Greetings, beloved of God,
Today, let’s look at the infamous disciple of Jesus, Judas Iscariot.
“And Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.”
— Mark 3:19
The immediate thing to note is that Mark, along with Matthew and Luke, lists Judas last among the apostles:
“Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.”
— Luke 6:16“Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.”
— Matthew 10:4
What is consistent across all the gospel authors is that they emphasize Judas as the one who betrayed Jesus. This shows that the most defining event of Judas’ life was his betrayal of Jesus.
It should also be noted that “Iscariot” is not Judas’ surname. Over the years, the name “Iscariot” has become synonymous with betrayal, but originally, it likely referred to Judas’ place of origin. “Iscariot” may be a Greek rendering of the Hebrew phrase Κ-Qrîyôt, meaning “the man from Kerioth.” Other interpretations of the name include “man of the dagger” or simply “the traitor.”
Judas was primarily the treasurer of Jesus’ ministry. He was responsible for managing the money that funded their activities.
The Stealthiness of Sin
Judas’ character showed signs of corruption from the beginning. For example, he had a reputation for greed. The apostle John explicitly calls him a thief:
“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 take from what was put into it.”
— John 12:6
This is important because we often think of Judas as a faithful disciple who suddenly fell into betrayal. However, the scriptures reveal that Judas was harboring sin in his heart even while walking with Jesus.
As believers, we must understand that sin rarely appears suddenly. It often develops slowly and subtly. By the time we are fully caught up in sin, we may have already been nurturing it in our hearts when it seemed harmless and insignificant.
For Judas, it likely started with greed—perhaps entertaining thoughts about how he could spend the ministry’s money. Eventually, his greed led him to steal, and later, it culminated in selling out Jesus for silver.
Another lesson from Judas’ betrayal is that it’s possible to be close to God’s people and still fall into sin because of what we allow into our hearts.
The Individuality of Sin
Faith is personal, not collective. While we can uplift and encourage one another, as the Bible exhorts, we are each accountable for our own actions:
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:10
No one can believe in Christ on our behalf. Faith in the saving work of Christ is a personal conviction, and we will each be held accountable.
It’s not enough to claim we are Christians just because we belong to a group that attends church, prays, or evangelizes together. We must personally examine our hearts to ensure our faith is genuine, not relying on church membership or denominational ties for salvation.
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.’”
— Matthew 16:24-25
Judas’ close association with the other apostles did not save him from betraying Jesus. He lacked the personal conviction of faith and repentance necessary for salvation. This is why, in His priestly prayer, Jesus separates Judas from the other apostles:
“While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.”
— John 17:12
The Forgiveness of Sin
Judas’ story contrasts sharply with that of Simon Peter, who denied Jesus three times. Jesus warned that denying Him would result in being denied before the Father:
“But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.”
— Matthew 10:33
The difference between Judas and Peter is that Judas did not repent, whereas Peter was restored to fellowship with Jesus:
“So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Tend My lambs.’”
— John 21:15
This teaches us that, when we fall into sin, we should not follow Judas’ path of despair and self-destruction. Instead, like Peter, we should run to Jesus in humility and repentance, trusting in His forgiveness.
When we sin, we must not allow it to fester. We should immediately confess, repent, and turn away from it.
I pray that we will learn from Judas’ example, avoid all forms of sin, and stay vigilant against the enemy’s attacks.
May the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit be evident in your life.
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