Was Judas predestined to do evil?

Question

If he didn't carry out the betrayal how would Christianity have been shaped?

Answer 1

According to the newly discovered "Gospel of Judas," Judas was the only one who understood Jesus or was closest to him. The gospel is written in a Gnostic style. so it's difficult to interpret, but if one reads closely, few things become quite apparent:

The Gospel says very clearly, ""He [Jesus] was regarded by ALL as a prophet," [emphasis is mine]. Nowhere does it say that he was considered God by some people. According to the National Geographic web site, "The results allowed lab experts to confidently date the papyruses to between A.D. 220 and 340." Regardless of how you date the synoptic gospels, one has to admit that sometime between A.D. 220 and 340, Jesus was considered a "prophet," not God. A further proof of this can be found within the Gospel of Judas itself. In Scene 1, the disciples say, "Master, you are [...] son of our god." Jesus responds, "How do you know me? Truly [I] say to you, No generation of the people that are among you will know me." "When his disciples heard this, they started getting angry and infuriated and began blaspheming against him in their hearts. When Jesus observed their lack of [understanding, he said] to them, Why has this agitation led you to anger? Your God is within you [...] have provoked you to anger [within] your souls..." So from this brief narrative, it is clear that those disciples, other than Judas, did not understand Jesus. Judas later says, "And I am not worthy to utter the name of the one who has sent you." Nowhere in this Gospel, it's even hinted that Jesus was God incarnate or was considered God by any of his followers.

Answer 2

Judas betraying Jesus was a necessary part in the development of Christianity, for with out the betrayal Jesus probably wouldn't have been crucified, would not have been "resurrected" by the power of "God"( which is a crucial part of Christianity). The text "The Gospel of Judas" claims that Judas was the most trusted apostle and was the only one who truly understood the mission Jesus was carrying out. So Jesus went to his dear friend and asked him to join him in the ultimate sacrifice. Of course Jesus didn't know that his word would be warped and perverted by the church, then used to do exactly what Jesus was trying to stop. In my view both Jesus and Judas sacrificed it all for nothing.

Answer 3

According to Judas' evangelium, Jesus told him to do it - to fetch the soldiers and tell them who Jesus was - so that the prophecy would be fullfilled. So - was it evil?

But to answer your question - no, Judas was not predestined to do it. He chose to do it, whether good or bad, for which ever reasons. Just like Mary chose to carry and birth Jesus, Joseph chose to bring the boy up, Peter chose to deny Jesus and all the other stuff that happened in the story. None of it was predestined but happened because the people involved made the choices they made.

One needs to remember that a prophecy is not "predestined". It is possible to for example heed the warning of a prophecy and if one does that, the prophecy doesn't happen.

Boywholikeskittens, whether Judas existed in the real life or is just a character in a book, is totally irrelevant.

Answer 4

No one is "Predestined" to do anything. It is all a matter of choices made under circumstances that exist at the moment - often without giving thought to the consequences.

Had this not happened, JC would not have been crucified and so called christianity would not be the situation it is today.

Answer 5

good question -
predestined in the sense that his choice would be betrayal - yes
but forced to betray Christ? - no

LUKE 22
2 And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might kill Him, for they feared the people.
3 Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve. 4 So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.


his life was a wretched one but his destiny was his choice -

MATTHEW 26
23 He answered and said, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. 24 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.”
25 Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?”
He said to him, “You have said it.”

Answer 6

Was it evil that he did? I mean, it gave the impetus for the Christian movement. Maybe the dudes actually a saint. As for pre-destination, it doesent exist. Or maybe I was supposed to say that... oops! Was I supposed to realize that I was supposed to say that? Did I screw up the predestination? Maybe I am Judas reincarnated? Oh Crap that would suck.

Answer 7

+PAX

Judas had free will just like all of us...but was destined by that free will to betray Jesus. Think of the Last Supper... even Jesus told him "do it quickly" and told the Apostles "it is the one who dips in the bowl with me".

Judas' free will and greediness led him to the betrayal. Everyone on this earth is meant to serve a purpose. Betraying the Son of God, was unfortunately his lot in life.

In Humility,
t

Answer 8

that is what the scriptures would have us beleive. as Christ knew he was destined to die on the cross, so a betrayer was needed. Judas Iscariot had no choice, and as you point out, without Judas there would be no Christ, since the crucifixion and martyrdom was necessary to the historical mythos of Christ

Answer 9

When Jesus talked about his death, Peter rebuke him saying "God forbid it, that must never happen to you" then Jesus said to Peter "Get away from me Satan, you are an obstacle in my way..." (Matt 16:21-23)

Those Christians who blamed Judas for fulfilling the so-called prophecy are on Satan's side.There is nothing evil with what Judas did, for those who think it's all god's plan but blamed Judas saying he has a choice, that's bulls**t.

Answer 10

No, but Jesus's demise was inevitable. It happens with all great leaders who upset the world order. If not judas, there's always someone else out there who will take the cash.