THE APOSTOLO JUDAS & JOHN 6:66
There is a principle theme that has run through history in God's dealing with humans. You either love it, or you hate it. The theme is seen in both the Old Testament period, as well as the New. Jesus repeats the principle at the end of a parable that he told about God's invitation and election. Jesus says plainly,
"many are called, but few are elect," (Matthew 22:14)
These are seven profound words that are the way things are for everyone in respect to the general call (see footnote 1 below). Such is the case with the student, and pre-cross apostle, named Judas Iscariot. In this section, we are going to be looking at the life of this man. We are going to see if the scriptures reveal information that suggests that Judas was one of the "few" elected for eternal spiritual salvation, or not. There are some who believe in the NEST, who like pointing to Judas because Judas was chosen to be a student and pre-cross apostle, and as such, Judas betrayed Christ in the deadly conspiracy to have Jesus executed. Such NEST adherents, look at Judas as a model for failure by asserting that we New Covenant people can do just like Judas. In other words, even though we are supposedly something that the NEST calls "saved," (yet wrongly defines from an extra Biblical perspective), they say that somehow we "saved" people can decide to turn against Christ, and then, in so doing, we end up losing the theoretical NEST defined salvation, (equivocating it with biblically defined salvation) and are damned forever.
The NEST is wrong.
We are going to see why the NEST is wrong in this section, which deals with the biblically defined model of eternal spiritual salvation for those who are not just generally called, but who are specifically elect for eternal spiritual salvation. Two questions are before us:
1) "Does the Bible reveal that Judas is eternally spiritually saved?";
2) "Does the Bible reveal information that indicates that Judas is not eternally saved?"
Certainly we are not the judges of people, where we sit on the great white throne concerning people's eternal destinies, but we can at least attempt to discern what we can about certain Biblical characters in respect to their relationship with God. What we know about Judas Iscariot is only what we know about him as recorded in the Bible. With that in mind, it is necessary for us so examine the biblical data to get a fuller picture of Judas. The first thing we need to recognize from scripture is that Judas was a disciple, and Judas was an apostle. We find both descriptions in Luke,
"13 And when day came, He [Jesus] called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as apostles [the Greek word apostolos (apostolouV)]:" (Luke 6:130
Both of these descriptions; disciples, and apostles, are specific descriptions with specific meanings. For example, a disciple is a student. Any time you see a Bible reference to being a disciple, it is referring to being a student. The Rabbi's of that day had their many students who followed them around and learned from them. In fact the word, Rabbi means teacher. For example, John the Baptist was a type of Rabbi who had his students. John's students followed him around and learned from him. It is important to realize that there are many kinds of students, and we can see this demonstrated in respect to Christ:
A) There are superficial students of Christ, (which are people who claim to be students of Christ simply because they have been exposed to His teachings), and so they claim they have learned from Him. They may be able to quote something He said, like "judge not lest you be judged," or something like that. Such people typically quote Jesus out of context, they quote His words wrongly, or they do not really seem to care about what Jesus truly had to say after all.
B) There is another type of student, which is a deceived perverting student who thinks they are a true follower of Jesus. The cults produce these types. The Latter Day Saints, called Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, The Way International, and the Unification Church, called Moonies, are cults, which have people who claim to be students of Jesus, but they pervert His words to support their dark religions.
C) There is another type of student, which is an authentic student who seeks to learn the truth as a true follower of the true Christ and the truth that Christ actually taught.
D) There is another type of student which is like the above, and that student is a historic student who learned from Jesus in Jesus' day as Jesus moved around teaching, but this student, did not actually leave behind his home to walk with Jesus.
E) This leads us to consider another kind of historic student of Jesus, and that one is one who followed Jesus around through the country, and from city to city for a while, but eventually left Jesus and went back home.
F) This leads us to consider, yet, another kind of historic student and that kind is one who did actually leave everything behind to follow Jesus around from city to city during His pre-cross ministry. To be a person who followed Rabbi Jesus around as one of his traveling students, required that the person be dedicated to walk about with Rabbi Jesus in this type of schooling as we see recorded in Luke 14, where large crowds were going along with Jesus,
"25 Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, 26 'If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My student. 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My student. 28 For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, 30 saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' 31 Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So then, none of you can be My student who does not give up all his own possessions.'" (Luke 14:33)
Jesus is making it clear to all the enthusiasts who started walking along with Him, (as if this was going to be one big traveling seminar retreat) what it is going to take to continue following along with Him as a student throughout Galilee in Jesus' intense ministry. It is going to require turning one's back on one's family. Those people were going to have to hate their families in comparison to coming along with Christ. They were even required to hate their own lives in comparison to coming to Christ. There was a huge price of devotion to be paid to go "along with" Rabbi Jesus over those following years. To do so, they must know that they will need to carry their own cross. Nobody else is going to carry such a burden of self sacrifice for them. They will need to weigh such a decision as if they are about to commence a building project. They need to take it easy, and "sit down," and get a realistic picture of what is going on, and first "count the cost," to see if they have what it takes to complete the task. It is not easy being a wandering student of Jesus. If they do not weigh this decision rightly, then they will begin along, (like laying a foundation), but they will not be able to finish because they did not realize the high price that must be paid. It is like being a king who is going out to fight in war. He first sits down and considers whether he is strong enough, with a small force, to encounter an attack that will be twice his force. He considers the balance. He considers the price he will be required to pay. He considers the extreme damage, and defeat He may incur, and so he goes another route and sends a delegation for peace. Jesus is clearly saying to those masses who started going along with Him, that if they think they are not going to be able to follow Jesus around as His students, after sitting down first and thinking it over, (because it is going to mean that they must leave everything behind with the mindset that they will never reclaim those things, or see them again), then they need to change their plans immediately. This is why Jesus finishes the warning with the very important, "So then." Notice that Jesus says,
"33 So then, none of you can be My student who does not give up all his own possessions." (Luke 14:33)
This is the type of cost that this type of historic student must sit down and consider before deciding to follow Jesus around from city to city during His pre-cross ministry. Interestingly, Judas Iscariot, on the other hand, found a way to follow Jesus as a means to steal money and make money off of Jesus and His other students, as we read in John, and Matthew,
"6 ... he [Judas] was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it." (John 12:6)
Now Matthew,
"14 Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, 'What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?' And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. 16 From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus." (Matthew 26:15)
We shall soon see that all of this evil money lust that Judas manifested in his criminal deeds simply reflects the evilness of Judas as the son of perdition who was marked out in eternity past to be the traitor who betrayed Jesus. Judas is described well as one who served His master, (money), according to His wicked heart, as we read Jesus saying,
"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." (Matthew 6:24)
As a type of student who followed Jesus around, Judas may have heard this teaching, and may have even remembered Christ's words, but Judas did not follow what was said. Judas demonstrated that he both hated, and despised, Messiah by constantly stealing from Messiah, and by demonstrating that he was the prophesied traitor of Jesus on the fateful passover night, when he actually betrayed Jesus. So, we see that in the instance of Judas, he was a student; he left behind some things to follow along with Messiah.
