MedicBravo
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I don't think many people, Christians included give Judas a second thought.
Their default thought might be, "He deserved it."
I suggest people to stop and rethink your stance on him.
That’s a great question — and one that has inspired deep theological, historical, and literary discussion for centuries. Let’s break this down carefully, step by step, drawing from the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) and later interpretations.
a. Judas’ Role Among the Disciples
Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve chosen disciples. The Gospels describe him as the group’s treasurer (John 12:6; 13:29), handling the money bag. John notes that he sometimes stole from it, suggesting moral weakness or greed already at play.
b. Rising Tension Before the Betrayal
As Jesus’ ministry drew attention from both followers and enemies, the religious leaders (chief priests, scribes, elders) began plotting to kill Him (Mark 14:1–2). They were afraid to seize Him publicly because of His popularity with the crowds.
c. The Turning Point — Anointing at Bethany
In Matthew 26:6–16 and John 12:1–8, a woman anoints Jesus with expensive perfume. Some disciples protest the “waste,” but Jesus defends her act as preparation for His burial. Judas seems particularly offended by this (John 12:4–6). This moment likely triggers Judas’ decision to betray Jesus, possibly out of greed, disillusionment, or both.
d. The Deal with the Religious Leaders
Soon after, Judas goes to the chief priests and offers to betray Jesus in exchange for money — thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14–16). This fulfills Zechariah 11:12–13, a prophecy about thirty pieces of silver being thrown to the potter in the house of the Lord.
a. The Last Supper
At the Passover meal, Jesus predicts His betrayal:
He identifies Judas subtly (“He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish”), and even gives him bread dipped in wine — a gesture of friendship. Judas leaves to finalize the betrayal (John 13:27–30), and the Gospels note “it was night,” symbolizing spiritual darkness.
b. The Betrayal in Gethsemane
Judas leads a detachment of soldiers to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. To identify Jesus in the dark, Judas gives a prearranged signal — a kiss (Matthew 26:48–49). The irony of betraying with a kiss underscores the personal treachery. Jesus responds:
Jesus is then arrested, and His disciples scatter.
a. Judas’ Remorse
In Matthew 27:3–5, Judas sees that Jesus has been condemned and is “seized with remorse.” He returns the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests, saying:
They reject him coldly — “What is that to us?” — showing no concern for his guilt. Judas throws the silver into the temple and leaves.
b. His Death
Matthew records that Judas hanged himself afterward (Matthew 27:5). Acts 1:18, written by Luke, adds another account: that he fell headlong in a field and burst open. Many scholars believe these are two perspectives on the same event — perhaps Judas hanged himself on a tree in a rocky area, and the rope or branch later broke, leading to the gruesome fall described in Acts.
c. The Potter’s Field
The priests, considering the returned silver “blood money,” use it to buy a potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners (Matthew 27:6–8), fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah
There are a few main interpretations:
a. Overwhelming Guilt
The most direct reason is remorse. Judas realized the enormity of what he’d done — betraying an innocent man, and the Messiah he had followed. His despair was compounded by rejection from the priests and the seeming impossibility of undoing his act.
b. Lack of Repentance + Despair
Unlike Peter, who also betrayed Jesus (by denying Him) but later repented and was restored, Judas’ remorse didn’t lead him back to God. He experienced regret without repentance, turning inward instead of seeking forgiveness.
c. Satanic Influence
John 13:27 says that “Satan entered into him.” Judas had already opened himself to evil motives, and by the time of the betrayal, he was spiritually enslaved. After the act, when the reality hit him, he may have found himself utterly alone and hopeless — a tragic outcome of sin’s deception.
1. The moment of realization
When Judas saw Jesus condemned and led away, it’s likely that everything became horrifyingly clear.
Up until then, he might have rationalized his actions — perhaps thinking Jesus would escape as He had before, or that this would somehow force Jesus to reveal His power.
But when Jesus submitted to arrest and didn’t resist, that illusion shattered.
Judas suddenly saw who Jesus really was: not just a teacher or prophet, but the Lord Himself.
At that moment, Judas didn’t just realize he’d betrayed an innocent man — he realized he’d betrayed God incarnate.
