Introduction
Judas Iscariot (Hebrew: Yehudah ish Keriyot—Greek: Ioudas Iskariо̄tēs) was born circa AD 10 (3770–3771 in the Hebrew calendar) in the Roman province of Judea. He was one of Jesus' original twelve apostles. All four canonical gospel writers—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—detailed Judas' betrayal of Jesus to the Sanhedrin in the Garden of Gethsemane. Judas had kissed Jesus and called him "rabbi," verifying his identity to the Roman soldiers and temple police who came to arrest him (see Matt. 26:14-15; Mark 14:10-11; Luke 22:3-4; John 13:25-27). Judas' surname Iscariot (G2469) means "man from Kerioth village" (Hebrew ish; H377; and kiryah; H7149). His father's name was Simon Iscariot, also a "man of Kerioth" (John 6:71; 13:2; 13:26). Kerioth was a small town in southern Judea (see Josh. 15:25), which is now an archaeological site at Khirbet al-Qaryatayn about ten miles (16 kilometers) south of Hebron. Judas was the only Judean among the twelve apostles since the others were all Galilean.
Today, even for unbelievers, "Judas" is a byword for disloyalty and betrayal. Ironically, Yehudah (H3063) means "praised," a common Hebrew name referring to Judah, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. He should not be confused with Jude Thaddeus, a brother and apostle of Jesus. Even in their lists of the twelve from the very beginning, the gospel writers each identified Judas Iscariot as "who betrayed him" (Matt. 10:4) or "who became a traitor" (Luke 6:16). Yet, Jesus chose Judas to be one of his apostles, even making him the treasurer of the group despite his knack for embezzling their money (see John 12:4-6; 13:29). Nevertheless, Jesus gave Judas enough rope by which to hang himself—almost literally.
Judas' Betrayal: Determined or Chosen?
In Christian theology, Judas represents a dilemma between God's sovereignty and human free will (see "God's Will & Our Free Choices"). Right before his arrest, Jesus washed the disciples' feet and confirmed his messianic identity to them. Yet, he also foretold his betrayal by Judas and his denial by Simon Peter. Jesus contrasted his task of foot-washing with Judas' apparent lack of cleanliness, albeit spiritual rather than physical. Notwithstanding, these verses from John give many readers pause: "I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of scripture: 'He who shared my bread has turned against me" (John 13:18). Jesus quoted King David's words found in Psalm 41: "Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me" (v. 9). His stylistic interpretation involved the entire psalm, as consistent with Jewish hermeneutics. In the first century, rabbis often cited a verse, knowing their students could recall the whole passage by memory. Therefore, Jesus did not feel sorry for himself because Psalm 41 ends with God blessing him with victory and his presence (vv. 12-13). His resurrection was also implied: "A vile disease has afflicted him; he will never get up from the place where he lies" (v. 8). Judas never believed in Jesus' resurrection. Therefore, Jesus' prediction of his betrayal was the turning point for Judas. He approached the Sanhedrin right after Jesus defended the woman who perfumed his feet and forecasted his crucifixion (see Mark 14:3-11).
Since 2006, when the National Geographic Society published the so-called "gospel of Judas" in English, it has been fashionable for some church leaders to offer sympathetic or psychoanalytical reasons for Judas' betrayal. However, the Bible gives us three primary reasons for it: 1) Judas was already inclined to evil, stealing money from Jesus' ministry funds; 2) The devil possessed him (see Luke 22:3; John 13:27); and 3) The Sanhedrin paid Judas thirty silver coins—valued today at about $264.60 when converting from the Tyrian shekel—to be their snitch. He was a simple evildoer, and we should not require a complex backstory to know this fact. God predestined Judas to be Jesus' betrayer by his foreknowledge and middle knowledge. However, Judas also freely made a series of decisions, culminating in his shameful demise. How is this possible? Because God creates options for us to follow, but they all meet the same purpose. In Psalm 41, he plans for someone close to Jesus to be his betrayer, yet he allows Judas to make his own choices to arrive at this fate. Jesus warned, "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" (Matt. 26:24). Peter faced a similar choice to deny Jesus but repented (see Luke 22:61-62; John 21:15-17).
