Judas Iscariote
Apostle Judas
The traitor Judas Iscariot was the son of Simon, who lived in Kerioth, Judah. He betrayed Jesus in exchange for thirty coins and then hanged himself (Matthew 26:14; Matthew 26:15; Matthew 26:16).
Judas, el traidor, es el último enigma del Nuevo Testamento porque es difícil imaginar cómo alguien tan cercano a Jesús, que presenció tantos milagros y escuchó tanto de las enseñanzas del Maestro, podría alguna vez entregarlo a sus enemigos. .
His name appears on three different lists of the Twelve Apostles (Matthew 10:4; Mark 3:19; Luke 6:19). Judas is said to have come from Judah near Jericho. He was a Judean, while the other disciples were Galileans. He was the band’s treasurer and one of its most outspoken leaders.

Judas is said to have been a violent Jewish nationalist who had followed Jesus in the hope that his nationalistic flame and dreams would be realized through Him. No one can deny that Judas was greedy and took advantage of his position as band treasurer to steal from the common purse.
There is no clear reason why Judas betrayed his master; however, it was not his betrayal that led to Jesus’ death on the cross; it was our sins. His apostolic symbol is a noose or a money purse with coins falling from it.
Judas con Jesús
There was nothing about Jesus that Judas admired more than his overall attractive and exquisitely charming personality. The traitor was never able to overcome his Judean prejudices against his Galilean associates, and he would even criticize Jesus in his mind.
Este judío satisfecho de sí mismo se atrevió a criticar en su propio corazón al hombre a quien once de los apóstoles consideraban el hombre perfecto, como "el más hermoso y el más importante entre diez mil".
Creía que Jesús dudaba y temía afirmar su poder y autoridad.
Judas fue una aventura de fe para Jesús. El Maestro reconoció la debilidad de este apóstol desde el principio y estaba muy consciente de los riesgos de admitirlo en la comunión. Sin embargo, es la naturaleza de los Hijos de Dios proporcionar a cada ser creado una oportunidad plena e igual de salvación y supervivencia.
Betrayal of Jesus
Traicionó a Jesús, lo que resultó en su arresto y posterior condena por parte del órgano judicial judío, el Sanedrín. Después de su condena, Jesús fue crucificado por las autoridades romanas en Judea, por consejo de sacerdotes y ancianos judíos.
Sin embargo, existen diferentes relatos de su traición. Los estudiosos han propuesto varios motivos para el acto a lo largo del tiempo e incluso han cuestionado la veracidad de la afirmación de que traicionó a Jesús.
The ‘Gospel of Mark’ contains the earliest account of his betrayal. According to this gospel, when Judas went to the Jewish priests to betray Jesus, he was offered 30 pieces of silver as a bribe. At the same time, it was unclear whether he went to the priests to betray Jesus for money or some other reason.
Según el 'Evangelio de Mateo', traicionó a Jesús por un soborno de 30 piezas de plata de los sacerdotes judíos.
Según este evangelio, identificó a Jesús con un beso (inmortalizado en la historia como el "Beso de Judas") y lo reveló a los soldados del sumo sacerdote judío José Caifás, quien luego entregó a Jesús a los soldados de Poncio Pilato, el Gobernador romano de Judea. Según el evangelio, Jesús previó que Judas lo traicionaría.
El soborno de 30 piezas de plata se menciona en el 'Evangelio de Juan', pero no se menciona en el 'Evangelio de Juan'. Lo describe como insatisfecho con el dinero gastado en perfumes para ungir a Jesús cuando podría haberse gastado en los pobres. Según el evangelio, Jesús previó su traición y permitió que ocurriera.
El Evangelio de Judas ha provocado un debate, y algunos eruditos afirman que la versión de la National Geographic Society fue una mala traducción del texto copto y que el público fue engañado haciéndole creer que el documento representaba a un "Judas noble".
En cualquier caso, el Evangelio de Judas se escribió al menos un siglo después de la muerte de Jesús y Judas, por lo que contiene poca información históricamente confiable sobre sus vidas, y ciertamente no proporciona el eslabón perdido para comprender las verdaderas motivaciones de Judas Iscariote.
“The truth is we don’t know why Judas did what he did,”
notes Cargill.
“The grand irony, of course, is that without [Judas’s betrayal], Jesus doesn’t get handed over to the Romans and crucified. Without Judas, you don’t have the central component of Christianity—you don’t have the Resurrection.”
Death of Judas
His death is described in a variety of ways. These descriptions of his death were gleaned from the New Testament and other sources. After betraying Jesus, Judas was filled with regret and remorse, according to the ‘Gospel of Matthew.’