That’s a level of awareness that would crush any human soul.
2. The spiritual weight of the realization
If we imagine that Judas had followed Jesus closely for three years — seen the healings, heard divine truth from His mouth, watched Him calm storms and raise the dead — then the guilt would be unbearable once he understood the truth he had turned against.
No other betrayal in history compares, because it’s the betrayal of perfect love, up close.
You can see this hinted in Matthew’s phrasing: “He was seized with remorse.” The Greek word used, metamelētheis, carries a sense of emotional agony — an overwhelming sorrow, not just intellectual regret.
3. Why it led to suicide
As you said, this wasn’t just regret — it was existential despair.
The light of absolute truth exposed everything Judas had done and who he had become.
In that moment, he couldn’t bear to live with himself. The grief and horror weren’t just emotional; they were spiritual disintegration.
He didn’t believe forgiveness could reach him — or maybe he couldn’t bring himself to ask.
That’s what separates Judas from Peter: Peter fell, too, but clung to hope; Judas couldn’t.
4. The tragedy within redemption
In a profound irony, Judas’ act helped bring about the crucifixion that would open the way for mercy and forgiveness — the very thing he most needed but felt unworthy to receive.
It’s as if the full revelation of divine love and divine justice hit him at once, and it destroyed him.
Judas’ death can be understood not simply as guilt, but as the crushing weight of divine reality suddenly breaking into a conscience that couldn’t bear it.
It’s one of Scripture’s most haunting moments: the moment someone finally sees the truth of who Jesus is and realizes that they’ve turned against perfect love — and it’s too late to undo it.
Their default thought might be, "He deserved it."
I suggest people to stop and rethink your stance on him.
That’s a great question — and one that has inspired deep theological, historical, and literary discussion for centuries. Let’s break this down carefully, step by step, drawing from the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) and later interpretations.
1. Events Leading Up to Judas’ Betrayal
a. Judas’ Role Among the Disciples
Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve chosen disciples. The Gospels describe him as the group’s treasurer (John 12:6; 13:29), handling the money bag. John notes that he sometimes stole from it, suggesting moral weakness or greed already at play.
b. Rising Tension Before the Betrayal
As Jesus’ ministry drew attention from both followers and enemies, the religious leaders (chief priests, scribes, elders) began plotting to kill Him (Mark 14:1–2). They were afraid to seize Him publicly because of His popularity with the crowds.
c. The Turning Point — Anointing at Bethany
In Matthew 26:6–16 and John 12:1–8, a woman anoints Jesus with expensive perfume. Some disciples protest the “waste,” but Jesus defends her act as preparation for His burial. Judas seems particularly offended by this (John 12:4–6). This moment likely triggers Judas’ decision to betray Jesus, possibly out of greed, disillusionment, or both.
d. The Deal with the Religious Leaders
Soon after, Judas goes to the chief priests and offers to betray Jesus in exchange for money — thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14–16). This fulfills Zechariah 11:12–13, a prophecy about thirty pieces of silver being thrown to the potter in the house of the Lord.
2. The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus
a. The Last Supper
At the Passover meal, Jesus predicts His betrayal:
He identifies Judas subtly (“He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish”), and even gives him bread dipped in wine — a gesture of friendship. Judas leaves to finalize the betrayal (John 13:27–30), and the Gospels note “it was night,” symbolizing spiritual darkness.
b. The Betrayal in Gethsemane
Judas leads a detachment of soldiers to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. To identify Jesus in the dark, Judas gives a prearranged signal — a kiss (Matthew 26:48–49). The irony of betraying with a kiss underscores the personal treachery. Jesus responds:
Jesus is then arrested, and His disciples scatter.
