Image of Judas in the Bible
The image of Judas Iscariot is shrouded in great mystery, despite his well-known role in the drama that occurred on Holy Wednesday. Evangelists are extremely skimpy in describing the life of the traitor of Christ. John writes about the motives of spiritual sedition, and the Apostle Matthew writes about repentance and suicide.
Judas Iscariot
On a note! The name Judah was widespread throughout Ancient Judea. This state received its name thanks to the “first” mentioned Judah, the forefather of the Israeli people. There are 14 characters with this name in all books of the Bible. The nickname Iscariot is interpreted ambiguously: there are several different versions of its origin.
He was one of the twelve apostles. The difference in his characteristics is that he was born not in Galilee (northern Palestine), but in Judea. The father of Judas Iscariot was Simon, about whom the Gospel contains no information at all, which is surprising, because the Bible talks about significant people in detail.
Prayers to the holy apostles:
- Prayer to Saint Apostle Philip
- Prayer to the Holy Apostle James
- Prayers to John the Evangelist
- When listing the disciples of Christ in the scriptures, this apostle is always mentioned at the very end of the list. The emphasis is placed extremely expressively on the very fact of spiritual betrayal.
- Judas Iscariot was chosen by the Lord Himself to preach the apostolic teaching. He pledged to inspire faith in the future Heavenly Kingdom, where the Savior would be the head. The traitor had powers that were observed in other disciples: Judas carried good news, healed the sick from serious illnesses, resurrected the deceased and drove away evil spirits from their bodies.
- Iscariot was distinguished by his ability to conduct economic affairs. He was the treasurer of the community that formed around Jesus. This apostle carried with him a small ark and stored there the finances donated by faithful Christians.
- The Traitor of Christ was born on the first of April. In some beliefs, this date is considered unfavorable. The Tale of Jerome tells about his early life. It says that Judah's parents threw the lonely baby into the sea because they saw omens of disaster coming from their son. A few decades later, Iscariot returns to his native island, kills his father and enters into a relationship with his mother.
- Jesus accepted him into his own community when Judas repented of his crime, committing ascetic acts for a long time.
- Often, some scholars present the traitor as a necessary instrument in the hands of the Almighty. Jesus calls Iscariot the most unfortunate man, because salvation is possible without betrayal.
- It is impossible to accurately indicate whether Judas tasted the body and blood of the Son of God and whether he was established in the Sacrament of the Eucharist (union with God). The Orthodox view insists that the traitor did not enter the Kingdom of the Lord, but pretended to be false and condemned the Messiah.
Interesting! Iscariot considers the only Jew among all the disciples of Christ. There was an unpleasant enmity between the inhabitants of Judea and Galilee. The former considered the latter ignorant of the Law of the Mosaic religion and rejected them as fellow tribesmen. The Jews could not recognize the fact of the coming of the Messiah from the territory of Galilee.
Surnames and names descended from Judah
In Russian-speaking (and not only) countries, many surnames originate from the name of the apostle - Yudovs, Yudins, Yudenkovs, Yudenkos, Yudilevichs, Yudashkins, Yudos, Yudenichs and Yudasins, Yudanovs and Yudintsevs, Yundovs and Yudkins.
In Tsarist Russia, and even in the USSR, children were named in honor of Judah, and in Europe the name is still very popular in male and female versions - Yehudit, Judith, Judith, Edith.
Its widespread use is also explained by the large number of Jews who migrated from their native land, and their culture has its own heroes named Judas, mentioned in the Old Testament. The meaning of the word can be translated as “one who praises the Lord.”
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Various versions of motivation for betrayal
The most authoritative apostles (Matthew, Mark and Luke) report nothing at all about the existence of the traitor. Only Saint John draws attention to the fact that Iscariot suffered from the love of money. The main question of betrayal is interpreted in different ways.
