Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot has kept his celebrity status. Who was this man and what motivated his untidy fame?

Of all the twelve disciples, Judas was the only non-Galilean. He was from the south.  

What we call Israel was in three main parts in Jesus' day.  Israel was in the north with 10 scrambled tribes, the Samaritans were in the middle, and Judah was in the south.  Galilee was in the north. 

Judas was in the south where all the big historical names and cities were located. The Kingdom of Judah includes King David, King Solomon, Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Judas of Iscariot most likely hometown was about 40 minutes south of Jerusalem.

"In about the 10th century BCE something took place that dramatically affected the people of Israel and still affects them today. What was it? It was the great divide, which split the people into the kingdoms of Israel and of Judah." 1 Kings 12:16-19 

"Sadly, also both Israel and Judah fell into captivity, although to different powers and at different times. God sent the Babylonians to capture the House of Judah, and He sent the Assyrians to conquer the House of Israel.

And while the Babylonian captivity of Judah lasted for a period of 70 years, Israel never fully came out of the Assyrian captivity. The Samaritans were considered half-breeds from the House of Israel. But many tribes were considered lost."

"Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, was rightful heir to the throne and reigned after Solomon’s death. Jeroboam was a servant who rebelled against Solomon.

The 10 tribes of Israel made Jeroboam king 

and the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, along with the Levites, remained with Rehoboam. 

The split was prophesied by the Lord (1 Kings 11:11-13, 29-39) because of Solomon’s sin." https://firmisrael.org/learn/israel-and-judah-two-kingdoms-and-their-differences/

So.. Judas was associated with with the ones who did not rebel against the 'pure' side of the nation : David, Solomon, Rehoboam.

So.. possibly in Judas' thinking, why would Jesus go to the renegades? It would be very easy for Judas to think of himself higher than those Galileans. Then he saw Jesus go even lower with the half-breed Samaritans.

Add to that.. Yeshua was born in Bethlehem, in Judah. 

We don't know when Judas was born.

If we follow the Isaac/Ishmael, Jacob/Esau, twin pattern.. it's not hard to see we had two 'brothers from Judah' who would eventually clash.

There is also a thought that Judas may have been an Edomite.. a bad Biblical group.. Esau's descendants.

Genesis 36:31-43 Esau, father of the Edomites.

Ishmael, Esau, and Judas all had a preference for earthly goods than for the Promise to and through Abraham.. also known s the birthright. They loved money. 

"Moses and the Israelite people twice appealed to their common ancestry and asked the king of Edom for passage through his land, along the "King's Highway", on their way to Canaan, but the king refused permission.[45] Accordingly, they detoured around the country because of his show of force[46] or because God ordered them to do so rather than wage war (Deuteronomy 2:4–6). The king of Edom did not attack the Israelites, though he prepared to resist aggression. 

Nothing further is recorded of the Edomites in the Tanakh until their defeat by King Saul of Israel in the late 11th century BC (1 Samuel 14:47). Forty years later King David and his general Joab defeated the Edomites in the "Valley of Salt" (probably near the Dead Sea; 2 Samuel 8:13–14; 1 Kings 9:15–16)." wiki Edom

Was this grudge built into Judas? Was the pompousness of Judah over Israel also ingrained in Judas?  Was Jesus behavior handing the half-breeds the same pay as the all workers a thorn to Judas? Read Matthew 20:8-15 about the 11th hour workers.. and picture Judas listening and thoughts to this story as God brings in those 'dumb' Galileans to what is rightfully Judah's.

Once Jesus finally came to Jerusalem, He was now on Judas's turf.. home court advantage.

The two 'Judah brothers' were now 'home' and ready for the 'showdown'.

But what triggered it, and at one point did Judas throw in the towel and choose betrayal as the best choice?

Was Judas ready for a King that would toss out the Romans and then give Judas the political position he desired? Did he bug Judas when Jesus told 'ignorant' Peter "..upon this rock I'll build my Church.."? Peter? For real? 

Judas had already tasted having a ministry of influence to cast out devils and heal the sick. That influence tasted good. But the big money was in Jerusalem. Cash for cures had to be a great temptation for a thief ; John 12:6.

So they arrive at Jerusalem. 

At this point it would be interesting to see how much of what Jesus did was to purposely bug, torment, and flush out Judas.

Looking through Judas eyes,  imagine how it hit him to see Jesus make him look like a fool by tearing the Temple Court Yard apart, with money flying everywhere! How could Jesus glorify the northern Kingdom and trash Judah?!

Keep Ishmael, Esau, and money in mind. "The love of money is the ROOT of all evil." 1 Timothy 6:10. Judas loved money.

So the "root of all evil" stood there beside the "root of Jesse" ; Isaiah 11:10-12 and Romans 15:12.

Judas saw he pay day dwindle away. Remember, Judas was 'religious'. He could have just as easily hired an assassin but his behavior was religious. He went to the great religious leaders. And those guys reputation was well known.  They had been no major prophets for 400 years, so what was there was corrupt and used the fear of Moses to control their positions. Birds of a feather,  flock together.  Judas went to the ones who also loved money. Hand in the glove.

Now the scene starts coming together..

Just like the serpent, we know satan entered Judas at a specific time. 

Lucifer in Heaven and gets kicked out. The serpent in the Garden gets kicked out. Judas in the Garden ... Ishmael, Esau, Edomites,.. ego, pride, ambition... thief, son of perdition, self destruction.

Judas had a choice.. but does anyone that is not receiving revelation or called by God have much of a choice other than self survival? Self survival is the instinct of all mammals. Homosapien mammals, humans, and the only ones that God deals with via freewill to choose. But God is still in charge of when He calls someone,  how many times He calls someone,  and what His Plan is for them. 

Judas traits were religious, self surviving, and the cashflow. He was like his daddy.. he was the son of perdition. John 17:12

We Can't get mad at God. Paul, a self serving religious zealot, that God converted, wrote, "Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" Romans 9:21

One more thought. Look at the very common story of the "prodigal son". Could that have been for Judas from Judah also? A bit of a poke. Could the son that stayed home and then complained to his father in anger - been Judas and Judah? The other son who left in rebellion was the Israel up north? The lost sheep? Luke 15:11-32

JUDAH... Judas?

Luke 15:25 - Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

26 - And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

27 - And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

28 - And he was ANGRY, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

We are of Moses! Judah? Judas? Religious Leaders?

... Luke 15:29 - And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

Luke 15:30 - But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast KILLED for him the fatted calf.

And one more thought :

Religious Judas loved his money. Matthew 19:16–23, Mark 10:17–22, and Luke 18:18–23.

Luke 18:19 - And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

Luke 18:20 - Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

Luke 18:21 - And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

Luke 18:22 - Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

Not Judas...

Luke 18:23 - And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich

This is what I believe.. comma,

T.H.Tatman

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