Difference between revisions of "Category:Judas Iscariot (subject)"

Judas Iscariot (1st century CE) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus of Nazareth, the one who betrayed him.

< Choosing of the Twelve -- Betrayal of Judas -- Anointing at Bethany -- Last Supper -- Arrest of Jesus -- Death of Judas >

• This page is edited by Gabriele Boccaccini, University of Michigan.

John the Baptist is mentioned both in Christian sources and in the writings of Flavius Josephus.

John was a Jewish religious leader who preached in the wilderness of Perea across the Jordan River. The location itself seems to suggest some eschatological reference to the experience of the Jews in the desert before the entrance into the Promised Land. [When the Gospel Matthew says that John preached "in the wilderness of Judea", it reflects anachronistically the situation after the year 44 CE, when Perea was annexed to Judea and became "the region of Judea beyond the Jordan" (Mt 19:1).]

According to Christian sources, John's teaching was centered on the announcement of the imminent end of time and the coming of the Messiah as the eschatological Judge. John urged people to be baptized "with water" for forgiveness of sin, in order to avoid the destruction of the imminent baptist "with fire" of the Last Judgment (the reference to the "Holy Spirit" should be taken as a later attempt to connect John's announcement to the Christian baptism).

Christian sources insist that John did not make any messianic claim. Josephus, who omits any reference to the eschatological teaching of John, also stresses that John did not claim any authority to forgive sins, but intended his baptist as an act of atonement and an invocation to God.

Christians valued John as the precursor who prepared the path for the ministry of Jesus (and the Christian baptism), and later sources (especially the Gospel of John) would present John as the conscious witness of the messiahship of Jesus. In earlier sources (Gospel of Mark, and Q) however the relationship between John and Jesus is not as direct and obvious. Josephus also is not aware of any connection between the two.

That Jesus was baptized by John, seems to be beyond doubt, as the Christian tradition had no interest in creating such an embarrassing event. Being baptized meant an acknowledgment of the authority of John and a recognition, from Jesus' part, that he was a sinner and in need of God's forgiveness. The Christian tradition solved the problem by turning the Baptism into the setting of an heavenly revelation, followed by a time of spiritual initiation in the desert (see Temptation of Jesus)

We see a clear progression in Christian tradition. According to the earliest Gospel (Mark [followed by Luke]), Jesus was among the many who were baptized by John and there was no special interaction between the two (even the voice from heaven addressed, and was heard by, Jesus only: "You are..."). On the contrary, in Matthew the two characters interact and the voice from heaven makes a sort of public announcement: "This is...". In John, the Baptist is "the witness" who explicitly invites his disciples to join Jesus the Messiah: "Here is the Lamb of God... This was he of whom I said...". Historically, however, the disciples of John and the disciples of Jesus remained two distinct groups, divided on the crucial issue of the coming of the Messiah, which the disciples of John (along with the Pharisees) continued to see as a future event (see Question about Fasting, and Messengers from John the Baptist).

John the Baptist was certainly imprisoned and executed by Herod Antipas at Machareus. The reason must have been some criticism expressed by John toward Herod's marriage with Herodias. This situation was at the origin of the popular legend of the Banquet of Herod, which is reported in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew.

Equally unreliable from the historical point of view is Luke's account of the infancy of John, which repeats traditional Jewish patterns about the miraculous birth of prophets and religious leaders. According to this narrative, John was the son of the priest Zacharias and Elizabeth, thus a priest himself. The later Christian tradition would heavily elaborate on these legends and fill the "hidden years" of John's life with narratives about his meetings with the infant Jesus and his education in the wilderness.

John the Baptist, in Islamic traditions

In Arabic, John's name is Yahya. He is venerated as one of the 25 Prophets mentioned in the Quran, one in the chain of prophets who led to Jesus and Muhammad. His father, Zacharias (Zecheriah), was also one of these Prophets.

"And We bestowed upon Abraham (offspring) Isaac and Jacob and each of them did We guide to the right way as We had earlier guided Noah to the right way; and (of his descendants We guided) David and Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses and Aaron. Thus do We reward those who do good. (And of his descendants We guided) Zecheriah, John, Jesus and Elias: each one of them was of the righteous." (Quran 6:84-85).

Islam shares Christian traditions about the miraculous birth of John the Baptist, as the offspring of a barren mother and an elderly father (Quran 19:7-9). God made this child a blessing for his parents and beautiful in character, chaste and righteous (Quran 3:38-39).

Relics of John the Baptist

According to Christian and Islamic traditions, Relics of John the Baptist are preserved in Samaria, Damascus, Rome and Aachen, as well as in numerous other locations.