Luke. Kiss of Judas
- Among the writers, there are some who want to justify this act. From a religious point of view, such a position looks blasphemous. It is as follows: Judas knew about the true essence of the Messiah and committed his crime because he felt hope for the miraculous salvation of Christ and his resurrection.
- Another exculpatory assumption is that Judas sincerely desired to see the speedy rise of the Son of God in his own glory, so he deceived one who trusted.
- Closer to the truth is the point of view that considers Iscariot as a religious fanatic who was disillusioned with the truth of the reign of the Messiah. Judas considered Christ a false defender of the people and moral foundations of the Holy Land. Not finding confirmation of his desires, Iscariot did not recognize Jesus as the real Messiah and decided to give “legitimate” punishment at the hands of the state and popular structure.
- Evangelists accurately point out: the motivation for spiritual sedition was the boundless love of money. No other interpretation has such authority. Iscariot managed the treasury of the Christ community, and the amount offered to him tempted him to carry out a disgusting plan. With this money it was possible to purchase a plot of land.
- Selfishness covers the image of a traitor with a dark veil. The love of money made Judas a crude materialist, unlike the rest of the apostles, who loved the Savior and the Church of Christ. The traitor turned out to be completely deaf to the religious instructions of the teacher. It symbolized the rejection of Christianity by the entire people of Judea. In the soul of Iscariot lurked a demon of false messianism, which did not allow a pure heart to look at the deeds of the Son of God. His materialistic mind gave rise to self-interest, which destroyed spiritual sensitivity.
On a note!
Christ, knowing about the presence of the devil among his disciples, was in no hurry to reveal the secret to the apostles. He only limited himself to some hints. Worldly scholars assume that the Messiah did not know this for sure, but the evangelists claim that God's plan proceeded according to a predetermined plan. Five months later, at the Last Supper, Jesus revealed the name of the traitor to Saint John.
About the other apostles of Christ:
- Icon of Saint Andrew the First-Called
- Life of the Holy Apostle Zacchaeus the Righteous
- Icon of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
Yudo
This time the surname originates from the nickname Yud.
In the Ukrainian language, this is the name of rowan, which had a symbolic meaning among peoples, preserved from the times of paganism - by naming the child this way, the parents wanted to see in him a person who follows the laws of nature and is part of it, endowed with powers and magical abilities attributed to the plant of the same name.
This nickname could also be assigned to someone who constantly dealt with the tree and its fruits - growing rowan, making tinctures.
According to an alternative version, the surname is derived from the old Lithuanian word judas, translated meaning black, or judus - “mobile”.
And, of course, there is a hypothesis about the origin of the word from the name Yuda (a form of the baptismal name Judas).
The fate of the unfortunate apostle
This issue is also difficult and controversial. Matthew states: Iscariot repented of his deed and threw away the cursed pieces of silver in the temple when he could not return them to the high priests.
However, Judas’s regret about his own crime arose not from sincere faith in the Savior, but from ordinary remorse. Matthew concludes that after repenting, the traitor left and hanged himself.
- The Apostle Peter adds in his speeches: when Iscariot fell with a noose around his neck, his entrails fell out of his womb. Next, the rope broke and the corpse fell to the ground. The suicide occurred a few hours after the condemnation of the Savior.
- With the money abandoned by the traitor, the high priests purchased Akeldama (a plot of land in Jerusalem). We can say that Judas bought the region with an unrighteous bribe, although he would never have been able to use it.
- Blessed Theokfilat talks about a different fate. He claims that Judas did not commit suicide in the noose, but lived for some time. However, he was in extreme pain: his body was greatly swollen, and his eye was swollen with a watery fluid that prevented him from seeing daylight. The traitor died after prolonged torment on his own land. No one inhabited this area because it emitted a disgusting stench. Even today you cannot walk here without covering your senses of smell with your hands. This version arises on the basis of a non-canonical understanding of the further fate of Iscariot.
