“Lessons from
Judas Iscariot”
Text: John 6:70-71
states:
[70] Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and
one of you is a devil? [71] He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he
it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.
I.
Introduction
A.
Judas Iscariot is probably best known as the
disciple that betrayed Jesus
B.
There are several false ideas and teachings
based on Judas Iscariot
C.
There is an interesting hypothesis that Judas
will come back in the future 7 Year Tribulation as the “Antichrist”
II.
Lessons from Judas Iscariot
A.
Judas is
not an example of a believer losing salvation, for he was never saved to begin
with. Jesus referred to him in the
present tense as “a devil.” John 6:70
states, “…Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” Judas
did not become a devil after sinning, but he was one from the beginning!
B.
Some use Matthew 26:24, which states, (“The Son
of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of
man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born”) to
falsely teach Judas had no “freewill” in betraying Christ, since this event was
prophesied. Some in doing this imply
that Judas’ betrayal of Jesus was God’s fault.
In considering Matthew 26:24 keep in mind the following:
1.
God is able to accomplish His will in the fact
that He foreknows what man will do in his freewill. Acts 2:22-23 states: “[22] Ye men of Israel,
hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by
miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye
yourselves also know: [23] Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and
foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and
slain:”
2.
The blame for Judas’ action is to be placed on
his wicked heat (John 13:1-2) and his willingness to be used of Satan (Luke
22:1-3).
C.
Judas’ was willing to be used of Satan because
his heart was concerned with material things rather than spiritual things. Consider the following:
1.
Judas complained that costly ointment was
“wasted on Jesus” rather than be sold.
John 12:4-6 states: “[4] Then saith one of his disciples, Judas
Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, [5] Why was not this ointment
sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? [6] This he said, not that he cared for the
poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put
therein.”
2.
After Judas complains about the ointment above
Matthew 26:14-16 states: “[14] Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot,
went unto the chief priests, [15] And said unto them, What will ye give me, and
I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of
silver. [16] And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
3.
Judas’ main motivation in being a “disciple” was
for material wealth and not spiritual wealth!
D.
Judas is a prime example of the fact that having
“power” to perform miracles does not necessarily equate with being “of
God.” Matthew 10:5-8 states that Judas
along with the other 11 disciples had power to heal the sick and raise the
dead!
E.
Judas is also proof that “partaking of Christ”
in the “Lord’s Supper” does not equate with salvation. Matthew 26:17-27 speaks of the supper and
verse 20 makes it perfectly clear that Judas also was a partaker. It would be rightly assumed that Judas was
also water baptized, since that was what was required to be a disciple during
Christ’ earthly ministry, yet that did not save Judas either!
F.
The preaching of Jesus and his disciples was
concerning the gospel of the Kingdom, and this kingdom would have been realized
if Israel had “received it.” Judas, of
course, wanted the material blessings of a kingdom, but rejected the spiritual
blessings that it offered.
1.
Matthew
11:13-14 states: “[13] For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
[14] And if ye will receive it,
this is Elias, which was for to come.
According to prophecy Elijah was to come before the Kingdom would be set
up.
2.
Prophecy also spoke of an “Antichrist” that
would come on the world scene before the kingdom would be setup. Whoever this “Antichrist” is, will have
control over the finances of the world.
Revelation 13:17 states, “And that no man might buy or sell, save he
that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”
G.
What about the hypothesis that states Judas
Iscariot is the “Antichrist?” Are there
any valid Biblical arguments for this?
1.
This future “Antichrist” is called the “son of
perdition according to 2 Thes. 2:3
2.
Jesus referred to Judas as the “son of
perdition” in John 17:12. It states, “While I was with them in the world, I
kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them
is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”
3.
If Israel had repented during the earthly
ministry of Christ, then the “son of perdition” (Judas Iscariot) was certainly
there on the scene.
4.
Israel of course rejected the Kingdom and had
Jesus crucified. Jesus’ prayer on the
cross (Luke 23:34) bought Israel another opportunity to receive the Kingdom in
early Acts. The Kingdom was rejected
again with Israel’s stoning of Stephen in Acts 7. Stephen prayed a prayer (Acts 7:60) similar
to Christ on the cross, and as a result Stephen bought Israel more time to
receive the Kingdom (until Acts 28).
5.
In Acts 28 the Kingdom is preached to Israel one
last time by Paul to the “chief Jews,” but the message is rejected for a final
time.
6.
With Israel’s rejection of the Kingdom message
in Acts 28, the Kingdom is put on hold as well as the coming of the
“Antichrist.”
7.
At some point in the future, the mystery
dispensation will end with the rapture, and God will again give Israel another
opportunity to receive the Kingdom during the tribulation period.
8.
The “Antichrist” (also called the beast) will
ascend out of the bottomless pit during the tribulation in an attempt to thwart
God’s plan of the Kingdom. Some believe
that this “Antichrist” will be a return of Judas Iscariot based on:
a.
When Judas died the Bible says he went to his
“own place.” (see Acts 1:16-25)
b.
Revelation 17:8 describes the beast (Antichrist)
as someone that lived in the past, but died, and yet will come up out of the
bottomless pit. This description could
certainly fit Judas Iscariot.
III.
Conclusion
A.
Judas is an example of a false believer who only
“followed” Jesus for what he could get materially. Judas had no interest in the spiritual things
of God.
B.
There are some strong arguments to indicate that
Judas may literally return in the future in the person of the Antichrist/Beast. The question of Judas being or not being the
Antichrist is a very interesting study, but one’s answer to the question is not
one to break fellowship over.
