Should we be celebrating Judas' betrayal of Christ? What if Chist didn't die for our sins, would we all wind up going to Hell and not be forgiven?
I really don't understand....
2007-09-19 07:17:55 · 19 answers · asked by Jason 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Things would have happened according to God's plan. But no one was forced to do his part. It was their own choice. We need not celebrate a bad choice.
"The Son of Man indeed goes 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."(Matt. 26:24)
2007-09-19 07:27:21 · answer #1 · answered by Andy Roberts 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Okay, I know it's a very 'confusing' subject. Most people 'reject Judas Iscariot' as the 'betrayer' of Jesus Christ ... but that is not 'hatred' of the man. Some 'hate him' for this betrayal, I'm sure, but they shouldn't hate Judas ... nor should they think Judas is 'burning in Hell for eternity' for this betrayal or for committing suicide after Jesus' death on the cross.
The figure of Judas can and should be looked at much the same as we look at the Parables Jesus told to tell us how to live and how to tell 'right' from 'wrong' and good from evil.
Judas was 'the accountant' for Jesus and his followers, and he thought that Jesus was 'spending money on frivolities' when there were 'poor people' who needed the money more. That is WHY he 'betrayed' Jesus ... but the 'trial' and the 'execution' of Jesus was not 'at the hands of Judas' ... it was at the hands of the Jewish heirarchy who also were 'threatened' by Jesus ... and for the exactly opposite reason Judas reported him ... because Jesus did 'give money and food' to the poor, and gave ease to the sick, the elderly, and the lost.
Jesus was 'bound to be crucified' from the moment of his conception in Mary's womb. Judas was only the man who 'betrayed' Jesus, and his betrayal was NOT the 'crucifixion' but being 'sent to jail' ...
Have you ever heard of a person who did good only to go to jail for doing it? Isn't that what happens to many protestors who 'won't move, won't leave' when the police tell them to? WHY do they do that, when it doesn't 'help' the people they are 'protesting' for?
There is one 'last thing' I need to tell you about Jesus crucifixion. When Jesus died on that cross, he gave his own life to 'save' ALL of us ... not just those alive when he was, nor those born after, but also those who were born BEFORE he ever existed. God is 'outside' of time and space ... so when Jesus died on the cross, one of the 'sins' that God 'forgave' was the one that Judas committed when he betrayed Jesus.
I think that in the end we will ALL be in Heaven ... those who are 'evil' may do some time in Purgatory/Hell to learn the lessons they 'didn't get right' while alive (think of going to summer school on a gorgeous day, when everyone else is going out and having fun) ... but when they have learned their lessons, they, too, will go to Heaven ... and God will then tell us 'the rest of the story.' Judas Iscariot will be there, too, and you may 'thank him' if you think about it ... he'll understand your 'confusion' about the 'story of Judas Iscariot.'
2007-09-19 07:43:15 · answer #2 · answered by Kris L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I wouldn't go so far as to suggest celebrating Judas, but we should certainly accept that his betrayal was necessary to bring about God's plan. I also wouldn't say that I don't understand...seems like a pretty "human" reaction to me...not at all unlike the people that hate Jews for crucifying Jesus (another necessary thing if we were to be saved).
I understand this reaction because I know how easy, how natural it is to hate injustice...to feel hatred when we hear about someone that betrayed, harmed, or killed someone else...and when the victim is someone we love, that hatred can grow to a point when we want to actually strike out at the people that inflicted that harm.
HOWEVER, people that hate Judas (or Jewish people or anyone else) are not following Jesus' instructions! Jesus said to love our enemies...to do good to people that harm us. We can't do anything to hurt Judas now...he's dead...hating him only hurts the hater...instead, I'd suggest that a better strategy for dealing with the natural dislike/hatred you feel when you think of him (or anyone else you feel that way about) would be to pray for God to have mercy on them.
2007-09-19 07:39:57 · answer #3 · answered by KAL 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A better question, why did Judas have to do what he did? Jesus had entered the city in a "parade" on a donkey i.e. people were in the streets shouting and dropping palms on the ground. Jesus was well known by and had conversations with the pharisees and other temple leaders. Jesus had been in the temple many times, including when he drove the money lenders out. Given these and other public events, wouldn't he be considered a "known man"? A corollary is why not arrest all of the disciples as they would be nearly as dangerous.
2007-09-19 07:28:03 · answer #4 · answered by Pirate AM™ 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No, it's not like if Judas didn't betray Christ we would all go to hell.
Some one else would have done it, it was just a matter of time.
The religious leaders were getting fed up with Jesus.
2007-09-19 07:26:34 · answer #5 · answered by John 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
in the gnostic lost book of the bible, the gospel according to Judas, that was recently discovered, Judas is viewed as a hero for the reason you mention in your question.
There is another gnostic text, discovered in the 1970s, the Gospel of Thomas, which also takes a positive view of Judas.
The gnostics practiced an early form of Christianity, which emphasized Christ as a spiritual being.
2007-09-19 07:24:13 · answer #6 · answered by Daniel 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
You arent supposed to understand, you are supposed to nod and smile when your pastor/preacher/ whatever picks certain lines from a bible to make it sound like that is the way things are . . . organized religion is meant to confuse you into such a frenzy you cant even sign your checks by yourself. People w/ already occupied minds cant challenge people in power or stir up trouble by free thinking.
My example of church:
Sentance in a book: I like to eat food and give some to my cats.
Preacher: I like to eat cats.
Its all up for interpretation. You go in a church, they leave stuff out, they twist things to how they want you to see things, and then you go out and tell the same make believe to someone else. Without anyone ever mentioning the bible is just a book of morals w/ examples, not historical events. its like 2nd grade, the game secrets. One person starts w/ one phrase and after it passes thru 20 kids its totally different. That applies to the bible, church, leaders of religious cults, etc.
2007-09-19 07:26:35 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't understand, either. Nor do I understand why some Christians blamed Jews for the death of Jesus. Isn't their entire religion based on the fact Jesus died for their sins?
2007-09-19 07:23:49 · answer #8 · answered by OPad 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Regardless of whether he was "destined" to do what he did, the fact still remains that he betrayed a beloved friend. He himself didn't know of his destiny, he was acting completely on his own and caused his friends death. He felt his own guilt and took his own life. Personally I don't celebrate when a friend betrays another friend regardless of the outcome.
2007-09-19 07:28:19 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
What people hate Judas? Not I. I feel very sorry for him. Do you always deal in such generalities that cannot be proven?
If you want to understand, avoid being judgmental of others.
.
2007-09-19 07:24:40 · answer #10 · answered by Hogie 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