Kiss of Judas. Fresco by Giotto. ca 1305
After all the events, the disciples of Christ intended to choose a new apostle instead of Iscariot. This person had to be present in the community all the time when the Son of God preached knowledge, from Baptism to death on the cross. The lot was cast between two names, Joseph and Matthias. The latter became the new apostle and pledged to carry Christian teaching in the area.
On a note! The name of Judas has become a household name and means betrayal, and his kiss is a symbolic designation of the highest deceit. Despite the fact that this spiritual seditious cast out demons, healed the sick and performed signs, he forever lost the Kingdom of Heaven, since in his soul he was and remained a robber and an insidious thief seeking profit.
Brief information about the work
The story “Judas Iscariot” by Leonid Nikolaevich Andreev was first published in 1907 . It uses “the gospel story about Judas’ betrayal of his teacher, Jesus Christ.” The author interpreted the motives of the traitor in his own way. He is trying to understand the contradictory personality of this person, his psychology. It is clear that the writer wants to prove that in this betrayal of Judas there was more love for Jesus than his other disciples.
M. Gorky spoke approvingly of this work, but the author himself and many progressive literary critics remained dissatisfied with the story. For example, A. Lunacharsky saw in it Andreev’s desire to arouse sympathy for the traitor and antipathy for humanity.
Other characters
- Peter is energetic, cheerful, loud, and strong.
- John is a naive, ambitious young man, concerned with constantly being Jesus' favorite disciple.
- Thomas is reasonable, serious, silent, but too cautious and stubborn.
- Matthew - loves to instructively recall the sayings of the wise men. Expert in Holy Scripture.
- Mary Magdalene is a worshiper of Jesus, a repentant harlot. Young and shy.
- Anna , an old high priest, was afraid of a popular revolt, so he was careful.
- Caiaphas is the high priest, Annas' son-in-law. Ambitious, arrogant.
- Pilate is the Roman prefect of Judea, who found Jesus innocent, but sentenced him to death, obeying the wishes of the people.
Chapter-by-chapter summary (more detailed than summary)
Chapter 1
The philosopher-preacher Jesus Christ traveled through Judea with his disciples. Judas joined them there. Many warned the preacher that he was a bad, insidious, greedy, deceitful person, that he loved to quarrel with people. But Jesus, who pitied the rejected and unloved, accepted him and brought him closer to himself.
Chapters 2–3
Jesus entrusted him with a box of money. Judas began to buy the necessary clothing, food, and gave out alms.
He often entertained his comrades with stories, and it always turned out that all people were bad.
One day Peter asked Judas if he loved Jesus, and he answered curtly, “I do.”
When Jesus realized that Judas thought badly of all people, he began to seem to ignore him. This depressed and offended him. He believed that the teacher was afraid of him, but loved other students, stupid, lying traitors.
Chapter 4
When Judas hid some money from the treasury, Peter dragged him to Christ, but he said that the money was common and everyone could take as much as they wanted. Everyone agreed with this.
Soon everyone noticed a change in Judas’s behavior: he became serious and simple.
One day John, the beloved disciple of Christ, asked Judas which of them would be the first near the teacher in the kingdom of heaven. He replied: “I suppose you are.”
On the same day, Peter asked him the same question, and Judas answered: “Of course you!”
Judas often spent time in solitude, thinking about something.
Peter and John argued which of them would be first near Christ. Both asked Judas to say who would be closer to Jesus, and he quietly answered: “Me!”
Chapter 5
Judas secretly came to the high priest Anna and said that he had become a disciple of Jesus the Nazarene only in order to convict him of deceiving people and betray him into the hands of the law.
He said that his teacher hated the Pharisees and wanted to take away power from the churchmen.
Anna asked how many disciples this preacher had and whether they would stand up for him. The traitor replied that the students were cowards. But Annas, who was afraid of a popular revolt, said that the high priests did not need Jesus.
2 more times and said that he wanted Nazarene to be captured.