3. Aftermath of the Betrayal
a. Judas’ Remorse
In Matthew 27:3–5, Judas sees that Jesus has been condemned and is “seized with remorse.” He returns the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests, saying:
They reject him coldly — “What is that to us?” — showing no concern for his guilt. Judas throws the silver into the temple and leaves.
b. His Death
Matthew records that Judas hanged himself afterward (Matthew 27:5). Acts 1:18, written by Luke, adds another account: that he fell headlong in a field and burst open. Many scholars believe these are two perspectives on the same event — perhaps Judas hanged himself on a tree in a rocky area, and the rope or branch later broke, leading to the gruesome fall described in Acts.
c. The Potter’s Field
The priests, considering the returned silver “blood money,” use it to buy a potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners (Matthew 27:6–8), fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah
4. Why Did Judas Hang Himself?
There are a few main interpretations:
a. Overwhelming Guilt
The most direct reason is remorse. Judas realized the enormity of what he’d done — betraying an innocent man, and the Messiah he had followed. His despair was compounded by rejection from the priests and the seeming impossibility of undoing his act.
b. Lack of Repentance + Despair
Unlike Peter, who also betrayed Jesus (by denying Him) but later repented and was restored, Judas’ remorse didn’t lead him back to God. He experienced regret without repentance, turning inward instead of seeking forgiveness.
c. Satanic Influence
John 13:27 says that “Satan entered into him.” Judas had already opened himself to evil motives, and by the time of the betrayal, he was spiritually enslaved. After the act, when the reality hit him, he may have found himself utterly alone and hopeless — a tragic outcome of sin’s deception.
5. Theological Reflections
- Human freedom and divine plan: Judas’ betrayal was foreseen in Scripture, yet he acted of his own will. It’s an example of divine foreknowledge coexisting with human responsibility.
- Contrast with Peter: Both failed Jesus; one found restoration through repentance, the other ended in despair. It’s a profound warning and a message about the power of mercy.
- Symbolism: Judas’ kiss — the ultimate false sign of love — becomes one of history’s clearest images of hypocrisy and moral collapse.
In summary:
Judas’ betrayal stemmed from greed, disillusionment, and spiritual decay. It unfolded amid rising tension, climaxed in the Garden of Gethsemane, and ended in overwhelming guilt. His suicide reflects the crushing weight of remorse without redemption — a tragic contrast to the forgiveness offered by the very Savior he betrayed.1. The moment of realization
When Judas saw Jesus condemned and led away, it’s likely that everything became horrifyingly clear.
Up until then, he might have rationalized his actions — perhaps thinking Jesus would escape as He had before, or that this would somehow force Jesus to reveal His power.
But when Jesus submitted to arrest and didn’t resist, that illusion shattered.
Judas suddenly saw who Jesus really was: not just a teacher or prophet, but the Lord Himself.
At that moment, Judas didn’t just realize he’d betrayed an innocent man — he realized he’d betrayed God incarnate.
That’s a level of awareness that would crush any human soul.
2. The spiritual weight of the realization
If we imagine that Judas had followed Jesus closely for three years — seen the healings, heard divine truth from His mouth, watched Him calm storms and raise the dead — then the guilt would be unbearable once he understood the truth he had turned against.
No other betrayal in history compares, because it’s the betrayal of perfect love, up close.
You can see this hinted in Matthew’s phrasing: “He was seized with remorse.” The Greek word used, metamelētheis, carries a sense of emotional agony — an overwhelming sorrow, not just intellectual regret.
3. Why it led to suicide
As you said, this wasn’t just regret — it was existential despair.
The light of absolute truth exposed everything Judas had done and who he had become.
In that moment, he couldn’t bear to live with himself. The grief and horror weren’t just emotional; they were spiritual disintegration.
He didn’t believe forgiveness could reach him — or maybe he couldn’t bring himself to ask.
That’s what separates Judas from Peter: Peter fell, too, but clung to hope; Judas couldn’t.
4. The tragedy within redemption
In a profound irony, Judas’ act helped bring about the crucifixion that would open the way for mercy and forgiveness — the very thing he most needed but felt unworthy to receive.
It’s as if the full revelation of divine love and divine justice hit him at once, and it destroyed him.
Judas’ death can be understood not simply as guilt, but as the crushing weight of divine reality suddenly breaking into a conscience that couldn’t bear it.
It’s one of Scripture’s most haunting moments: the moment someone finally sees the truth of who Jesus is and realizes that they’ve turned against perfect love — and it’s too late to undo it.
