Judas - Friend Or Foe?

Imagine if Judas Iscariot has an advocate. His advocate may have a lot to say in his defense. He may argue from 3 fronts:

1) Judas is God’s agent. By betraying Jesus to the chief priests and to the scribes, so that He will be condemned to death, Judas is carrying out God’s will for Jesus. How can an agent of God who had a part to play in God’s plan of salvation be judged as a transgressor? Didn’t Jesus say, “He who does the will of My Father in heaven” shall enter the kingdom of heaven? (Matthew 7:21)

2) Judas is the catalyst for the fulfillment of prophecy. Jesus’ death on the cross happened because Judas started off a chain of events that led to His crucifixion. Judas should be deemed innocent because he was pre-appointed by a higher power to be the fulfillment of prophecy. Therefore, Judas should not be bearing the blame for what he did.

3) Judas is carrying out his purpose. Judas must have been planted among the 12 apostles for a reason. Only someone from Jesus’ inner circle could’ve betrayed Jesus. Judas was merely doing what He was put there to do. In fact, Judas should be commended, because he carried out his purpose, which is to do the most uncoveted task of all!

Has Judas’ advocate convinced you, if you were the jury? But don’t make a conclusion yet. Jesus still has His piece to say.

“The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” (Matthew 26:24)

Judas’ advocate must be jumping off his seat if he hears these words. The advocate will scream, “But that’s just so unreasonable! If Jesus’ betrayer has not been born, who will betray Jesus and bring about the fulfillment of prophecy?”

As the trial proceeds, you will see why Jesus was not being unreasonable.

After Judas saw that Jesus had been condemned, he “was remorseful” (Matthew 27:3). Why would Judas be remorseful after performing his act of betrayal? One possibility is, Judas felt remorse because he had not planned for Jesus’ execution to happen. He may have betrayed Jesus in order to force Him to take action against His enemies and inaugurate His kingdom. But Judas may not have willed for Jesus to die. There may be a possibility that Judas was trying to betray Jesus for a “better good”, in his own way.

Nevertheless, whatever motive Judas may have had in betraying Jesus, the deed was done. God’s character is unchanging. God will never tolerate sin. But He is also always gracious to those who repent.

The fact is, Judas could have pleaded for forgiveness. His soul could’ve been saved if he indeed was genuinely remorseful and repentant of his sin. But Judas sealed his own doom when he “went and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:5) Not only did he violate the sanctity of life by committing suicide. He ended his life without setting his life rightly before God. Therefore, the guilt of his sin remains in him.

Later on in Acts, when Peter preached in Solomon’s Portico, Peter charged the Jews for what they were guilty of. For Jesus was whom the Jews had “delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate.” The Jews had “denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted” to them, and they “killed the Prince of life”. Committing these acts makes the Jews as guilty as Judas was. This puts the Jews and Judas in the same boat.

But Peter continued, “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” (Acts 3:13-19)

Yes, it’s true, that Jesus murderers could’ve done it in ignorance. Yes, it’s true, that the murder was the fulfillment of a pre-appointed prophecy.

Nevertheless, the Jews could still be forgiven for their sins, although they played a part in putting Jesus to death. So could Judas. Some of the Jews heeded the word and believed, and were saved. Judas could’ve done the same. But he didn’t.