Points to consider before accusing and
condemning Judas Iscariot before God and man.
- God delivered up Jesus to suffer, to die, and to be resurrected. (Romans 8:32)
- Satan did not deliver up Jesus to suffer, to die, and to be resurrected. Satan opposed the suffering, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus. (Matthew 16:21-23)
- As it was true of Peter, so it is true of any man, an attitude of opposition to the suffering, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus can be a manifestation of Satan. (Matthew 16:21-23)
- Jesus washed his disciples' feet as a backdrop against which he told Judas his fault and conveyed to him a message of forgiveness. Thereby, Jesus gained his brother. (Matthew 18:15; John 13:1-11)
- In gaining his brother, Jesus gave his disciples an example that, as he forgave the one who trespassed against him, so should they forgive the trespasses of one another. (John 13:14-15)
- After Jesus identified Judas as the one to deliver him up, Satan opposed the delivering up of Jesus when he entered Judas for the second time. (Matthew 16:21-23; John 13:27)
- Judas overcame the influence of Satan in order to deliver Jesus up. (John 13:30)
- Judas hanged himself upon the cross which he took up in accordance with the instruction of Jesus, the instruction Jesus gave for any man who would come after him. (Matthew 27:5; Matthew 16:24)
- Judas laid down his life for the sake of Jesus in order to find his life. He did not commit suicide. (Matthew 16:25)
- Jesus will raise Judas up at the last day. (John 6:39)
I offer these points only in my own
name.
Point 10 should read, "Jesus raised Judas up at the last day."
ReplyDeleteSince writing this post, I've become convinced that the expression, "at the last day," refers to the last day of the life of Jesus, the time period between the last supper and the death of Jesus on the cross.