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Luke 22:3 (NIV)
Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.

Does this verse imply that

  1. Judas had no more control over his own actions as he was possessed by the devil.
  2. Judas yielded himself to the temptation of 30 pieces of silver offered by the priests for betraying Jesus.

The first option would mean that Judas was possessed and hence had no control over his own will whereas the second option would mean that the betrayal was a self-willed one.

Nathaniel is protesting
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Martin
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4 Answers4

7

Just because it was already prophesied, does not mean that Judas did not make a conscious choice. A man can most definitely choose to be used by Satan or by the Holy Spirit. Judas, by his actions, was already choosing, as he was choosing to steal from the purse.(John 12:6) This showed that even though he was with Jesus, the Holy Spirit was not working within him. He made a series of bad decisions and the devil took the opportunity.

God is blamed for many things, but just because He allows it to happen, does not mean He causes it to happen. Many times we put ourselves in this position. Isaiah 59:1-2 says:

Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save,
    nor his ear too dull to hear.
But your iniquities have separated
    you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you,
    so that he will not hear.

Judas put himself in this position. In a position where God allowed Satan use Judas.

JesusIsComingSoon
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  • Did Satan use Judas? Seems more to me like God used Satan by allowing Satan to enter Judas. – Andrew Aug 02 '14 at 03:15
  • @Andrew , God allows people to do a lot of things, it's called free will. – NealC Sep 03 '15 at 13:44
  • @NealC I disagree. Free will is the ability to animate one's being without constraints that are contrary to the expression of the individual's intended action. Even Paul says, "For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing." If Paul was unable to act freely, how can one claim to have free will? Those who have free will and continue to sin do so with intent, but those who do not have free will do so because of the law of sin of which Paul speaks. So if you have free will, stop sinning. – Andrew Sep 06 '15 at 03:08
  • It's all about how you interpret the scriptures I guess. :) @Andrew – NealC Sep 06 '15 at 23:58
  • @Andrew What do you mean by constraint? Influenced or determined? BTW read the Paul further, you'll find that he's thanking God for rescuing him from the body of death. Judas willfully refused this grace. – MirMasej Sep 13 '15 at 17:33
  • @Mirmasej "but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me." Paul's hope is for the future. Later to the Phillipians, he says that he does not wish to remain in this body. He is torn between escaping the flesh, which constrains action in the spirit as it fights against it, so that he may be with Christ out of the body, that is, free. There is no freedom in the body, there is only freedom in Messiah. Be reasonable, and if you have free will, then stop sinning. – Andrew Sep 14 '15 at 13:35
  • @Andrew I don't believe Paul was speaking about the physical body being sinful. One can have a physical body and not sin. Some examples are Adam, Eve, and Jesus. Though Adam and Eve eventually did sin, they at one point had physical bodies and had not sinned. Also, spiritual beings can also sin and they don't have bodies. In the case of Satan and the fallen angels. – JesusIsComingSoon Sep 18 '15 at 14:34
  • @jlaverde I disagree, because he specifically says, "For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out." Jesus does not fall into the same category, because he is good, in the sense of the Aristotelian ideal. Paul is making the point that freedom only exists in the spirit, and not in the body, and so while he is in the body he is unable to do good, that is, act freely in the Spirit. – Andrew Sep 19 '15 at 04:55
  • @Andrew But look at verse 5, "For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused ... But now we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter." Paul says, 'For when we were in the flesh' which is in the past. Now we know Paul still had a physical body. The flesh here speaks about sin, and what is of this world, not the physical body. – JesusIsComingSoon Sep 23 '15 at 20:49
  • @Andrew Paul goes on to confirm this in Rom. 8:1 "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."

    It is a hard passage to understand though. Probably what Peter refers to...

     – JesusIsComingSoon Sep 23 '15 at 20:49
  • @jlaverde it appears that we continue to disagree. Would you like to discuss this in chat? – Andrew Sep 25 '15 at 19:36
  • @Andrew Sure! I'd love to hear your point of view. – JesusIsComingSoon Sep 26 '15 at 02:55
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Judas Iscariot was not predestined to betray Jesus, and he had a choice in the matter. Consider Psalm 41:9: “The man at peace with me, in whom I trusted, who was eating my bread, has magnified his heel against me.” (NWT) Notice that the prophecy does not specify which close associate of Jesus it would be. Jehovah God knew that the Devil had used David’s counselor Ahithophel to betray him, and He had that recorded because it demonstrated how the Devil operated and what he would do in the future. It was not God but “the Devil . . . [who] put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray him [Jesus].” (John 13:2) Instead of resisting, Judas yielded to that satanic influence.

