Judas Iscariot
The Betrayer Whose Heart Turned from Christ
Name Information
- Meaning: "Praise" (Judas); Iscariot may mean "man of Kerioth" or "dagger-man" (sicarius)
- Language of Origin: Hebrew
- Gender Usage: Masculine
Judas Iscariot was one of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus, yet he ultimately betrayed the Lord for thirty pieces of silver. Though he walked closely with Jesus, his heart grew cold and covetous. His betrayal fulfilled Scripture and serves as a tragic warning of the danger of false discipleship. Judas is a sobering example that proximity to truth does not equal saving faith.
⏰ 1st century AD
Roles
- Apostle
- Disciple
- Treasurer
Story
Chosen by Jesus and given authority as an apostle, yet his heart was never fully surrendered.
Criticized Mary for anointing Jesus, hiding greed behind false concern for the poor (John 12).
Secretly conspired with the chief priests to betray Jesus (Matthew 26:14–16).
Betrayed Jesus with a kiss in Gethsemane — a sign of hypocrisy and hardened conscience.
Overcome with remorse, he returned the money and died by suicide, but without true repentance (Matthew 27).
Replaced by Matthias in Acts 1:15–26.
Spiritual Significance
- One of the original Twelve Apostles.
- Served as the group’s treasurer but was dishonest and stole from the money bag (John 12:6).
- Betrayed Jesus to the religious leaders for 30 pieces of silver.
- His actions fulfilled Old Testament prophecies concerning betrayal (Psalm 41:9; Zechariah 11:12–13).
- Died tragically by suicide after his betrayal (Matthew 27:5; Acts 1:18).
Christ Connection
Judas’ betrayal was foretold in Scripture, showing Jesus as the true Messiah who would be rejected (Psalm 41:9; Zechariah 11).
His treachery led to Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion — part of God's redemptive plan for salvation.
Jesus willingly gave Himself up, even as He was betrayed, proving His love and obedience to the Father.
What We Can Learn
- Outward discipleship does not guarantee inward transformation.
- Greed and sin can harden the heart when left unchecked.
- Remorse is not the same as repentance — only true faith in Christ saves.
- God’s sovereign plan is not prevented by human betrayal, but fulfilled even through it.
Memory Verses
The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!
— Matthew 26:24
Key Passages
- Matthew 26:14–16
- Matthew 26:47–50
- Matthew 27:3–10
- John 12:4–6
- John 13:21–30
- Acts 1:16–20
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