There were many students of Messiah, who was Himself called "Rabbi," (cf. John 1:38) but only 12 students were summoned out of the others to be Messiah's core group in His pre-cross ministry. In the gospel of Mark, we see where Messiah summons the twelve particular students so that He would send them out. Judas was among this group, and so we read,
"13 And He [Messiah] went up on the mountain and summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him. 14 And He appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) [Greek apostolon (apostolwn)--see Footnote 2 below] so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out [Greek apostello (apostellh)] to preach [Greek Kerusso, "to announce" "to herald"] 15 and to have authority to cast out the demons." (Mark 3:13-15)
What we see is that Judas was summoned to Messiah because Messiah wanted him to be one of 12 particular students among the multitudes of students who were following Messiah at the time. These particular twelve are ones that Messiah wanted to name apostles so that they would be with Him and would be sent out to announce and proclaim that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (cf. Matthew 10:6) and have authority to cast out demons. It is important to understand that the phrase, "send them out" in Mark 3:14, is translated from the Greek word apostello. This is where we get the foundational meaning behind the term apostle, or apostles plural, and is why Jesus named these particular students, "apostles," (cf. Mark 3:14) which is the Greek word, apostolon. This is important, because an apostle is "one who is sent out." The name is descriptive of the action it actually implies. We get our modern word "missionary" from the Latin Vulgate translation of the Bible, where apostle, was translated as "missionis." A missionary is one who is sent out, and he is sent out on what is typically called a mission. This is so important to understand because when we see this "apostle" term used, for example, for Jesus Himself, then we know what exactly is being meant, as we see in Hebrews 3,
"1 Therefore, holy brothers, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession;" Hebrews 3:1
Jesus as God manifested in the flesh, who is in fact, God's only begotten Son, was also a sent out one. He was "the" great Missionary of our confession, on the great mission of all great missions. Jesus was the ultimate "Apostle."
/1/
Further, we must understand that there were people sent out by Jesus in His pre-cross ministry, and there were people that Jesus sent out after He resurrected and established His New Covenant. These pre-cross apostles, that Judas was among, were sent out before Christ established His New Covenant in His blood. These pre-cross apostles comprise the twelve students, and also 70 others, (82 total) as we read,
"2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him." (Matthew 10:2-4)
The above are the 12, and then there are the other 70;
"1 Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent [apesteilen] them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come." (Luke 10:1)
This is what we mean by speaking of certain apostles being those who were sent out by Jesus in His pre-cross, (pre New Covenant) ministry.
/2/
There are also the primary apostles and witnesses who continued on after the pre-cross ministry into the New Covenant age in a post-resurrection aspect of apostleship. These sent out ones (apostles) of the post-resurrection New Covenant age were re-commissioned for their new mission by the risen Christ to spread the good news of the resurrection and future coming of Messiah. Christ sent them out in what is typically called the great commission, (cf. Mark 16:15). Judas, the son of perdition, never received this commission. The ones that did, were the remaining eleven who were elected to go into the world and preach this good news (cf. Acts 2:1). A little later, Saul who was known as Paul, was also a kind of a primary apostle in that he was elected, and directly commissioned by the risen Christ. Paul was called,
"a bondslave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God," (Romans 1:1; He was "appointed," cf. 1 Timothy 2:7)
Paul's call and appointment was specifically from the risen Christ while Paul was on the road to Damascus. Paul was also called the apostle to the Gentiles, (cf. Romans 11:13; 1 Timothy 2:7; Galatians 2:8) and he carried a distinctive message in God's unfolding revelation of the doctrine of Christ. Christ is the one who gave Him these revelations.
