Why Judas Iscariot?

[Poimen]

Calvin notes in his Harmony of the Gospels (Luke 6:13):

First, why did our Lord deliberately choose Judas, who, he perfectly knew, was unworthy of the honor, and would be his betrayer? Secondly, why did God, after being so earnestly supplicated by his Son, and as if he had given a refusal to Christ, permit a base and wicked man to find his way to the highest rank in his Church? Thirdly, why did he resolve that the first-fruits of his Church should be stained by so foul a disgrace? Fourthly, how came it, that Jesus Christ, knowingly and willingly, preferred Judas to honest and faithful ministers?

The first objection is met by the following reply. Our Lord expressly intended to prevent future offenses, that we may not feel excessive uneasiness, when unprincipled men occupy the situation of teachers in the Church, or when professors of the Gospel become apostates. He gave, at the same time, in the person of one man, an instance of fearful defection, that those who occupy a higher rank may not indulge in self-complacency.

At the same time, with regard to the second question, we do not admit that our Lord suffered a refusal.

This answer will serve also for the third question. At the very beginning, it was judged proper to give an early demonstration of the future state of the Church, that weak persons might not stumble on account of the fall of a reprobate; for it is not proper, that the stability of the Church should depend on men.

With regard to the last objection, Christ did not prefer Judas to devout and holy disciples, but raised him to an eminence from which he was afterwards to fall, and thus intended to make him an example and instruction to men of every condition and of every age, that no one may abuse the honor which God has conferred upon him, and likewise that, when even the pillars fall,those who appear to be the weakest of believers may remain steady.

 

[Anton Bruckner]

Judas and Saul always scare me. These two characters do serve to maintain diligence in the Christian walk of believers.

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Thanks for the Calvin quote Pastor Kok.

(Joh 17:12) While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

(2Th 2:2) That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

(2Th 2:3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

(Heb 10:38) Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

(Heb 10:39) But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

(Rev 17:8) The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

 

[Poimen]

As a minister I (mostly) draw encouragement from the quote since the life and continuance of the congregation cannot be sustained even by the faithful efforts of office bearers (which maintains my reliance upon the Spirit) and it cannot be undone by the most wicked of men (which maintains my reliance upon the Spirit).

 

[PuritanCovenanter]

Another thing that I have always wondered about is ..... Did Judas really understand who Christ was? He must not have really understood that Christ was omniscient or he would have probably acted different. He wouldn't have stolen nor conspired with the Sanhedrin. He seems oblivious to who Christ was in my opinion.

 

[Anton Bruckner]

Another thing that I have always wondered about is ..... Did Judas really understand who Christ was? He must not have really understood that Christ was omniscient or he would have probably acted different. He wouldn't have stolen nor conspired with the Sanhedrin. He seems oblivious to who Christ was in my opinion.

he understood everything. his heart was just wicked. he was all about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Judas is no different from parents that divorce over careers, drug dealers and corrupt politicians and judges. Jesus plainly said, "What shall it profit a man to gain the world and to loose his soul". Judas knew this. Many Americans know this and yet we act contrary most of the times.

 

[k.seymore]

Why did our Lord deliberately choose Judas, who, he perfectly knew, was unworthy of the honor, and would be his betrayer?

I always found it interesting that the tribe that rules over Israel was Judah, the 12 disciples represent the 12 tribes and it is said they will rule over the twelve tribes, the Jews (in the strict sense of the word) are the ruling tribe of Judah and we are told that they rejected and crucified Christ, and this was accomplished through the disciple whose name is literally Judah. The Jews betrayed their true king into the hand of Rome as Judas betrayed him into the hands of the Jews. Perhaps we are supposed to see him as representative of them.

 

[JBaldwin]

Thanks for posting this. It was a great comfort to me as well. Though it is no surprise to me that wicked men are high up in the church, I'm usually surprised when they cause division and problems.