Thirty Pieces of Silver
Matthew likened Judas' payment of thirty silver coins to the prophet Zechariah: "I told them, 'If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.' So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the LORD said to me, 'Throw it to the potter'—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the LORD" (11:12-13). This amount was no mere coincidence. In the Law of Moses, thirty shekels of silver was the fixed compensation price if an ox gored the slave of an Israelite (see Exod. 21:32). Therefore, when Jesus was tortured and crucified, he became damaged goods—no more valuable than a fatally wounded slave. Although Matthew cited Jeremiah as the source of the thirty shekels, the prophecy came from Zechariah. However, Matthew typologically referred to Jeremiah when God told him to buy a clay jar and break it over a field in the Hinnom Valley. This action was to protest Israel's concessions to idolatry, child sacrifice, and the shedding of innocent blood (see Jer. 19). Simply put, Jesus was a guiltless victim of the Sanhedrin, sold by Judas as a slave (see Isa. 53). For this betrayal, God condemned Judas to death, represented by the horrors of Hinnom (see "Netherworld: Down to Death").
Judas' Death: A Controversy of Betrayal
Judas died sometime between AD 30 to 33. Matthew and Luke each narrated two different stories of his death that even the most conservative Bible scholars find difficult to harmonize. In Matthew's account, Judas changed his mind and gave his reward money back to the chief priests and elders of the Jerusalem temple—not taking "no" for an answer. He immediately committed suicide by hanging himself on a tree. According to the Law of Moses, the priests realized they could not donate Judas' blood money into the temple's treasury. So, they bought the "potter's field" to bury foreigners in it, eventually being known as the "Field of Blood" (Matt. 27:3-10).
Luke narrated another version of Judas' death. Judas used his silver to buy some random field this time instead of returning it to the priests. On an uncertain day, Judas died by falling over, with his intestines gushing out of his abdomen (see Acts 1:18-19). This time, the residents of Jerusalem called the lot Hakeldama (G184), Hebrew for "Field of Blood," because Judas died there. Incidentally, this "Field of Blood" was located in the Hinnom Valley (Greek: Gehenna; G1067)—the netherworld. In this context, Luke used the "field of blood" to symbolize Judas' condemnation, as Peter noted, ". . . which Judas left to go where he belongs" (Acts 1:25).
As Christians who believe that "All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Tim. 3:16), we must always try to harmonize the parts of the Bible that seem contradictory. Matthew and Luke each gave us a different perspective on Judas' death. Here is a reconciliation of the facts: Judas hanged himself in the potter's field (see Matt. 27:5), resulting in his death. Afterward, his body started to decay and bloat; either the rope or the tree branch broke, causing his body to fall and burst open on the potter's field (see Acts 1:18-19). Luke does not say that Judas died from the fall, only that his body fell. He implied that Judas died from hanging, which does not usually result in a body bursting open. Only decomposition and a fall from a decent height could do that. Therefore, Matthew mentioned the cause of death while Luke, a physician, gave a medical report.
Matthew also emphasized Jesus' sacrifice with references to the prophets Jeremiah and Zechariah. In contrast, Luke highlighted the Psalms to explain Judas' forfeiture of his apostleship, which was necessary to introduce Matthias as a replacement (Acts 1:20-26; cf. Ps. 69:25, 109:8). The usual apologetic response, "Judas hanged himself, and then his guts spilled out," is correct. The theme of body horror is not unlike the death of Herod when "an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died" (Acts 12:23). This coincided with Luke's idea that God killed Judas by his divine wrath. Unfortunately, Judas died in his sins and without repentance. Regarding the potter's field accounts, the chief priests likely took the money that Judas returned to them and bought the potter's field (Matt. 27:7). Although Judas did not buy the parcel in person, he did provide the silver for the transaction. Therefore, the chief priests bought it in Judas' name because they did not want to keep the ill-gotten "blood money" for themselves.
Conclusion
In the annals of history, the name Judas Iscariot stands as a stark reminder of the complexities of human nature and the depths of betrayal. Born amid a tumultuous era, he walked alongside Jesus as one of the chosen twelve, yet ultimately succumbed to the temptation of treachery. Across the pages of the canonical gospels, his actions are etched in infamy, a cautionary tale of ambition, greed, and moral frailty. Even his name, meaning "praised" in Hebrew, is now a synonym for disloyalty—a poignant irony echoing through the ages. Despite the darkness of his deeds, Judas remains a figure of profound theological and philosophical contemplation, a testament to the enduring power of redemption and the intricacies of divine purpose. Ultimately, his story serves as a poignant reminder of the delicate balance between fate and free will, offering timeless lessons for all who dare to tread the path of faith and humanity.
Prayer
Blessed are you, LORD our God, King of the universe; we ask you graciously to behold your family, for whom our Lord Jesus the Messiah was willing to be betrayed and given into the hands of sinners and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Bibliography
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