Then there are other kinds of apostles in the New Testament, who can be described as secondary types of apostles. They are people called apostles in that the primary apostles commissioned and sent them out; for example, Matthias, who was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot (cf. Acts 1:26). Epaphroditus, was also a secondary kind of apostle too. He was the Philippian's apostle, (apostolos in the Greek), and minister to Paul's need, (cf. Philippians 2:25). Then there are all those who come later after those secondary apostles of the Bible. Those that come later, have come throughout the last 2000 years of church history. Those are typically called missionaries. So, when we read the Luke passage, where Jesus summoned (as in called) the 12 sent out ones, or apostles, we see that what is being said is that Messiah called His students to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also named as those who are sent out, (cf. Luke 6:13). The day came where Jesus officially separated out those 12 pre-cross students that he called apostles so that He could send them to announce what He told them to announce, (cf. Mark 3:14), which is that "the kingdom of God is at hand," (cf. Matthew 10:7). And of course, while Jesus was in His pre-cross earthly ministry, we see that this is exactly what the 12 did, thus demonstrating that they were indeed sent out ones. Three chapters later in Mark, we see the action fulfilled by all 12, where we read,
"7 And He [Messiah] summoned the twelve and began to send them out [Greek apostellein] in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits;" (Mark 6:7)
Jesus sent them out and they began to go around the surrounding areas of Galilee, announcing the specific message of the kingdom of God. In fact, Mark says, that as sent out ones, they went on a "journey," (cf. Mark 6:8). They went as sent out ones on a journey, but only in the surrounding areas to Israelites, as we read in Matthew,
"These twelve Jesus sent out [Greek apesteilen] after instructing them: 'Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; 6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' ... 14 Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.'" (Matthew 10:5-7 & 14)
So, we see that the 12 were apostles in this first pre-new covenant sending, but at the time, they were only apostles in a limited respect. Not only did the 12 students not go to Gentiles on this first missionary journey, but they preached only one thing,
"The kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 10:7)
This is the Old Covenant message of the Old Covenant apostles of the Messiah King. It was not until after Messiah's crucifixion and resurrection that the remaining students, now absent of Judas, were, as apostles, sent out to preach by the power of the promised New Covenant anointing of the Holy Spirit, and we see their comprehensive messages as recorded in the rest of the Bible.
We also notice that the 12 here in this pre-cross sending out, did not go out alone, but they went in pairs. The 70 others that Jesus sent out, also went out in pairs, (cf, Luke 10:1). This is an important point in one particular respect, and that one respect is that wicked Judas, though a rejector of Messiah, apparently went out with another apostle. The main point we are examining is that Judas was a student and a sent out one; an apostle in Messiah's pre-crucifixion, and pre-resurrection ministry. There is one final example in Luke's account of the pre-cross sending out,
"1 And He [Messiah] called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. 2 And He sent them out [apesteilen] to proclaim the kingdom of God. ... 6 Departing, they began going throughout the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere." (Luke 9:1-6)
This pre-cross gospel (good news) that Jesus commanded them to preach was "the kingdom of God," which the Jews rejected when they rejected Christ the King who is the fulfillment of the Davidic promise.
After looking at all of this, the question presses itself to the forefront;
Does the fact that Judas was a student under Messiah's teaching, along with the fact that Jesus sent him out with a partner to announce the kingdom of God, mean that Judas was chosen for eternal spiritual salvation?
Being a student of Jesus does not necessitate that the student is elect for eternal spiritual salvation. Additionally, just because Jesus sent Judas out with someone to announce the kingdom of God to Israel, does not necessitate that Judas was elect for eternal spiritual salvation either. In fact, there are examples in the New Testament of people preaching the truth while not being saved. There is the girl in Acts, where we read Luke relating that he (Luke), Paul, and Timothy,
"16 ... were going to the place of prayer, a slave-girl having a spirit of divination met us, who was bringing her masters much profit by fortunetelling. 17 Following after Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, 'These men are bondservants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.' 18 She continued doing this for many days. But Paul was greatly annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, 'I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her!' And it came out at that very moment." (Acts 16:16-18)
Certainly this slave girl, possessed of a spirit of divination, was preaching a truthful message by saying,
"These men are bondservants of the Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation." (Acts 16:16)
But, at the same time of her accurate preaching, this girl was not yet delivered out of the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of Gods dearly loved son, (cf. Colossians 1:13). So during her preaching time, she was not even saved. A similar kind of thing is found in Philippians where Paul relates that there are men there preaching pretensively to cause him problems while he is in chains. Paul says this concerning it,
"15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; 16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice," (Philippians 1:15-18)
The point is that just because one is preaching the truth, or is a student of those who preach the truth, such things do not necessitate that the person must be saved.
But, then again, there is that commission, where Jesus sent out Judas along with the others, to not only preach, but also to heal the sick, raise the dead, and cast out demons. Maybe that means that Judas was elect for eternal spiritual salvation. Two things on this:
1) we do not know whether Judas did any of those things. All we know is that he was sent out with a partner with authority to do those things.
2) such a commission does not mean anything in respect to Judas' spiritual salvation status, as we read in Matthew 7, where Jesus says,
"22 Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.'" (Matthew 7:23, Jesus is quoting Psalm 6:8)
Even though there are people who ask, did we not prophesy, cast out demons, and perform miracles, "in Your name" (in an attempt to convince Jesus), it will not matter, because they rejected God's rule, and in contempt of it, lived without His Law, and demonstrated that they really rejected Messiah. It will not matter what they say, because they were never saved. Even the Christ rejecting high priest of Israel, is recorded as prophesying by God's Spirit in John 11:51. The point is that even if they did all those things, like Judas may have done as a lost person because he was sent out with Christ's authority to do so, Jesus will still say "I never knew you." Christ does not say, "I knew you once, but then you fell away, and then I decided I do not know you anymore." Further, Christ does not have a memory problem, so we must deduce that Christ never knew them in a certain way. Of course, that way is the way of spiritual salvation. Christ never knew such people as being truly His people. He never knew them as those who were predestined to be eternally spiritual saved. Christ only knows such people as being NASAAT, which means Never Actually Saved At Any Time. When we understand, concerning such people, that they were never really saved to begin with, we find that what Jesus reveals in Matthew 7:23 is the validation of our understanding that covers all such cases.
