Is Judas a villain for betraying Jesus or a
hero for helping Jesus fulfill the Messianic Prophecy?
There is absolutely no doubt this is one of the most
intriguing questions that have bothered many a people. Salvation is based on
the faith exercised in the shed blood of Jesus. Thus, there is a general consensus
on the importance and benefits of Jesus' death and sacrifice. So “if there is
some good in the death of Jesus”, people argue, “Why don’t we celebrate people
like Judas Iscariot who triggered and facilitated the death of the saviour?”
Understandably, it is speculated there is a movement in the RC church who are
campaigning for him to be declared a saint, as difficult and strange this seems. #
“Then, why demonize Judas Iscariot?” well-meaning people
might argue. The man made it possible and remarkably easier for humankind in
general to obtain salvation through faith and be at one with God through
Christ. Yes, Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus. But for positive benefits to the
successive human generation, some argue. Those favouring this position also try
to soften the harsh betrayal of Judas by explaining his actions completely away
from the Bible’s simple view that his weakness (love for money) allowed Satan
to enter him.
But is Judas Iscariot without fault for betraying the son of
man? Up to this point, it is crystal clear and pretty obvious that the death of
Jesus can never be discounted as it opens a free way to salvation for many. So,
the real question is, would Jesus have still been killed without the helping hand of Mr. Judas?
Had Jesus not died, would salvation based on faith have been
possible? Would Gentiles like you and I have gotten the opportunity to be
guiltless and approach the throne of the Most High with such unprecedented
ease? Would gentiles have had the privilege of being called children of God?
True, there is no doubt that the death of Jesus has opened an immense privilege
to mankind.
A HERO?
To this group of people, Judas has been harshly and unjustly judged for his seemingly indispensable role as a man who likewise sacrificed
himself to facilitate the death of the Messiah for the benefit of the entire
human race.
A VILLAIN?
But is Judas Iscariot without fault for betraying the son of
man? Up to this point, it is crystal clear and pretty obvious that the death of
Jesus can never be discounted as it opens a free way to salvation for many. So,
the real question is, would Jesus have still been killed without the helping hand of Mr. Judas?
Now, the emphasis is on the word “killed” or “murdered” for
obvious reasons. First, Jesus might not have died a natural death because he was a perfect and sinless man who was in no way subject to the penalty of
death sentenced by Adamic sin. Sin and death had no authority over that perfect man. Thus,
he could have lived on and on or probably fathered a perfect generation.
Second, and most importantly, death through other cause be
it accident or otherwise on the part of Jesus might not be enough to atone for
our sins. For our sins to be forgiven and declared righteous in God’s sight, a
perfect man had to sacrifice his
perfect life in order to cover or pay off inherited Adamic sin and redeem for
us the perfect and everlasting life that our first ancestors lost. This means
therefore that, it was imperative for Jesus Christ to be deliberately and
unjustly killed just as an innocent lamb was unjustly slaughtered to atone for
the sins of the Israelites under the law code.
Yes, Jesus was sent to die unjustly as an innocent lamb so
that his death could be used as a sacrifice to atone for our sins. Moreover, by
being unjustly killed, and having committed no sin deserving death, it was
nothing but pure and reasonable justice for him to have his life back.
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