Judas Betrays Jesus Christ
Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles, is infamous for his betrayal of Jesus Christ, an act recorded across all four Gospels [2, 3]. His name consistently appears last in the lists of apostles in the Synoptic Gospels, signaling his unique role [4]. The betrayal involved Judas leading an armed group to Jesus, identifying him with a kiss, a gesture that amplified the heinousness of his treachery [9, 10].
The Gospels detail Judas's actions and motivations. Matthew records that Judas sought an opportunity to betray Jesus from a specific point onward [1]. Mark notes that Judas, one of the twelve, offered to betray Jesus for money [8]. Luke describes Jesus confronting Judas directly at the moment of betrayal, asking, "Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?" [3]. This act of betrayal was not a sudden impulse but the culmination of a gradual unfolding of evil within him, to the point where "Satan entered into him" [4].
The treachery of Judas is heightened by his status as "one of the twelve disciples" [10]. He guided those who came to arrest Jesus, leading them to the location and identifying Jesus to them [7]. The armed group included a multitude carrying lanterns, torches, swords, and staves, sent by the chief priests, scribes, and elders, and even Roman foot-soldiers [12].
The consequences of Judas's actions are also noted in scripture and early Christian thought. He suffered guilt and condemnation, ultimately leading to a gruesome death [6]. Tertullian observed that Judas's self-condemnation, by hanging himself, demonstrated the power of Jesus's teaching even over a "thief and traitor" [11]. Augustine noted that prophetic scripture had long before pronounced judgment on the one who would betray Christ, stating, "Let another take his office" [5].
Sources
- Matthew “Matthew 26:16 (BSB) — So from then on Judas looked for an opportunity to betray Jesus.”
- Mark “Mark 3:19 (BSB) — and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.”
- King James Version “[KJV] Luke 22:48 — But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Judas — The Graecized form of Judah. (1.) The patriarch (Matt. 1:2, 3). (2.) Son of Simon (John 6:71; 13:2, 26), surnamed Iscariot, i.e., a man of Kerioth (Josh. 15:25). His name is uniformly the last in the list of the apostles, as given in the synoptic (i.e., the first three) Gospels. The evil of his nature probably gradually unfolded itself till "Satan entered into him" (John 13:27), and he betrayed our Lord (18:3). Afterwards he owned his sin with "an exceeding bitter cry," and cast the money he had received as the wages of his iniquity down on the floor of the s”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — CHAP. 8.--17. PETILIANUS said: "We must consider, I say, and declare how far the treacherous traditor is to be accounted dead while yet in life. Judas was an apostle when he betrayed Christ; and the s (part 1): 533 had passed this sentence on him who was to betray Christ to the unbelievers: 'Let another take his office. Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow.'(1) See how mighty is the spirit of the prophets, that it was able to see all future things as though they were present, so that a traitor who was to be born hereafte”
- Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 22:22: 22:22 what sorrow awaits the one who betrays him: Judas suffered guilt, condemnation, and a gruesome death for betraying Jesus (Matt 27:5; Acts 1:18).”
- Luke (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Luke 22:47: Satan, finding himself baffled in his attempts to terrify our Lord Jesus, and so to put him out of the possession of his own soul, betakes himself (according to his usual method) to force and arms, and brings a party into the field to seize him, and Satan was in them. Here is, I. The marking of him by Judas. Here a numerous party appears, and Judas at the head of them, for he was guide to them that took Jesus; they knew not where to find him, but he brought them to the place: when they were there, they knew not which was he, but Judas told them that whomsoever he s”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 14:10: 14:10-11 In sharp contrast to the woman, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, offered to betray Jesus for money (Matt 26:15; 27:3, 9).”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 26:49: 26:49 Judas . . . gave him the kiss: Judas’s use of a sign of affection to betray Jesus amplifies the heinousness of his betrayal.”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 14:43: 14:43 Judas’s treachery in Jesus’ arrest is heightened by the reference to him as one of the twelve disciples. Having agreed with the leading priests to betray Jesus at the right time and place (14:10-11), he led an armed group to seize Jesus secretly at night apart from the people (14:1-2). Although they wanted to avoid a conflict, the crowd was large enough to quell any resistance by Jesus or his followers (cp. Luke 22:52; John 18:3).”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. XI. (part 2): in the temple, he withdrew, and went away and hanged himself: for he passed sentence upon himself, showing what a power the teaching of Jesus had over this sinner Judas, this thief and traitor, who could not always treat with contempt what he had learned from Jesus. Will Celsus and his friends now say that those proofs which show that the apostasy of Judas was not a complete apostasy, even after his attempts against his Master, are inventions, and that this alone is true, viz., that one of His disciples betrayed ”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 9: Gospel of Peter, Diatessaron, Origen's Commentaries — SECTION XLVIII. (part 2): 20 said unto them, Sleep now, and rest: the end hath arrived,[16] and the hour hath come; 21 and behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Arise, let us go:[17] for he hath come that betrayeth me. 22 And while he was still speaking, came Judas the betrayer, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude carrying lanterns and torches[18] and swords and staves, from the chief priests and scribes and eiders of the people, and with him the foot- 23 soldiers of the Romans.[19] And Judas”