In connection with the incident where Jesus declared that one of the twelve was “a slanderer” close to Passover 32 C.E., John says: “From the beginning Jesus knew . . . who was the one that would betray him.” (John 6:64) From Hebrew Scripture prophecies, Christ knew that he would be betrayed by a close associate. God also had seen that such a one would turn traitor, but it is inconsistent with God’s qualities and past dealings to think that Judas had to fail, as if he were predestined. Rather, at the beginning of his apostleship Judas was faithful to God and to Jesus. Thus Christ must have meant that “from the beginning” of when Judas started to go bad, started to give in to imperfection and sinful inclinations, Jesus recognized it. Judas must have known he was the “slanderer” Jesus mentioned, but he continued to travel with Jesus and the faithful apostles and apparently he made no changes.

The Bible does not discuss in detail the motives for his corrupt course, but an incident that occurred on Nisan 9, 33 C.E., five days before Jesus’ death, sheds light on the matter. At Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, Mary, Lazarus’ sister, anointed Jesus with perfumed oil worth 300 denarii, about a year’s wages for a laborer. (Matthew 20:2) Judas strongly objected that the oil could have been sold and the money “given to the poor people.” Judas’ real reason for objecting was that he cared for the money box and he “was a thief . . . and used to carry off the monies” put in the box. So Judas was a greedy, practicing thief. (John 12:2-7).

He must have had a good heart to begin with, since Jesus would not otherwise have chosen him as an apostle. But after being reproved by Jesus at that time, Judas resentfully plotted his Master's betrayal. (Matthew 26:6-16) At this time "Satan entered into Judas," likely in the sense that the traitorous apostle gave himself in to the will of the Devil, allowing himself to be a tool to carry out Satan's design to stop Christ. A few days later, on Nisan 12, Judas went to the chief priests and temple captains to see how much they would pay him to betray Jesus, again showing his avarice. When Jesus later revealed that one of the 12 would betray him, Judas innocently asked: "It is not I, is it?" (Matthew 26:25) He also betrayed Jesus with a sign of friendship--a kiss. Only a deliberate sinner could maintain such a bold facade.

user5583
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  • The first clause of the first sentence here contradicts the scriptures, "They are stumbling because they are disobedient to the word. To this very end they were appointed." The second clause doesn't necessarily follow from the first. – Andrew Aug 02 '14 at 03:08
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Answer: Judas Iscariot indeed betrayed Jesus willfully and also had a chance to repent.

Jesus deliberately chose a devil: It seems to appear that Jesus deliberately chose Judas to be one of the 12 disciples, knowing that he was a devil.

John 6:70-71 (NIV) Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

Jesus knew from the beginning that Judas was a devil, but He chose Judas in order to fulfill the prophecy and God's plan..

John 17:12 (NIV) While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

Jesus has the power to see the hearts of men. When Jesus elected the 12 disciples, He had the intention in mind to chose a devil as one of His disciples. Jesus then saw Judas, a devil by birth, full of treachery, and Jesus willfully elected him. Jesus also was able to see the future of Judas, who will not repent and ask for forgiveness, hence He said,

Matthew 26:24 (NIV) 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.”

Judas had a chance: Everyone is given a chance to repent and ask forgiveness from Jesus, and Judas was not an exception. Even Peter disowned Jesus three times and all disciples left Jesus when He was arrested. Judas also had a chance to repent and ask for forgiveness. The thief crucified at the right hand side of Jesus is a good example of salvation at the last hour. Even a crucified thief had a chance. If Judas repented and asked for forgiveness, he would definitely be saved.

Judas should have waited for Jesus to forgive him, instead of committing suicide in remorse. He was not able to see the forgiving power of Jesus though he was a witness to it. Judas might have never believed in Jesus as the Messiah but was simply following Jesus with expectations, probably to fight against the Roman Empire. Judas was not able to see the divinity of Jesus unlike the other disciples and the crucified thief.

Mawia
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Very good answers from everyone Its apparent that Judas was not predestined for it was prophesied "The one whom I trusted" Jesus was deeply troubled by this, that someone he trusted would do such a thing. Also the fact that Judas tried to reverse course by going back to the Pharisees and give back the money clearly shows he didnt expect his actions to end with Jesus sentenced to death and admitted to betray innocent blood. The whole notion that Judas was predestined only serves in portraying a narcist God, cruel and unloving. But Jehovah is not like that. Satan, the angels that fallowed him and Judas, all made conscious choices based selfishness, putting their own interests first before Jehovah. When the love for God is not put first, then you worship yourself. This is why the first commandment is so important, its vital to love Jehovah with all our strength,with all our heart and with all our mind. Had Judas done this he would have never betrayed Jesus, the son of the living God!

Humberto
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