John the Baptist, in ancient sources

• See John the Baptist (sources) -- survey of ancient sources

John the Baptist, in the arts (portraits)

See Category:John the Baptist--fiction (subject)

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  John the Baptist (1457 Donatello), art

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  St. John the Baptist (1500 Lippi), art

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  St. John the Baptist (1505 Bosch), art

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  John the Baptist in the Desert (1542 Titian), art

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  St. John the Baptist (1584 Vittoria), art

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  St. John the Baptist (1603 Bonvicino), art

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  St. John the Baptist (1605 Greco), art

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  St. John the Baptist (1615 Bernini), art

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  John the Baptist (1880 Rodin), art

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  John the Baptist (1905 Tiffany), art

John the Baptist in scholarship

• John the Baptist (research) -- survey of scholarly works

Related subjects

• Herod Antipas (subject) / Herodias (subject) / Salome (subject)
• Jesus of Nazareth (subject)
• Zacharias / Elizabeth

References

• John the Baptist / Joan E. Taylor / In: The Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism (2010 Collins / Harlow), edited volume, 819-821

External links

• Wikipedia -- Livius.org
• Catholic Encyclopedia

Judas Iscariot is mentioned only in Christian sources (Mark, Matthew, Luke-Acts, and John), where is consistently indicated as "the betrayer" of Jesus.

• One of the Twelve, the Betrayer. The Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke mention Judas Iscariot in the lists of the Twelve, which all end with "Judas Iscariot, who betrayed [Jesus]" (Mk 3:19; see also Mt 10:4; Lk 6:16). The Gospel of John (which does not provide any list of the Twelve) also introduces Judas as "one of the Twelve who was about to betray [Jesus]" (Jn 6:71). John also adds that the name of Judas' father was "Simon" (Jn 6:71; 13:2.26).

• The money-keeper. According to John, Judas was the treasurer of the group: "Judas kept the common purse" (12:5; 13:29).

• The thief. The Gospel of John charges Judas of being "a thief". When "Mary took a pound of costly perfume... and anointed Jesus' feet" (Jn 12:3), Judas openly complained that "the perfume could have been sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor" (12:5). John claims that Judas "said this not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief... and used to steal what was put into [the common purse]" (12:6). Jesus replied: "You always have the poor with you but you do not always have me" (12:8).

• Betrayal of Judas. The Gospels of Mark and Luke claim that it was "the chief priests" who promised Judas some money, when he contacted them. "Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him" (Mk 14:10-11; see Lk 22:4-6)). For the Gospel of Matthew it was Judas who asked for money and made a bargain with the chief priests. "What will you give me if I betray him to you? They paid him thirty pieces of silver" (Mt 26:15).

• Last Supper -- The Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke claim that Jesus announced to the disciples that one of them would betray him, and cursed the betrayer: "Woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!" (Mk 14:21). According to Mark and Luke, the identity of the betrayer was not revealed. Matthew and John, on the contrary, claim that Jesus identified Judas. According to Matthew, "Judas, who would betray him, answered, Is it I, Rabbi? He said to him, You have said so. (Mt 26:25). According to John, Jesus since the beginning "knew who was to betray him" (Jo 13:11) and explicitly indicated Judas, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it. So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot... and said: Do quickly what you are going to do. Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, Buy what we need for the feast, or that he should give something to the poor (Jn 13:26-30).

• Possessed by the Devil. According to the Gospels of Luke and John, the betrayal of Judas should be attributed to the intervention of the Devil. They differ on the timing of the possession. According to Luke, "Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot" (Lk 22:3), before he went to the chief priest. According to John, when Judas joined the other disciples for the last supper, "the Devil had already put it into [his]... to betray [Jesus]" (Jn 13:2), but "Satan entered him, [only] after he received the piece of bread" from Jesus (Jn 13:27).

• Arrest of Jesus. The opportunity to size Jesus came at night when Jesus went "to a place called Gethsemane" (Mk 14:32). According to Mark, Luke and Matthew, "Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived" and identified Jesus with "a kiss" (Mk 14:43-45; Mt 26:47-50; Lk 26:47-48). The gospel of John also has Judas leading the guards, but omits the detail of the kiss; it was Jesus, who "knowing all that was happening to him, came forward" (Jn 18:3-5) and identified himself.

• Death of Judas. The Gospel of Matthew, the Acts of the Apostle and Papias offers three different accounts of the death of Judas. The story of the repentance and suicide of Judas is only in Matthew. "When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, saying, I have sinned by betraying innocent blood... Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and he went and hanged himself" (Mt 27:3-5). With the money the chief priests "bought the potter's field as a place to bury foreigners. For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day" (27:7-8). According to Acts, it was Judas himself who "acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and his his bowels gushed out. This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language: Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood" (Acts 1:18-19). The two sources read the event in light, and as the fulfillment, of two different biblical passages: Zechariah (Matthew) and Psalms (Acts). Papias claims: "Judas walked about in this world a sad example of impiety; for his body having swollen to such an extent that he could not pass where a chariot could pass easily, he was crushed by the chariot, so that his bowels gushed out." The Gospels or Mark and John are silent about the whereabouts of Judas after the death of Jesus.