According to the gospel, he went to return the 30 pieces of silver he received as a bribe for betraying Jesus to the Jewish priests. Because it was blood money, the priests refused to accept it. As a result, he threw away the 30 pieces of silver and left. He then se suicidó ahorcándoseél mismo.
Who Replaced Judas?
Matías was selected to replace Judas as recorded in Acts 1:15; Acts 1:16; Acts 1:17; Acts 1:18; Acts 1:19; Acts 1:20; Acts 1:21; Acts 1:22, Acts 1:23; Acts 1:24; Acts 1:25; Acts 1:-26. The other man who was also in consideration was named Joseph or Barsabas and surnamed Justus. Lots were cast and eventually, Matthias was chosen.
"Tú, oh Señor, que conoces el corazón de todos, muestra cuál de estos dos has elegido para participar en este ministerio y apostolado del que cayó Judas por transgresión, para volver a su lugar".
Y fue contado con los once apóstoles ”. La Biblia es escasa en detalles adicionales relacionados con Matías, pero sí dice que Matías estuvo con Jesús desde Su bautismo hasta su resurrección.
Además del libro de los Hechos, Matías no se menciona en ningún otro lugar de la Biblia. Según fuentes históricas, Matías vivió hasta el 80 d.C. y difundió el evangelio en las costas del Caspio y Capadocia.
Key Takeaway
A Judas Iscariote se le recuerda por una sola cosa: traicionar a Jesucristo. Aunque Judas luego expresó su pesar, su nombre se convirtió en sinónimo de traidores y traidores a lo largo de la historia. Su motivación parecía ser la codicia, pero algunos estudiosos creen que las motivaciones políticas acechaban detrás de su traición.
En el judaísmo del primer siglo, el nombre Judas significaba "alabado sea el Señor". El apellido "Iscariote" significa "hombre de Kerioth", una ciudad en el sur de Judea. Judas era el único de los doce que no era de Galilea.
El evangelio de Marcos revela lo mínimo sobre Judas, sin atribuir sus acciones a ningún motivo en particular. Judas es simplemente la persona que entregó a Jesús a los principales sacerdotes. El relato de Mateo da más detalles y describe a Judas como un hombre sin escrúpulos.
Luke goes even further, saying that Satan entered Judas.
Judas Iscariot Characteristics
Characteristics of Judas Iscariot through time always made people have mixed feelings about Judas. Some experience a sense of hatred toward him, others feel pity, and some have even considered him a hero. No matter how you react to Judas, one thing is sure; believers can benefit greatly by taking a serious look at his life. During Jesus’ public ministry, Judas traveled everywhere with Him and lived in close proximity to Him but never seemed to share His spirit.
Some have suggested that Jesus got His directions wrong in choosing Judas to be one of His disciples. Following the characteristics of the 12 apostles, this cannot possibly be so; however, one of Christ’s divine qualities was His ability to know what was in every man (see John 2:25). Whatever His reason for choosing Judas, we can be sure it was not because of a mistake.
Hypocrite
Having chosen Judas to be one of the disciples, Jesus gives him a trusted position as keeper of the common purse. However, he proved to be unworthy of that trust, taking for himself the money that had been donated to support Jesus and the disciples.
Judas’ greed and hypocrisy were also shown by his willingness to betray the Son of God for the price of a slave (Exodus 21:32) and in his pretended concern for the welfare of the poor when he criticized Mary of Bethany for anointing Jesus’ feet with costly ointment.
His continued presence in the apostolic band must have daily involved him in hypocrisy as his heart became increasingly turned away from Jesus.
Traitor Judas
The Gospel writers, on almost every occasion, when Judas’ name is mentioned, refer to him as the betrayer of Jesus. The betrayal of Christ was indeed a heinous crime, and there can be no doubt that Judas acted as the instrument of Satan in perpetuating it.
In fact, in one place, Jesus describes Judas as a devil (John 6:70), and it appears that Satan entered into him following his rejection of Jesus’ final gesture of love at the Last Supper (John 13:27). Jesus also describes him as “the son of perdition” (John 12:17), and nothing good is ever said about him except, perhaps, that he was capable of feeling remorse after seeing the result of his evil crime.
Betrayal foretold
Jesus, being the person He was the divine Son of God, knew both the strengths and weaknesses of every one of His disciples. He took steps also to alert them to the evil possibilities that lay deep in their hearts.
When Pedro insisted that he would never deny Him, Jesus tried to prepare him for the next hours by telling him that he would deny Him, not just once or twice, but three times.