The big question that remains, is; "was Judas saved?" and so in respect to that question, we must consider some further things from the Scriptural record. The considerations we will examine are found by walking through the gospel of John. Looking at the events coming into John 6, we find that Jesus' pre-cross ministry has been going along in full force. On this particular day, Jesus preaches a very hard to understand message. Jesus parts from a boat with His 12 core students on the shores of Capernaum, and begins expository preaching to multitudes of students who followed Him from Tiberias, (cf. John 6:24), and He continues teaching as He walks across the whole region. As He is going, He is also using the local Synagogues of the Capernaum region as his teaching platforms. The timing of all of this is crucial. During this whole time, the Passover feast of the Jews, was near, (cf. John 6:4). This is the celebration of the deliverance of Israel from slavery to Egypt, in which unleavened bread is eaten, and wine is drunk. Some of the things that Jesus teaches during this period of time are that belief is the work of God that people work, and they work what is God's work, which is the belief to receive the food that endures to eternal life from Jesus Himself, (cf. John 6:27-29). Belief in Messiah as Lord and Savior is God's work, and only because it is God's work, can, and does, anyone work it as an expression of what is worked in them. The Israelite people then ask for a sign, like bringing down manna in the wilderness. Jesus tells them it was His Father, who gave them the manna. Now remember the passover is approaching, and so Jesus teaches,
"'32 ... it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33 Because the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.' 34 Then they said to Him, 'Lord, always give us this bread.' 35 Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.'" (John 6:32-37)
We are going to get to the Judas part of this in a moment, but notice that Jesus is explaining that He is the bread, and He is much better than what God supplied in the desert. Jesus is the bread of life--particularly eternal spiritual life. Further, Jesus is explaining prophetically that He is the fulfillment of the passover, both in the celebrative meal of remembrance, and also in the actual Covenant His fulfilled passover will establish forever once He accomplishes it. Nevertheless, Jesus explains that though the work of God is belief (cf. John 6:28-29), many He is teaching have seen Messiah, and yet do not believe. The reason is because God did not do His work in those who remain unbelieving, in that,
"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out." (John 6:37 emph. mine)
This is a beautiful proclamation of two great doctrines:
1) God's sovereign election and giving of certain people to Jesus--"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me,"
2) Once Saved In Eternal Spiritual Salvation (OSIESS). Again, each word is important;
"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out." (John 6:37)
Jesus goes on to explain more of God's sovereign election, and also eternal security in Once Saved In Eternal Spiritual Salvation (OSIESS), by teaching,
"38 "For I have come down from heaven, [like the manna came down out of heaven as the provision of the Father] not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 "This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me ..." (John 6:38-39 emph. mine)
[Right there we find the proclamation of the sovereign election of the cosmic rescuer. God violates man's sinful nature and says "He has given" certain people to Jesus. The people are "all" He has elected and given. Jesus goes on with God's will, saying, "that of all that He has given Me,]
" ... I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day." (John 6:38-39)
We need to call this what it is. This is once saved always saved (OSAS), perseverance of the saints, eternal security, and once saved in eternal spiritual salvation, (OSIESS) and it shreds the grassy foundation of the NEST into particles of meaninglessness. Jesus goes on,
"40 Because this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:40)
This, of course, is God's theme of salvation by grace through belief (faith) in Christ. It is offered to the pre-cross Jews as the gospel of the kingdom to receive their Messiah King by the work of God that Jesus just mentioned a few sentences earlier in John 6:28-29. The evidence that anyone of them will be raised up on the last day to manifest the eternal life that they possess in salvation is their firm belief in Messiah. But certain Jews had a problem with Jesus' teachings. So, here is what happened,
"41 Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, 'I am the bread that came down out of heaven.' 42 They were saying, 'Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, 'I have come down out of heaven?'" (John 6:41-42)
Unless you are effectually drawn and given to Jesus by the Father, than you will not accept what Jesus says. Next, we see Jesus' reply;
"43 Jesus answered and said to them, 'Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall be taught of God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me." (John 6:43-45 emph. mine)
Jesus understands this fact of predestination, and sovereign determination. Many are called and taught by Jesus in a general calling in evangelism and teaching of truth, but only those who are drawn by the Father in the effectual call, come to Messiah and receive eternal spiritual salvation. Those who believe in the NEST need to understand this fact too. Jesus goes on with what is a very difficult teaching for Jews, saying;
"'47 ... he who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; ..." (John 6:47-51 emph. mine)
[This statement, by the way, is the true definition of being once saved always saved in eternal life. It is but one of Jesus' many hammer blows to the NEST. It is called "living forever." Let us continue;]
"... and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.' 52 Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, 'How can this man give us His flesh to eat?'" (John 6:51-52)
Jesus is speaking of spiritual things involving faith in Him, yet He is using language that reflects the material world. This particular multitude of students had those who did not have the understanding from the Father, and so they did not like what Jesus is saying. This is the pinnacle teaching, and yet it became the big divider for a great many of the students that where following Jesus around, as we read next,
"53 So Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.'" (John 6:53)
[Jesus is talking about receiving Him as the promised Messiah King--the very New Covenant manna from heaven. He is prophetically speaking of the formation of the body of Christ that will occur in His crucifixion and resurrected glory. He goes on with language that is spiritually discerned, (cf. John 6:63, 1 Corinthians 2:14). In fact it is difficult, and actually repulsive to those who are not elect. He says,]
"54 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 "For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever." (John 6:54-58)
But, there are more vital details, where we read,
"60 Therefore many of His students, when they heard this said, 'This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?' 61 But Jesus, conscious that His students grumbled at this, said to them, 'Does this cause you to stumble? 62 What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? [This is New Covenant talk, and so they still do not understand] 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.'" (John 6:60-63)
Jesus knew that some of His students were grumbling. But, He indicates that the words He has been teaching are not physical. They are "spirit and life." The fact that many of His students were grumbling, is part of the problem, but there is more. Now comes the crux of the issue, where Jesus says,