Anna asked how much money he wanted to receive for betrayal. Judas asked how much they would give. Anna replied that 30 pieces of silver. They began to bargain, and when the high priest began to drive Judas away in a rage, he agreed to betray his teacher for this amount. He hid the money outside the city, under a stone.
In the last days of Christ’s life, Judas surrounded him with attention, affection, love, and guessed the slightest desires.
Chapter 6
Jesus was going to Jerusalem, and Judas warned about the danger, about the Pharisees’ hatred of Jesus, their desire to kill him.
He inspired his students to stand up for their teacher in a moment of danger, but they believed too much in the miraculous power of Christ.
When the preacher arrived in Jerusalem, the people greeted him enthusiastically. But soon rumors spread about danger to him.
Chapter 7
Jesus and his disciples went to spend the night in the Garden of Gethsemane.
He and the four closest disciples went to the depths of the garden and sat down. Suddenly Christ stood up, told the disciples to stay here and stay awake, and he himself went into the thicket.
But the tired students fell asleep. And the loud words of Jesus were heard, “that the son of man is delivered into the hands of sinners.”
Warriors with torches surrounded them. Judas whispered to them that whoever he kisses is Christ.
He approached the teacher and kissed him. The soldiers grabbed the preacher, and his disciples huddled together and did not interfere with this, but interfered with the soldiers by getting under their feet. Then the soldiers became furious and the disciples ran away.
They led Jesus away, and Peter sneaked behind him. When they entered the courtyard of the high priest, Peter was asked if he knew Jesus, he answered in the negative and, frightened, left the courtyard.
The soldiers began to beat Jesus in the guardhouse, but he did not resist or shout. And Judas watched the beating through the window and his soul suffered.
Chapter 8
All people began to despise Judas for his betrayal, but he was indifferent to this.
After interrogation by Caiaphas, Christ was taken to Pilate, and he was accompanied by a crowd of people. No one stood up for Jesus.
Pilate brought Christ out to the people and said that he did not find his guilt, but the people screamed, demanding his death.
Then Pilate washed his hands in water and, raising them, said that he was innocent of the death of this righteous man. And Christ died, crucified on a wooden cross.
Chapter 9
Judas came to the high priests and said that he had deceived them, since Jesus was innocent, and that they had killed an innocent man. He threw 30 pieces of silver in the face of the high priest Annas and the judges and went to the disciples of Jesus.
He called them cowardly traitors, and they made excuses that they could not do anything against their numerous enemies. But he reproached them for not dying in the battle with the soldiers, freeing the teacher. The traitor went to the mountain where a lone tree stood above Jerusalem and hanged himself on its branch. He hoped that Jesus would understand him, and together they would return to earth.
The next morning people saw Judas hanging on the mountain, took him down, threw him into a ravine and cursed him.
A very brief summary for a reader's diary
Judas joined Jesus as he wandered with his disciples. Jesus soon realized that he did not like people and began to avoid him.
Judas loved only Jesus, considered his disciples deceitful and stupid, and only himself - worthy of being closer to Christ in the kingdom of heaven.
Judas told the high priest Annas that his teacher wants to take away power from the priests and needs to be captured. For his betrayal he received 30 pieces of silver .
Then the traitor surrounded the teacher with attention and affection, and told the students to stand up for Christ in a moment of danger.
When Jesus and his disciples spent the night in the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem, Judas led the soldiers there and told them that the one he would kiss was Christ. After the traitor's kiss, Jesus was captured by the soldiers, and the disciples did not stand up for him.
After the execution of Christ, Judas told the high priests that his teacher was innocent and threw 30 pieces of silver into the faces of the judges and Anna.
Judas told the disciples of Christ that they were traitors, and they replied that they could not recapture the teacher from numerous soldiers.
Judas hanged himself on a mountain, hoping that in heaven Jesus would understand him and return to earth with him.