He does something similar with Judas Iscariot on the eve of His betrayal as if He wants to allow him to repent of his evil intentions. As we know, however, Judas is so bent on evil that he remains unmoved even when treated as an honored guest at the Última cena.
Iscariot is understood to be equivalent to ish-Kerioth, that is, “man of Kerioth.” Kerioth was a town in South Judea. The other disciples were all from Galilee. The southern Jews regarded the northerners with a certain superiority.
Betrayal Accomplished
Following the raising of Lazarus from the dead, the high priest and the Jewish leaders were deeply concerned that Jesus might recruit more followers to His cause and determined to put Him to death. Jesus’ high level of popularity at this time, however, meant that they must go about their plans with great care and caution. Judas’ offer of betrayal was an opportunity that was too good to miss.
His knowledge of Jesus’ movements would enable him to lead the soldiers to a place where they could arrest Him without too much of the populace being aware of it. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas greets Jesus with the word “Master!” followed by a spurious show of affection, which results in Christ’s arrest.
Remorseful
Once Christ has been condemned, and it becomes obvious that He is to die on the cross, the full weight of what He has done bursts in upon Judas’ conscience. Returning to the temple, he pleads with the priests to take back the money, confessing,
“I have betrayed innocent blood”.
They coldly reply that his problems are his affair and that it means nothing to them.
Judas then throws the thirty pieces of silver at their feet and, overcome by remorse, goes out and hangs himself. He has served the priests’ unholy enterprise, and, having no further use for him, they abandon him to the inferno that his rejection of Christ has made inevitable.
Replaced
As a result of Judas’ suicide, the number of disciples is reduced to eleven. Peter quotes prophecies from the Scripture, which, under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, applies to Judas. These Scriptures (Psalm 69:25; Psalm 109:8) show that a suitable person should fill the vacant office the qualifications being that he should have accompanied the apostles during the time of Jesus’ public ministry and that he was a witness of the Resurrection.
Two candidates are selected and, after prayer, lots are cast. The one on whom the lot falls is Saint Matthias, who then becomes the twelfth apostle. Nothing more is said of Matthias as an individual, only corporately as one of the twelve.
Summary Characteristics
Judas Iscariot is always the last disciple placed on the list of twelve. Judas Iscariot is often referred to as Judas the Betrayer, and he is known and will forever be known for the one act of betrayal of the Lord.
Judas was the disciple who did not truly believe in the love of Jesus, and when the chief priests were looking for a way to arrest Jesus, Judas provided them with that way by identifying Jesus with a kiss in return for thirty pieces of silver. Judas is frequently referred to as the only disciple who was separated from God in his death as he never had salvation due to his betrayal, thievery, and lies.
Resources Characteristics
http://ubdavid.org/bible/characters3/characters3-11.html
https://us15.campaignarchive.com/?u=c154da2d2cc06f2b64216a0d5&id=b2b255c4cb
https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/misc/apostles.cfm
https://www.exploringlifesmysteries.com/twelve-disciples/#john
https://gbible.org/doctrines-post/the-12-apostles/
Summary
Judas Iscariote fue uno de los 12 discípulos principales de Jesucristo y el fundador del cristianismo. Judas traicionó a su maestro, Jesucristo, lo que llevó a su crucifixión por herejía. Judas se ha convertido en un sinónimo de una persona que traiciona una causa superior o una gran persona, a pesar de ser vilipendiado en la corriente principal del cristianismo como un hombre de baja moral o la encarnación del diablo.
Historically, the legend of Judas was used to justify the persecution of the Jewish community in Europe and the Middle East. From the beginning of Christianity to the majority of the twentieth century, he was almost always portrayed negatively in art, literature, drama, and other forms of popular culture.
El 'Infierno' de Dante, una de las obras más famosas de la literatura occidental, lo describe como un personaje malvado condenado al círculo más bajo del Infierno, junto a los asesinos de Julio César, Bruto y Casio.
Scholarly studies and popular culture have featured more sympathetic portrayals of Judas since the 1970s. In the 1970s, the discovery of the Gospel of Judas in Egypt was a revelation. Its translation, published in 2006, depicted Judas Iscariot’s life in a new light and aided in the reassessment of his image.
Resources
https://truthbook.com/jesus/passion-of-the-christ/who-was-judas-iscariot
https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/who-were-twelve-disciples#judas
https://www.history.com/news/why-judas-betrayed-jesus
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Judas-Iscariot
https://www.learnreligions.com/judas-iscariot-betrayer-of-jesus-christ-701078