Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot is well-known for betraying Jesus to the authorities (Matthew 10:4; Mark 3:19; Luke 6:16).

The meaning of the name Iscariot is unclear. It might refer to a village named Kerioth. Judas Iscariot is different from Judas, son of James (Luke 6:16; John 14:22).

Among the apostles (the closest followers of Jesus), Judas Iscariot was known as greedy. He carried the money bag and had a reputation for stealing from it (John 12:4–6). The leading priests later offered him a bribe, which convinced him to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14–16; Mark 14:10–11; Luke 22:3–6).

Jesus called Judas "a devil" (John 6:70–71). He also predicted his betrayal (Mark 14:18–21). The devil put the idea of betrayal into Judas's mind, and Satan entered him during the betrayal (Luke 22:3–4; John 13:2, 27). Judas led soldiers and officers to the garden of Gethsemane at night. There, he found Jesus with his followers. Judas had planned to identify Jesus to the soldiers by giving him a kiss, which was a normal way to greet someone at that time (Mark 14:43–46). Later, Judas was very sorry for betraying an innocent man. He killed himself by hanging himself (Matthew 27:3–10; Acts 1:18–19).

Jesus understood Judas's betrayal as part of God's plan for redemption. It led to the death of Jesus, the Messiah, as the ultimate sacrifice for sin (Matthew 26:24, 53–54; Mark 14:21; Luke 22:22; John 17:12). Although Judas played a role in God's plan, his tragic end was deserved (Acts 1:24–25). It would have been better for Judas if he had never been born (Matthew 26:24; Mark 14:21). Judas's fate serves as a warning to those who seem to follow Jesus but have not personally committed to him (see Hebrews 6:4–6).

Passages for Further Study

Matthew 10:4; 26:14–16, 23–25, 46–50; 27:3–10; Mark 3:19; 14:10–11, 18–21, 43–45; Luke 6:16; 22:3–6, 22, 47–48; John 6:70–71; 12:4–6; 13:2, 18, 21–30; 17:12; 18:2–5; Acts 1:16–26