The name
‘Judas’ is often associated with greediness, disloyalty and betrayal, to the
extent that an English dictionary defines the word ‘Judas’ as “a traitor,
especially somebody who betrays a close friend or a cause or belief”… But in
reality the name Judas isn’t as bad as its painted often times; it’s actually
the Greek form of the Hebrew name ‘Judah’ which means ‘Praise’; therefore,
anyone who is called ‘Praise’ by name might as well be called ‘Judas’…
The name
probably gained its popular bad reputation from the acts of one of the
disciples of Jesus Christ by that name, not really because the name has a bad
meaning or spells bad omen to the bearer; after all there were other good
‘Judases’ named in the Bible…
The truth
remains, that the name ‘Judas’ had nothing to do with the betrayal action of
Judas Iscariot, but the big question is, why Judas Iscariot of all the
‘Judases’, and of all people?...
Could Jesus
have intentionally chosen Judas as one of the 12 just to fulfill His mission on
earth? Or to make sure He had one disciple who was bad enough to betray Him? Or
to make sure Judas’s destiny of betraying Christ and committing suicide was
accomplished?
Definitely
not! ‘Cos it was never clearly stated or prophesied before Jesus came, that
God’s only Son would come to the earth to die for the sins of mankind and He
must be betrayed by a man named Judas; and truth is, even though it were to
have been prophesied before hand, Judas Iscariot would have still been the
victim… Jesus came to save all, and that includes His 12 disciples, including
Judas Iscariot. A God who loves ‘all’ could not have intentionally destined a
man whom He created in His own image to end in destruction, and Judas’ case was
not at all an exception…
Note; Jesus
never intentionally chose the best guys and most religious people in town to
make up His 12 disciples; His 12 were actually a list of imperfect people like
every other person, only chosen by God’s grace… Recall, Peter, probably
Christ’s closest and most loved disciple, once confessed to Jesus saying “…Depart
from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord…” (Luk. 5:8) We never know how sinful he
was before he became Christ’s disciple; may be even worse than Judas, and yet
Peter later denied Him thrice while other disciples ran for their lives when
Christ was arrested… Jesus’ disciples were definitely not all some great
perfect guys; they were only surviving by the courage the presence of their Omnipotent
Master provided them…
Truth again
is; Jesus chose Judas as one of the 12, just like the rest, for one singular
reason, and it’s not to use him, but to save him, only if he wanted to be
saved… Christ couldn’t have been helping, healing and saving other publicans
while one of His own disciples is in need of His help and He intentionally
refuses to come to his aid…
Ever wondered
why on several occasions, Jesus would both directly and indirectly tell Judas
he would be the one to betray Him? Like in this: “…Then Judas, the one who
would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered,
"Yes, it is you."…” Matt. 26:25 (NIV)… Would Jesus predict his actions to him if he didn’t
intend to save him from doing it and avoiding destruction? Could Jesus have
missed teaching Judas the lesson of loyalty and contentment? Could Satan have
gained access into Judas’ heart to destroy him and the same Jesus who had cast
out many Devils from other people let His own disciple remain possessed by an
evil spirit?
Truth is;
Jesus did not let the Devil enter Judas’ heart, neither did Jesus let the evil
spirit stay; Judas himself did! Even if Jesus were to cast out the spirit of
greediness and disloyalty from him, as long as Judas left the door open, the
devil would only be gone temporarily… Judas sure had his chances, and he became
a product of his own choices; he had also heard the truth that makes one free
from Christ himself but he did not choose the truth neither did he obey them… Sure
Jesus came for the lost and would have saved Judas by force except that He did
not come to save anyone by force but by their own choices and willingness no
matter how much He loves them… Jesus would have sure completed His assignment
even without Judas’ betrayal because Jesus virtually delivered himself up to be
killed when it was the right time, just as He also escaped arrest a few times when
the time was not yet right…
The part Judas
played was simply what Judas would have done to anyone else in exchange for
some good money, and he also probably taught Jesus being all-powerful would
escape as usual in some miraculous way maybe… Judas for certain didn’t believe
or understand much of Jesus’ teachings may be, including God’s plan for Christ
to die and he showed it by returning the money he was paid after he saw Jesus
was condemned to death, just as other disciples couldn’t understand too…
Judas’ action
is simply an example of how a seemingly small sin could lead to a bigger one
and to death ultimately… The enemy will always aim for the whole house, once
he’s given a room… Judas was known to be greedy and a lover of money, and he would
often steal from the disciples’ money bag (John 12:3-6) yet listening to his
Master’s lessons of repentance everyday; never knowing that someday his little
sin would mature to the level of selling out his own Master in exchange for
money… The temptation couldn’t have been more than he could bear and Jesus left
him to bear it alone; just as God never tempts anyone beyond their ability to
bear and will always make a way of escape…
The difference
between the denial of Peter and the betrayal of Judas was not the size of their
sins but the choices each one made before and after the sin was committed;
Peter chose to return and he found forgiveness, Judas chose never to, though he
would’ve obtained forgiveness also; it was too late to make right what he had
left wrong for a long while.
God is always
patient and long-suffering, and like in the case of Judas, God presents everyone
with chances and choices, and beyond that He also advices one to choose what is
right and reject what is wrong; to choose that which leads to life and avoid
the trap of death; but the ultimate choice remains for one to intentionally and
decisively make, with the end of every choice already predetermined by God… God
can help those who cannot help themselves, but not those who have given up on
themselves and on God… What God requires of us is not perfection but confession
of our weaknesses… When we depend on God, we only do what we can do, and God helps
us do what we cannot… The error of Judas was not that he committed the most
grievous sin, but that he nurtured an un-confessed weakness, which the Devil
took advantage of, till it overgrew and led him to destruction… Until one makes
the choice for God’s way, the Devil remains in control of that life and he may
terminate it at any point he pleases…
The life of
Judas is only a lesson to teach us to avoid his error and thereby avoid the
destruction that comes by it. Judas’ destiny did not define the choices he
made; the choices he made defined his destiny!
Anyone can
repeat and anyone can escape the error of Judas… It’s only a matter of individual chances
and choices!
Nice Day
Friends!
#GodIsStillInCharge
#GodIsStillInCharge
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