"'64 But there are some of you who do not believe.' For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him." (John 6:64 emph. mine)
Jesus just said that belief in Him is the only way to be eternally spiritually saved. But, all along, there were students who did not believe. Along this line, we must not allow a very important detail slip by. That important detail is that Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe. Jesus was never, and is never confused about who is elect. Jesus as God, has always, and does always know who believes and who does not; past, present, and future. He always knew that there were people coming to hear His teachings as His students, but we must remember that merely being a student does not save anyone. Jesus also knew another very important fact; Jesus knew from the beginning, who it was that would betray Him, and that of course is Judas Iscariot. There is a reason why those others did not believe from the beginning, and Jesus is going to explain why. As we continue with John's contextual flow, we read the reason that shatters the humanistic philosophies of people oriented synergism (ie. Arminianism, Pelagianism. and Class Electionism of Kinds);
"65 And He [Jesus] was saying, 'For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.'" (John 6:65 emph. mine)
Jesus is still making His same point that He has been making concerning God's sovereign election, and the work of God, which is belief (cf. John 6:28-29). Remember, it is the Spirit that gives life, (cf. John 6:64). Belief in Christ as Messiah, is not anything we generate, like our own determination to believe based upon our own elite ability. Jesus is saying that coming to God is granted from God in the same manner as believing in God is granted from God, as we read in Philippians,
"For to you [Philippians believers] it has been granted for Christ's sake, ... to believe in Him," (Philippians 1:29)
And so the ability to come to Christ in saving belief must be granted by Father God, or else the ability does not, and will not exist. People who are not effectually called, will not come to Christ in saving faith. On the other hand, in the general call, certain people may become temporary students. They may be students out of curiosity. They may be students for any number of reasons. Such types of people may come to someone that they hope will fulfill a personal sin tainted ideal. In fact, they may even manifest a mental assent of initial believing in the announcement itself of a supernatural Messiah. They believe that initial announcement, but it is the dissipating human generated belief that merely comes at the exciting prospect of a message that fits their selfish desires. Ultimately, such people reject Christ for Who He really is; they reject the gospel for what it really is, and they reject eternal spiritual salvation in lack of supernatural saving faith. They had rocky soil hearts, with no rooting (cf. Matthew 13:3-23). They were never saved to begin with. So what happens next in John 6 is very enlightening.
"66 As a result of this many of His students withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore." (John 6:66)
Of course they were not walking with Him anymore. Those "many" did not like Jesus teaching that He came down from heaven, and that they have to eat of his body and all these other kinds of spiritually discerned things. No one can come to Messiah Who says something like that, unless it has been granted by the Father. It is simple; they did not believe from the beginning that Jesus was the Messiah sent from God to fulfill the Davidic promise, and all the other prophecies, and they do not believe any of this either. On the other hand, those who are elect from the beginning will necessarily be saved, and will never walk away, as we read Jesus praying later on in John 17 concerning all His faithful students minus Judas, where He says,
"6 I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word." (John 17:6 emph. mine)
None of the men who have been given to Jesus for salvation, fail to keep His word. It is amazing that they were Jehovah's men already. Judas, on the other hand demonstrates that He was not Jehovah's man given to Jesus for salvation by the Father, in that Judas did not keep God's word. This is the same kind of truth we read in Matthew 22, where Jesus told the 12,
"22 You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved." (Matthew 10:22)
Judas demonstrated that he was never elect for eternal spiritual salvation in that he manifested the identifier of not enduring to the end. Those who endure to the end will die physically, but will go on with eternal spiritual salvation in a resurrected and glorified body to live forever in a state best described as "saved." Now continuing with Jesus' prayer concerning His elect, minus Judas, in 17:9, Jesus says,
"9 I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours;" (John 17:9)
Not only were the men who were given to Jesus, Jehovah's men beforehand, but they are still Jehovah's men. All that the Father truly gives Jesus, are also the Father's. Jesus goes on, and He says in 17:12,
"12 While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled." (John 17:12)
The son of perdition is Judas. Those that the Father gave to Christ, Christ kept and guarded, except for Judas, which is according to prophecy. But John 18:9 is Messiah's clincher statement,
"9 to fulfill the word which He spoke, 'Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.'" (John 18:9 emph. mine)
Judas was lost. Therefore we conclude that the evidence indicates that Judas was not elect for eternal spiritual salvation, which means that Judas did not believe in Jesus as Messiah! Judas did not endure. Not enduring is the mark of all who are not, and never were elect for eternal spiritual salvation.
At this point, we must notice what happens next, back in the flow of John 6:64; the passage that we had last concentrated on where Christ knew who the lost students had always been in His foreknowledge. This is where Judas comes into the picture. As we continue, we need to remember the two distinctives that Jesus knew about from the beginning. The two distinctives from John 6:64 to keep in mind that Jesus knew from the beginning are:
1) who they were who did not believe;
2) who it was that would betray Him.
We read the amazing dialogue that ensues,
"67 So Jesus said to the twelve, 'You do not want to go away also, do you?' 68 Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.' 70 Jesus answered them, 'Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?' 71 Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him." (John 6:67-71 emph. mine)
Anyone who points to Judas as someone who at one time was supposedly eternally spiritually saved, and then later on decided He did not want to be eternally spiritually saved anymore, needs to get this whole contextual flow of what just happened, and what was just said in Capernaum. First of all, the twelve students of the core group are addressed as those whom Jesus chose to be the core. Peter, speaking for the twelve, expresses the other side of Jesus' foreknowledge of unbelievers, and His foreknowledge that Judas who was going to betray Him, in that instead of not believing, Peter says that "we" have believed and come to know that You are the Holy One of God, the Messiah. But Jesus explains to Peter that Peter is only partially correct in his answer. Jesus explains that the twelve did not choose Christ, but rather, Christ chose them, and not only that, but one of them that Jesus chose is a devil--meaning that Judas did not believe and come to know that Jesus is the Holy One of God. It is clear; Judas was chosen to be a student among the band of 12, but Judas was not chosen for eternal spiritual salvation. Christ specifically chose a devil to be one of His students!
