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JUDAS ISCARIOT

(Gk. Ioúdas ho Iskariṓtēs)

Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve and the betrayer of Jesus. His surname was probably given to distinguish him from others named Judas in Jewish and Christian history. Various interpretations of the name have been suggested: “the assassin” (from the band of Judean Zealots who carried daggers and terrorized the Romans and their sympathizers in ancient Palestine; Lat. sicarius), “man from Sychar,” “man of Issachar,” “man from Jericho,” “carrier of the leather bag,” or “false one, liar, hypocrite.” The most popular suggestion has been “man of Kerioth”; however, the location of Kerioth is uncertain.

The Gospels clearly characterize Judas as the betrayer of Jesus. Each Evangelist introduces Judas in a list of the Twelve with some variation on the statement that Judas would betray Jesus (Matt. 10:4; Mark 3:19; Luke 6:16; John 6:71). Little which follows convinces the reader that Judas will overcome this initial characterization. As the story of Jesus and his conflict with the Jewish authorities unfolds, Judas waits to fulfill this role. Further information in the Gospels about Judas is consistently negative. He complains about the extravagance of the anointing because he was stealing from the disciples’ treasury in his care (John 12:6). Judas plots with the chief priests to betray Jesus for “30 pieces of silver” (Matt. 26:14-16). Satan enters Judas, causing him to join the plot of the priests to kill Jesus (Luke 22:3-6). None of this information suggests that Judas will do anything but betray Jesus.

This clear portrait raises other questions, however. Just as one cannot escape the idea of Judas as betrayer, one cannot escape the fact that Judas was an integral part of the Twelve. As treasurer, Judas was probably a member of Jesus’ inner circle. The combination is a troubling one; Judas would be easier to accept as an outsider. His membership in the Twelve, presence at the Last Supper, and intimate greeting in the garden mark him as friend rather than enemy. If so, what motivated him to betray Jesus? John and Luke seem content to see the betrayal as a result of Judas’ avarice. Matthew also mentions money, but pictures Judas in great agony after Jesus’ crucifixion, committing suicide after returning the “blood money” to the authorities. Some have suggested that Judas wanted Jesus to confront the Roman authorities as a political messiah, and that his betrayal was misguided zeal. Others have suggested that Judas became disenchanted with Jesus’ unwillingness to make the right “messianic” moves, and was attempting to keep Jesus from destroying the entire messianic movement with his ineffectual messiahship. More recent suggestions have interpreted Judas’ actions less as betrayal and more as an attempt to force Jesus and the Jewish authorities into dialogue, to “hand over” Jesus so that he might defend and proclaim his identity as the Messiah.

Also troublesome is the manner of Judas’ death. Here there is some general agreement; Judas died a gruesome death. Matthew notes that Judas, full of remorse, returned the 30 pieces of silver and hanged himself (Matt. 27:5). This “blood money” purchased a field in which to bury the poor. Luke interrupts Peter’s speech in Acts 1:18-19 to report that an unrepentant Judas bought a field with “the reward of his wickedness” and, falling down, burst open in the middle and bled to death. The field became well-known in Jerusalem as the “Field of Blood.”

Bibliography. W. Klassen, Judas: Betrayer or Friend of Jesus? (Minneapolis, 1996).

Steven M. Sheeley

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

JUDAS ISCARIOT

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)