Since the lack of evidence outside the Christian tradition makes it virtually impossible any attempt at a historical reconstruction of the life of Judas Iscariot, scholarly discussion is limited to details of the tradition. For instance, some interpret the name "Iscariot" as "man of Karioth" (which will make Judas the only apostle from Judea), or "man from Issachar"; others have suggested that it could be a corrupted form of sikarios ("assassin").

Gabriele Boccaccini, University of Michigan

Judas Iscariot, in literature & the arts

The term Judas has entered many languages as a synonym for betrayer, and Judas has become the archetype of the traitor in Christian art and literature. Modern fiction has produced a more complex figure, by speculating freely on the motives of his "betrayal."

Many attempts has been made to absolve Judas from any charge, claiming that he acted according to the instructions he received from Jesus. This view of Judas Iscariot is reflected in the recently discovered Gospel of Judas and was also featured in Robert Graves's novel King Jesus, Michael Moorcock's novel Behold the Man, Morley Callaghan's novel A Time for Judas, José Saramago's novel The Gospel According to Jesus Christ, Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt's novel The Gospel According to Pilate and in Gerald Messadié's novel Judas le bien-aimé.

Very popular has also become the interpretation of Judas as a zealot (or better a sikarios), sometimes in relation with Barabbas. This view was taken by Ferdinando Petruccelli della Gattina (1867), and also featured in the movie King of Kings (1959), in Taylor Caldwell's 1978 novel I, Judas and in the miniseries Jesus of Nazareth by Zeffirelli.

Gabriele Boccaccini, University of Michigan

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  Judas' Regret (1880 Almeida), art

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  Judas (1880 Ge), art

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  Judas (1885 Repin), art

• See Judas Iscariot (arts) -- survey of fictional works

Related subjects

• Jesus of Nazareth / Twelve Apostles (subject)
• Gospel of Judas

External links

• Wikipedia
• CathEn

Gospel of Mark

Mark 3:19 (NRSV) -- [Jesus appointed the Twelve, including]] Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Mark 14:10-11 (NRSV) -- [10] Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. [11] When they heard it, they were greatly pleased, and promised to give him money. So he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.

Mark 14:43 (NRSV) -- Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; and with him there was a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders.

Gospel of Matthew

Matt 10:4 (NRSV) -- [Jesus appointed the Twelve, including]] Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

26:14-16 (NRSV) -- [14] Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests [15] and said, "What will you give me if I betray him to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver. [16] And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray him.

26:47-50 (NRSV) -- 47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him." 49 At once he came up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you are here to do." Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him.

Matt 27:3-10 (NRSV) -- 3 When Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. 4 He said, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." But they said, "What is that to us? See to it yourself." 5 Throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and he went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are blood money." 7 After conferring together, they used them to buy the potter's field as a place to bury foreigners. 8 For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one on whom a price had been set, on whom some of the people of Israel had set a price, 10 and they gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord commanded me."

Gospel of Luke

Luke.6.16 (NRSV) -- [Jesus appointed the Twelve, including]] Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Luke.22.3 (NRSV) -- 2 The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid of the people. 3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve; 4 he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. 5 They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money. 6 So he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present.

Luke.22.47-48 (NRSV) -- [47] While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him; [48] but Jesus said to him, "Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?"

Acts of Apostles

Acts 1:15-26 (NRSV) -- [15] In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together the crowd numbered about one hundred twenty persons) and said, [16] "Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus-- [17] for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry." [18] (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. 19 This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 "For it is written in the book of Psalms, 'Let his homestead become desolate, and let there be no one to live in it'; and 'Let another take his position of overseer.' 21 So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us--one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection." 23 So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed and said, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen 25 to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place." 26 And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Gospel of John

John 6:70-71 -- [70] Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve? Yet one of you is a devil." [71] He was speaking of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, for he, though one of the twelve, was going to betray him.

John.12.3-8 -- 3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5 "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" 6 (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7 Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."

John.13.2 -- 2 During the supper, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him.

John 13:21-31 (NRSV) -- 21 After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, "Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me." 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. 23 One of his disciples--the one whom Jesus loved--was reclining next to him; 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?" 26 Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. 27 After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "Do quickly what you are going to do." 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the festival"; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. 31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.

John 18:2-9 (NRSV) -- 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them, "Whom are you looking for?" 5 They answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus replied, "I am he." Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they stepped back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, "Whom are you looking for?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." 8 Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go." 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken, "I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me."

Papias

"Judas walked about in this world a sad example of impiety; for his body having swollen to such an extent that he could not pass where a chariot could pass easily, he was crushed by the chariot, so that his bowels gushed out."