Judas, as a chosen devil, heard the word of God preached daily, but Judas did not do the word of God that he heard preached. This hearing and doing principle is the principle that Jesus taught among groups of Israelites who listened to Him teach. It was those around him who heard the word of God and did it, that were truly His family people. We read in Luke 8:21,
"And His mother and brothers came to Him, and they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd 20 And it was reported to Him, 'Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wishing to see You.' 21 But He answered and said to them, 'My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.'" (Luke 8:19-21)
The same incident is recorded in Matthew 12, as we read,
"47 Someone said to Him, 'Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to You. 48 But Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, 'Who is My mother and who are My brothers?' 49 And stretching out His hand toward His students, He said, 'Behold My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother." (Matthew 12:47-50)
We see the same incident recorded in Mark,
"32 A crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him, 'Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You.' 33 Answering them, He said, 'Who are My mother and My brothers?' 34 Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He said, 'Behold My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.'" (Mark 3:32-35 emph. mine)
We learn a vital lesson here concerning which Israelites are identified as truly being followers of Jesus as the true people of God. Jesus stretches out His hands "toward" His students that gathered in the room to hear him preach. Jesus is talking about the whole particular "crowd" of students in His illustration, (cf. Mark 3:34). Luke tells us that the crowd of students in this classroom was so big that this is the reason why Jesus' mother and brothers could not get to Him. Of course, Jesus is not rejecting Mary, James, Jude and the rest of the family He was raised in. Christ's illustrative point simply has to do with who is really His true spiritual family, namely "whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven." Taking this principle of certain people around Jesus hearing and doing the Father's expressed will, we must understand that Judas heard the revealed word of God, but he did not go on to "do it," (cf. Luke 8:21). Apparently, the huge crowd of students sitting in this particular classroom, were ones who did the will of the Father as taught by Jesus. These students of His illustration were believing students, unlike Judas who is known by Jesus to be "a devil," and is the "son of perdition" according to the ancient prophecies that Jesus as God originally revealed (cf. John 17:12, John 13:18-19, ie, Psalm 41:9, Mark 14:21, Matthew 27:9, Acts 1:15-20). The point is that Jesus is not confused about God's predeterminate will, and so He indicates that only the students who do the will of His Father are His real family. Once again, we see it recorded in the three accounts,
"50 For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother." (Matthew 12:47-50)
"35 For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother." (Mark 3:32-35)
"My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it." (Luke 8:19-21)
Judas, though a student, hated the will of the Father and transgressed it by hating Christ, therefor Judas, (who even though was picked to be in the 12), was not one of the students in the crowded room who hears the word of God and does it. Judas is not, and was not in Jesus' family. In fact, Jesus will say that He never knew Judas,
"21 Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you;'" (Matthew 7:21-23)
The main point is that Jesus explains to Simon Peter in John 6:67-71 that Peter is only partially correct, and that the twelve did not choose Messiah, but rather Jesus the Messiah, chose them, and yet one of them that Jesus chose is a devil. What we are going to continue to look at, is the fact that Judas was chosen to be a student and a pre-cross, pre-New Covenant apostle, but Judas was also chosen because of the very reason that he was already a devil, (not because he slowly metamorphosed into one, but because he was always one as the son of perdition) and the reason why Judas was chosen, was so that Judas would some day betray Christ as the unbelieving anti-Christ devil he had been from the beginning!
A fundamental point that every Christian needs to learn early on, is that Jesus knew beforehand who it was who would betray Him in the future. John 6, records Jesus omniscient foreknowledge. Jesus, as God manifested in the flesh, always knew what was in man, (cf. John 2:25). More importantly, Jesus always knew the foreordained will of His Father. When Jesus first chose Judas to be part of the core group, Jesus knew Judas was a devil and that Judas would betray Him to bring about the needed execution which would be the ultimate atoning propitiation for sins in His New Covenant. We read later in John 12, that Judas was always operating according to his calling as the wicked one. When Mary anointed Jesus' feet with expensive perfume, we read,
"4 But Judas Iscariot, one of His students, who was intending to betray Him, [His intention was betrayal beforehand because that is what he was supposed to do] said, 5 'Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?' 6 Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it." (John 12:1-6 emph. mine)
Early on, Judas is identified as intending to betray Christ all along. Further, Judas, at the outset, was manifesting his wicked, evil, dark, devilishness, by stealing money from the money box. Later in John 13, we read of the night that Judas betrayed Christ,
"2 During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him," (John 13:2 emph. mine)
Instead of being Once Saved In Eternal Spiritual Salvation, (OSIESS) Judas demonstrated that he was a partaker of the damning doctrine of Never Actually Saved At Any Time, (NASAAT). The devil had "already," the Scripture states, in the past, put into the heart of Judas to betray Jesus. The devil does not put into spiritually saved people to betray Christ. If, in fact, the Devil can put into your heart, as a saved person, to betray Christ, then; how do you know that the Devil will not put into your heart to betray Christ? Anyone who believes in conditional security (fictional insecurity), and believes that the devil can put into people's hearts, like Judas, to betray Christ, has no idea how to answer that question. When we consider the correct answer, we recognize that when anyone is truly saved, as in truly born of God, then the Devil is not going to touch that person according to 1 John 5:18, because Christ keeps the person. Christ puts into the heart of the saved person, His eternal seal, which is his very own Spirit. The Devil is not going to put in your heart, if you are a truly saved person, to betray Christ. On the other hand, the devil put, so to speak, in every unsaved person to betray Christ as a matter of their fallen natures. The only time this betrayal changes is when an unsaved person responds in faith to the effectual call through the miracle of God, which is something that Judas never did.
