In the last of these 12 apostolic portraits, I come now to a man of whom Jesus Christ said the worst thing He could have said: “Good it were for that man if He had never been born.” (Mark 14:21) He is mentioned last in every list of the Apostles—just as Peter was mentioned first in every listing of these specially chosen men.
But he was born—born of a woman, son of Simon Iscariot of Kerioth in Judah—and he lived and died, and his story—sad and somber, with its large and lasting lessons—is immortalized in the sacred writ of the Word of God. And it will do us well to remind ourselves, from time to time, that in every group of professing believers there may be, and there most likely is, a JUDAS.
Indeed, the aged Apostle John wrote in what were possibly his last lines, “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists: whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us but they were not of us: for if they had been of us they would have continued with us: but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not of us.” (I John 2:18,19)
As we look at the life of Judas Iscariot, please note with me three things:
- His Privileges
➢ He was a disciple. He had learned from the lips of Jesus, lived in the light of Jesus, and had lavished on him the love of Jesus.
➢ He was an apostle. He had preached the gospel of the Kingdom; he had healed the sick and cast out demons. “Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord….:’” (Matt. 7:22,23)
- His Problems
➢ He professed what he did not possess; he had something in his head that he did not have in his heart.
➢ He had the right manners but the wrong motives (no apostles suspected Judas!).
➢ He went through the proper actions but had an improper attitude (i.e., his rebuke of Mary for anointing Jesus, claiming that the 300 pence could have been given to the poor, John 12:1-8).
➢ He was outwardly clean but inwardly filthy (as Jesus portrayed the Pharisees, whose lives were like a cup and platter, outwardly clean while inwardly filthy).
➢ He had been born but never born again.
➢ He had been called but never converted. God knew Judas would be lost and would be “the son of perdition” (John 17:12)—but that does not mean he was predestined to that role.
➢ He loved money more than Jesus Christ; he gambled with his soul and lost! (I Tim. 6:9)
➢ He surrendered to Satan (John 13:27).
- His Plight
➢ He conspired against the Son of God (Mark 14:10; Matt. 26:14,16).
• All the apostles doubted of whom Jesus spake when He said that one of them would betray Him (John 13:22; Luke 22:23).
• Each of the apostles said, “Is it I?” (Mark 14:19).
➢ He betrayed his best friend for a few pieces of silver (Ps. 55:12-15).
• Before he was a traitor, he was a thief (John 12:4-6).
• He forsook his fellow laborers to become a traitor (John 13:21ff).
• He repented himself (Matt. 27:3; comp. II Cor. 7:10).
• He killed himself (Matt. 27:5). All the other apostles, except John, were killed by wicked men; Judas, a wicked man, killed himself. All the other apostles died a noble death; Judas died in ignominy. All the other apostles’ memory is revered; Judas is remembered for his wicked betrayal of the sinless Son of God. All the other apostles will spend eternity reigning with Christ in heaven; Judas will spend eternity separated from God and good in the Lake of Fire.
“Judas,” by Gamaliel Bradford:
“They called him King, and I would have no king: Let all be equal; yea, let none be best. Why should the weakling John be ever pressed against His bosom, Peter urged to fling his clumsy zeal about while I must bring, forsooth, the bag behind, and feed the rest—never praised or flattered or caressed, although so watchful in my stewarding?
They called Him Son of God; in rage I saw this vain idolatry. Was I not wise, not honest, not in truth administering the holy precepts of Thy sacred law—
Oh, God! Those pleading, tender eyes!
Oh God! O God! Why did I do this thing!”
“Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, ‘Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He: hold Him fast.’ And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, ‘Hail, master;’ and kissed Him. And Jesus said unto him, ‘Friend, wherefore art thou come?’ Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.” (Matt. 27:48-50)
YOU and GOD 