an advantage. However, that is not the case, and the rich man finds himself, unexpectedly in a place of torment.

Since we have surmised that being the chosen people gains you no advantage, and your financial status is not a deciding factor in your destiny, what is the thing that stands out as the determinant of who receives God’s mercy? It would seem that living a selfless life style is.

I told you that many would have problems with the explanation and here is why: If Jesus is telling this parable then we know that the age of grace is not yet upon the world. Therefore, the only way for those under the Mosaic covenant to have any form of righteousness, even if temporary, is through their presenting themselves to priest, as the blood of the sacrificial lamb they have brought is poured out for their sins.

The only other option, and the one in which this parable then relies on while demonstrating God’s character, is mercy. That means that Lazarus, lacking any other evidence, is only in Abraham’s bosom, because of mercy.

My reasons for the usage of this passage in Matthew nay not be immediately clear, so stay with me as I explain how this fits the theme of God’s character and mercy.

For the kingdom of Heaven is like a man, a housemaster, who went out when it was early to hire workers into his vineyard. And agreeing with the workers for a denarius for the day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing idle in the market. And he said to them, You also go into the vineyard, and I will give you whatever is just. And they went. Again, going out about the sixth and ninth hour, he did the same. And going out about the eleventh hour, he found others standing idle, and said to them, Why do you stand here idle all day? They said to him, Because no one has hired us. He said to them, You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is just. But evening having come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, Call the workers and pay them the wage, beginning from the last to the first. And the ones having come the eleventh hour each received a denarius. And having come, the first supposed that they would receive more. And they also each received a denarius. And having received it, they murmured against the housemaster, saying, These last have performed one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day. But answering, he said to one of them, Friend, I do not wrong you. Did you not agree to a denarius with me? Take yours and go. But I desire to give to this last as also to you. Or is it not lawful for me to do what I desire with my things? Or is your eye evil because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many are called, but few chosen.

(Matthew 20:1-16 LITV)

 If you look at Matthew 20:1-16 from a religious viewpoint, God can also be pointing out those that are angry at even the possibility of anyone making it into the kingdom of God without having to jump through all the hoops, that religion has put most through. (Note: this idea I am going to develop will not excuse your personal choices in this life, and, as you know, many of those decisions can and will cost you in terms of your health and personal losses.)

Having spent my life in church, I admit that I have my moments where I think I missed some great excitement, that otherwise would have been mine if I lived in the world. Because I am in recovery for anger and co-dependency, I am painfully aware of the damage the world has done to most, especially since I see many people I have come to love and appreciate get pulled back into old habits, which we call relapsing.

One of the statements I have heard repeatedly is that the White Throne judgment is the final judgment, and the time in which God sends everyone off to hell because their names are not found in His book. Sorry, but that is just not the case, and though it forces you to read your bible, you will not find that there. Allow me to show you.

Revelation 20:11-12 MKJV (11) And I saw a great white throne, and Him sitting on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And a place was not found for them.   (12) And I saw the dead, the small and the great, stand before God. And books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

 You need to find out who the dead are to understand this. As believers, the general idea is that we get caught up in the rapture, and are alive in Christ, therefore not subject to this judgment. From the time of Christ death until the rapture, all those who have died in Christ are also included as those in Christ, and therefore excluded. After the rapture, many will continue to come to Christ but since this is no longer a time of grace, they will have to prove their allegiance to God, and the nations (think Islam) will chop off the heads of those who do not comply with the global religion. You also need to know that there are only three groups of people in the world, and we need to name them: The Jews, the nations, and the church.

• - Scripture tells us that many Jews will survive the seven-year period, and will turn to the Lord. They are therefore excluded from the dead before the throne.
• - Followers of Christ throughout the seven years of wrath are called martyred saints; they will be killed, but are resurrected to heaven, hence excluded from the dead before the throne.
• - Therefore, the only people who can be considered the dead, are the people God deems the nations, those who refuse to acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus, and those throughout all time that also refused Him.

It is these, the dead without Christ, which must come before the White Throne for judgment. Now, if you were religiously minded, you would easily assume that these would go immediately to hell, but that is not the case.

This is where we have to go to another source to see what really happens, and so I take you to Matthew 25.

And all nations shall be gathered before Him. And He shall separate them from one another, as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. And indeed He shall set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats off the left. Then the King shall say to those on His right hand, Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you took Me in; I was naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. Then the righteous shall answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, and fed You? Or thirsty, and gave You drink? When did we see You a stranger, and took You in? Or naked, and clothed You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and came to You? And the King shall answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brothers, you have done it to Me. Then He also shall say to those on the left hand, Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in; I was naked, and you did not clothe Me; I was sick, and in prison, and you did not visit me. Then they will also answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to You? Then He shall answer them, saying, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into everlasting life. (Matthew 25:32-46 MKJV)

If you were paying attention, you saw that the nations, those who have not acknowledged Jesus as Lord, come before Him in judgment.

God does the separating and deems some as sheep and others as goats. Regardless, they are all considered to be from the nations. The sheep gain entrance into the kingdom, an act of mercy upon those who showed mercy. In response, they do the most amazing thing, standing there in awe, they say, what did we do to deserve this?

The goats on the other hand, are told, “Depart from Me you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels”, but why? Because they did little outside of satisfying their own selfish desires.

It is clear to me that the goats are those not found in the Book of Life.

 Revelation 20:15 MKJV And if anyone was not found having been written in the Book of Life, he was cast into the Lake of Fire.

How does any of this relate to the beggar Lazarus and the rich man? I believe that in the parable we get to see what God deems a sheep and a goat. I also believe it demonstrates the selfish actions of the rich man, and what it cost him. Lazarus, as a poor beggar, may never have had the opportunity to help anyone but himself during his lifetime, but we do not know that. We only know that God knows the heart and saw something that we could not see.

I told you that the answer would make many upset. I realize that some of that will emanate from the White Throne judgment conclusion alone, but the main thing is the idea, that God himself, would give mercy to someone who did not abide by all the rules I had to abide by. For the believer, our wage, in a sense, is eternity. My work day has effectively been all my life, and the reward has never increased, it is still eternity and a life with the Father. However, at the White Throne judgment, there are those who did not live by religious restriction, relaxed and merely lived a decent life, occasionally acting out of selfless motives while helping others as they could. This means that God, like the vineyard owner, brings them in at the last-minute, and pays them the same reward that I am being paid, and they did not have to live the austere life.

What does this parable about Lazarus tell me? That God has mercy on whom he will.

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