As we continue through John 13, we read more about Jesus as He goes on to wash the remaining eleven student's feet. Peter asks to have his hands and head washed too, but Jesus says,
"'10 ... He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.' 11 For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, 'Not all of you are clean.'" (John 13:10-11 emph. mine)
Again, Jesus knew that Judas was always unclean, and was marked out as the one who was betraying Him. Jesus knew it from the beginning. Jesus was never surprised about the fact that the one who was betraying Him was a filthy dirty "devil." That is what Jesus said of Judas early on, (cf. John 6:70-71). Here Jesus describes all His other students as being clean. They are set apart--consecrated unto Messiah. But, Jesus describes Judas as unclean. What this means, is that Judas is lost. The other eleven, being clean, were called and chosen not merely to be students and sent out ones for a brief period during the heralding of the Messianic kingdom, but rather, the other eleven were appointed for eternal spiritual salvation in the same manner that all the elect are appointed, as we read, even occurring later on in Christ's New Covenant, concerning certain Gentiles,
" ... as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed." (Acts 13:48)
Continuing in John 13, we see Jesus going on and speaking to the gathered students of washing one another's feet, and He says,
"'17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. 18 I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have elected; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, 'He who eats my Bread has lifted up his heel against me.' 19 From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.' 21 When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me.'" (John 13:17-21 emph. mine)
There are a lot of amazing details in Christ's statement here. First, Jesus says that He does not speak of the blessing being for all of the 12 students. This is a clear proclamation that Jesus did not elect, as in choose, as in appoint, Judas Iscariot for eternal spiritual salvation. Also notice, that Christ said this about Judas even though Judas was numbered among the 12 students of the core group, (cf. Luke 22:3). But, Christ says, that He knows the ones He has "elected," which are the other 11. Secondly, Jesus says that His betrayal has not yet come to pass. In other words there will soon come a point in time when the betrayal will occur, and then all will know, after the fact, who would be the traitor. This is in conjunction with what Luke records in listing the 12 students early on before Judas betrayed Jesus,
"16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor." (Luke 6:16)
Judas, who was always a devil, "became a traitor" at the point the act of being a traitor was accomplished. Judas was unclean, a devil, the son of perdition, and Judas was going to be the famous one who went to the priests, thus accomplishing betrayal of Jesus. Jesus foreknew all those things about Judas all along. But remember, Jesus said,
"'Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?' 71 Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him." (John 6:70-71 emph. mine)
All along wicked Judas was going to betray Jesus and become a traitor that night, but in the meantime, Judas was a student, who early on, had even been sent out on an apostolic journey with another truly saved apostle to announce the Kingdom of God. Additionally, Judas was the treasurer, and amazingly Judas was even Jesus' friend at the very moments of betrayal! In the garden, as Judas approached the Messiah, we read,
"And Jesus said to him, 'Friend, do what you have come for.' Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him." (Matthew 26:50 emph. mine)
So, we see that Jesus calls Judas "friend," even while Judas is the traitor, and in our John 13 passage, where Jesus is gathered for the last supper with the students, we find Jesus quoting a Psalm of David when He says in John 13:18-19,
"'He who eats my bread has lifted up his heel against me.' 19 From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He." (John 13:18-19 emph. mine)
We see that Jesus pointed all this out that passover night, so that the rest of the apostles would understand the details later on, and we see Jesus even continuing to call unclean Judas his friend in the midst of the most untrustworthy act of betrayal recorded in history.
This leads to another consideration, which is that even though Jesus knows whom He has chosen, the ancient prophecies that Jesus authored as Jehovah, (by His Holy Spirit, through prophets), concerning Judas, must, and did, come to pass. Judas must eat the bread as the one who is against Christ, and moments later he must betray Christ. This is what Jesus means in Mark, where we read,
"21 For the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born." (Mark 14:21)
Jesus clearly says that all of it has already been written according to God's will. Further, we see in the Mark 14:21 passage that Jesus already knows Judas is lost and prophesies it again here. Additionally, it is good that Jesus be delivered up to be the ultimate sacrifice, but it is not good for Judas in and of his own experience in damnation to have been the prophesied one who must deliver up Jesus. It would have been good for "that man" Judas, if he had not been born, but it is better for Jesus, according to God's plan that Judas was born. So, we read,
"26 ... So when He [Jesus] had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, 'What you do, do quickly.'" John 13:27
We find the same event explained by Luke in this way,
"20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, 'This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. 21 But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table 22 'For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!'" (Luke 22:20-23 emph. mine)
This is a stark proclamation that God was orchestrating (by His predeterminate sovereign hand) all that must take place. Judas being a devil, the betrayal by Judas, Satan entering Judas, and Christ going on to be the sacrificial Lamb, was all preordained to come to pass. Now, unclean Judas, who was ordained, prophesied, called, and chosen to be Christ's betrayer, is possessed by Satan as he accomplishes Christ's command to go quickly to betray Jesus. We see that when Judas had left to be a traitor, he is described as having this bizarre possession in Luke,
"3 And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. 4 And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them." (Luke 22:3-4)
Whereas we who are saved in the New Covenant are filled with the Holy Spirit of God and are God's possession, Judas was filled with the spirit of anti-Christ and was possessed by Satan. Later in John 17, we read Christ praying for the eleven students, and this is what He prays,
"12 While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled." (John 17:12)
The Scripture had to be fulfilled. It was God's predetermined plan. Not one of those who were actually given to Christ to be eternally spiritually saved, perished. Jesus says He guarded them and none of them perished except one--Judas Iscariot the son of perdition according to the prewritten scriptures. On the other hand, Jesus lost no one that was truly given to Him, and we see this in the last passage in John--now in the 18th chapter, when Jesus is being arrested. We read,
"7 Therefore He [Jesus] again asked them, [Guards] 'Whom do you seek?' And they said, 'Jesus the Nazarene.' 8 Jesus answered, 'I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way,' 9 to fulfill the word which He spoke, 'Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.'" (John 18:7-9 emph. mine)
Judas was lost, but the eleven were not. The reason is because Satan-possessed-Judas was standing with the persecutors betraying Jesus. Lost Judas was clearly not given to Christ. The other 11 students were standing with Jesus as those whom God had given to Him, and so Jesus "lost not one." It is Christ's loud proclamation of once saved always saved (OSAS).
