As a born again Christian and preacher working closely with other believers, I understand the
importance of loyalty. Every time I read the scripture and come across the story of Judas
betraying Jesus, I fail to understand how this happened. The Bible says that this betrayal did not
surprise Jesus as he knew Judas would sell him. This led me to the question: why did Judas
Iscariot betray Jesus?
In this article, I will shed light on how Judas betrayed Jesus and help you understand what he
received from betraying Jesus. Join me as we delve into this topic and discover whether Judas
Iscariot was greedy for money and why he felt remorseful after he had betrayed Jesus. Keep
reading to learn whether Jesus forgave Judas after he had betrayed him and what happened to
Judas Iscariot after he had died? Here is more!
How did Judas Iscariot betray Jesus?
Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus Christ with a kiss for 30 pieces of silver. Judas’ betrayal of Jesus is narrated in all four gospels of the New Testament. The book of Mark 14:1-2 says, “It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of the Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking to arrest him by stealth and kill him, for they said, not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.”
During the last supper, Jesus told his disciples that one of them would betray him. The gospel of John 13:21-27 records that Jesus revealed his betrayer by giving Judas a piece of bread. After taking the piece of bread, the scripture says that Satan entered Judas and left for the Temple, where he went and asked the religious leaders for the price he would get for betraying Jesus.
After Judas was promised money, he arranged with the religious leaders the signal of betrayal, and he went ahead and betrayed the Son of God. Mark 14:44-46 says, “Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. The men seized Jesus and arrested him.”
What did Judas receive from betraying Jesus?
The scripture records clearly that Judas received 30 pieces of silver for delivering Jesus to the religious leaders. Mathew 26:14-16 reads, “Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘what are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?’ and they set out for him 30 pieces of silver. And from then on, he looked for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.” Judas went ahead and betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.
Was Judas Iscariot just greedy for money?
Most scholars conclude that Judas was greedy for money as it played a key role in his life. Judas was the treasurer amongst the disciples, and even the Bible describes him as a thief. John 12:6 reads, “[Judas] said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.” That points out that Judas was not a genuine man and loved money, which could be why he betrayed Jesus.
John 13:29 continues, “Some thought that, because Judas had the money bag, Jesus was telling him, buy what we need for the feast, or he should give something to the poor.” This verse implies that Judas’ life revolved around money, so several scholars conclude that his greed for more money led him to betray Jesus.
Was Judas’ betrayal of Jesus prophetic?
Several views have been put forward on why Judas betrayed Jesus, and one of them is that it was prophetic. Those who argue by this reference the book of John 6:64, which says, “But there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe and would betray him.” Therefore, that means that the betrayal of Jesus by Judas might have been foreordained. However, that does not mean that Judas had no choice in what to do.
Additionally, during the last supper, Jesus told his disciples that one of them would betray him. The gospel of John 13:21 says, “After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”
Why did Judas feel remorseful after he had betrayed Jesus?
The Bible notes that Judas felt remorseful after he saw Jesus Christ was condemned. Mathew 27:3, “When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned thirty pieces of silver to the chief priest and the elders.”
Another core reason that might have led to Judas feeling remorse after betraying Jesus is that he realized that he had just betrayed innocent blood, the Son of God. Mathew 27:4 says, “I have sinned, he said, for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
Did Jesus forgive Judas after he had betrayed him?
It is unclear whether Jesus forgave Judas Iscariot after betraying him. However, what is clear is that Judas was full of remorse during his final moments and even returned the pieces of silver to the church priests. Judas’ repentance is recorded in the book of Mathew 27:3-6. “The Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, was full of remorse and brought the thirty pieces of silver again to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, what is that to us? See thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the Temple, departed, and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces and said, it is not lawful to put them into the treasury because it is the price of blood.”
Some bible scholars argue that Judas was not forgiven because if that was the case, he could not have gone ahead and hanged himself after repenting. Scholars even argue that when Jesus said “the son of perdition” in John 17:12, he meant Judas, meaning he was the son of destruction. Therefore, despite no one knowing whether Judas was forgiven or not, the argument that he was not forgiven is quite persuasive.
What happened to Judas Iscariot after he had died?
The Bible records that Judas’ death was through suicide; he hanged himself. Mathew 27:5-8, “So, Judas threw the money into the Temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. The chief priests picked up the coins and said it was against the law to put this into the treasury since it is blood money. So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners.”
The book of Acts 1:18-19 goes on and tells us what happened after Judas hanged himself. “With the reward, he got for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open, and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language, Akeldam, that is the ‘Field of Blood.’”
As a devout Christian, I have always been passionate about the Christian faith. This inspired me to pursue a degree in Religious studies and a Masters in Theology in college. I have also been privileged to teach 4 Christian courses in a college and university. Since I am dedicated to spreading the word of God, I am actively involved in the Church. Additionally, I share his word online and cover diverse topics on the Christian faith through my platform. You can read more about me on the about us page.