Later, Judas realized that he betrayed a man who did nothing worthy of death. Jesus received the death penalty from the Jews who demanded it from the Romans, who granted it, but Judas realized that Jesus did nothing according to either Jewish or Gentile law that dictated the death penalty. Judas realized he had betrayed innocent blood, and so Judas gave back the money that was paid him by the Pharisees. Then Judas committed murder, by committing suicide. Matthew records the details, which show us that more ancient prophecy was fulfilled concerning the son of perdition when the Pharisees used the money to buy a field, as we read,
"7 And they conferred together and with the money bought the Potter's Field as a burial place for strangers. 8 For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: 'And they took the thirty pieces of sliver, the price of the one whose price had been set by the sons of Israel; 10 And they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord directed me.'" (Matthew 27:7-10 emph. mine)
Those last five words are so important, because they explain Who was ultimately in charge of Judas in his insidious task the whole time. He is the same One who is ultimately in charge of everything. The Lord, in His sovereignty, directed the whole transaction according to His predetermined will as was expressed in prophecy, and fulfilled by Judas and the Pharisees. Concerning the same things, later Peter says that the prophecies of David had to be fulfilled,
"15 ... Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers ... and said, 16 "Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit foretold by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. 17 'For he was counted among us and received his share in this service.' 18 (Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out. 19 And it became known to all who were living in Jerusalem; so that in their own language that field was called Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 For it is written in the book of Psalms, 'Let his homestead be made desolate, and let no one dwell in it'; and, 'let another man take his office.'" (Acts 1:15-20 emph. mine)
Judas was counted among the original 12, (cf. Luke 22:3). God's Holy Spirit was not confused by some false humanistic philosophy called "Open Theism," (see footnote 3 below) where God is falsely accused of being ignorant about the future. Rather, our omniscient God, foretold the future He ordained. He foretold it by His Spirit centuries beforehand by the mouth of David, that Judas would betray Christ, which was the damning share that Judas received in the ministry of establishing the New Covenant in Christ's blood.
The summation is that Judas, who was an initial apostle to announce that the kingdom of heaven was at hand to Israel, was a thief, (cf. John 12:6), who intended to betray Jesus all along (cf. John 12:4). He wheeled and dealed with the Pharisees to betray Jesus for a price, (cf. Matthew 26:15). Jesus taught Judas that you cannot serve God and money." (cf. Matthew 6:24). Judas demonstrated that He did not care. He wanted to serve money rather than God. Judas was the "guide" (cf. Acts 1:16)--the traitor who calculated betraying Jesus. Judas was a "devil," (cf. John 6:69). He did not just accidentally sin against Christ, but He was against Christ, (cf. John 13:18). The devil had access to Judas' heart and had "already" put in it to betray Jesus long before the fateful passover of the betrayal (cf. John 13:2). Satan even entered into Judas, (cf. John 13:27). Judas was "unclean," meaning defiled, corrupted, and sin permeated as the marked out, evil one that he is, (cf. John 13:11). Judas was identified by Jesus as not elect, (cf. John 13:17). In terms of His own cursed personal experience, it would have been good for him if he had not been born, (cf. Mark 14:21). In the end, he showed remorse for turning on an innocent man according to the law, who did not deserve the death penalty, but we do not read that Judas turned to Christ. We read that he turned to more murder by committing suicide. The bottom line is that Judas was the "son of perdition," elected to be so for one major purpose; "that the scripture would be fulfilled," (cf. John 17:12). He was not a son of God. He was not "of those whom You have given Me I lost not one," that Jesus mentioned in John 18:7-9, but rather Judas was lost. Judas manifested what Paul wrote to Titus, saying,
"15 To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed." (Titus 1:15)
Judas, by his deeds demonstrated that he denied God, and died in His sins. Therefore Judas demonstrated that he was not, and never was, Once Saved In Eternally Spiritual Salvation, (OSIESS). Rather Judas demonstrated the harsh reality that he was (NASAAT), meaning he was Never Actually Saved At Any Time.
__________
FOOTNOTES:
(1)
The general call is of many, where few are chosen. The effectual call is of the elect where all of the effectually called are chosen, cf. Romans 1:6-7, 8:28-30, 9:24, 11:29, 1 Corinthians 1:5, 1:24, 1:26 etc.
(2)
Ref. footnote from New English Translation, on Mark 3:14,
"31 tc The phrase “whom he named apostles” is lacking in the majority of mss .... Several primary Alexandrian and Caesarean witnesses ... include the phrase, so the external evidence is strongly in favor of this reading, especially since Alexandrian witnesses tend to witness to the shorter reading. It is possible that the Alexandrian witnesses have inserted these words to bring the text in line with Luke 6:13 (TCGNT 69), but against this is the internal evidence of Mark’s style: Mark tends toward gratuitous redundancy. Thus the inclusion of this phrase is supported by both internal and external evidence and should be regarded as more likely original than the omission." see www.bible.org/netbible, footnote 31, in Mark 3:14
(3)
If you ever confront an Open Theist, simply ask the poor deceived soul, how Jesus knew that Peter would deny Him three times before the cock was to crow in the morning! Since all Open Theists adhere to a humanistic theology, and are either Pelagians, or Arminians, they will be at a loss of any coherent explanation.
