He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.
He spoke to make plain that the betrayer He had warned of was Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, one of the chosen twelve who would hand Him over. He said it in the synagogue at Capernaum after teaching that men must eat His flesh and drink His blood, when many called it a hard saying and left Him, when He asked the twelve if they also would go away, and when Peter confessed Him as the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus knew from the beginning who did not believe and who would betray Him, that Judas was selfish and covetous and was schooling himself to become a traitor, yet He chose and kept him among the twelve to give him every opportunity to learn, to be trained by His example, and to choose holiness. To eat His flesh and drink His blood is to truly believe, to receive His words as spirit and life, to believe on Him whom God sent, and to be a doer of the Word in spiritual union with Him. Outward place among His followers did not make Judas genuine, and his fall warns that covetousness indulged, one cherished sin unconfessed and unrepented, will shut one out, so safety is found only in humbling the heart, following with undivided heart, and holding fast in personal faith.
Identity and Setting
The verse names the one Jesus meant when He said one of the twelve was a devil as Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. It declares that Judas, though himself one of the twelve, was the one who would betray Him. His standing among the chosen twelve did not prove his faith genuine.
It was spoken in the synagogue at Capernaum after Jesus taught that men must eat His flesh and drink His blood. Many disciples called that teaching a hard saying and went back and walked no more with Him. Jesus then asked the twelve whether they also would go away. Peter answered that they would remain because He has the words of eternal life, confessing Him as the Christ, the Son of the living God.
That moment was a turning point when followers drawn by hopes of an earthly kingdom were disappointed, for Christ had promised no earthly rewards to those who followed Him. Many had followed Him hoping for earthly benefits and freedom from Roman rule, even while a betrayer was near Him among His followers. After the feeding of the five thousand Judas became dissatisfied when Jesus refused the crowd's attempt to make Him king, and resolved to destroy Him.
Eating His flesh and drinking His blood is spoken in figure, representing true, earnest belief. His words are spirit and life. All who truly receive His word never hunger, and all who believe in Him never thirst.
Foreknowledge and Character
Jesus knew from the beginning who did not believe and who would betray Him, and He knew the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, though he was one of the twelve. He knew that Judas was selfish and covetous in character and that he was educating himself to become a traitor. He knew that a betrayer was near Him among His own followers.
Judas's betrayal grew from covetousness and selfishness that he repeatedly indulged and refused to reform, even though he was taught against it. He let love of money take root until it displaced the truth, and because he did not receive and improve, opposition to the light arose in his heart. He treasured his defects as if a precious treasure, and they poisoned the whole man in principle, in spirit, in life, and in character, until he sold his Lord for a trifling sum of money.
Judas was gifted in service and capable of preeminence above his brethren, and with Peter, James, and John he was prepared for a distinct leading part. Yet he was already brooding in his soul over purposes of betrayal whose full ripening he little dreamed. He kept thinking he would reform, supposing that his good qualities would offset and counterbalance his inherited and cultivated evil traits.
Jesus deliberately chose and kept Judas among the twelve in spite of his defects and though he was not right in principle but cherished selfishness. He did this to give him opportunity to improve and to choose holiness and the beauty of holiness through His lessons, training, painstaking efforts, godliness, and perfect and righteous example. Judas had the same opportunity, education, and training as the other disciples, but he did not receive Christ's words and grace into his heart or receive and practice them, so the lessons were lost on him. The grace that would have converted him from selfishness and worked wonderful changes in him as it did in John and Peter did not change him.
Christ kept Judas near while preparing the disciples for His death and ascension so He could counteract the influence Judas might use against His work. He knew that dismissing him could let Satan spread misleading accounts of His words, harm the disciples, and make the opposition of the Jewish leaders appear justified. Having already disclosed that one of the twelve was opposed to Him, His exposure of Judas's hidden purpose at the Passover confirmed His hidden knowledge and divine foresight as Messiah. That prior warning and foreknowledge were meant to strengthen the faithful disciples' belief when He was humiliated and betrayed.
The crisis revealed the difference between true and false disciples and brought the apostasy into view. Judas's presence among the chosen twelve did not prove that his faith was genuine.
Call to Faithful Discipleship
John 6 answers what must be done to work the works of God: believe on Him whom God sent, with believing coming first and then working. Christ is the spiritual bread from heaven that satisfies the soul, the Way, the Truth and the Life, and the price of heaven is God's only begotten Son, with the way to heaven by faith in Jesus. Eating His flesh and drinking His blood means being doers of the Word of God, with the Bible as the great educating Book above all other books, and the chapter calls people to choose whom they will serve with an undivided heart. The divine Teacher came down from heaven and clothed divinity with humanity to reveal Himself in simple language, and what He requires must be understood or heaven will be missed, so students taught to believe in Christ will work the works of God.
The chapter plainly expresses God's will for His people, calling them to receive and obey Christ's words, which are spirit and life and lead to eternal life. Salvation comes through personal faith in a personal Saviour, which brings the soul into spiritual union with Christ, since outward connection with a church does not save. Its instruction bears on resisting dissension and self-exaltation and living in unity with Christ and one another.
Christ's plain testimony tested His hearers and exposed real loyalties, for those not wholly with Him would oppose Him at His trial. Many were offended, rejected reproof, and turned away rather than reforming their lives. When Jesus said one of the twelve He had chosen was a devil, He meant Judas Iscariot the son of Simon, who would betray Him, placing the betrayer inside the chosen twelve at the moment Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God who has the words of eternal life. Every neglected counsel from God puts a person in distrust and suspicion, and unless defects of character are thoroughly reformed and self is died to, he separates farther and farther from righteousness and truth, while Christ's word of counsel and reproof is given to recover His disciples whenever they fall into error and peril.
Judas had the same opportunity as the other disciples to learn from Christ, but he refused to receive and practice Christ's words. Although the other disciples thought he was a faithful follower, he belonged outwardly to their small church but had no heart-connection with Christ and was not changed in character. His presence among the twelve did not make the whole group perfect or true-hearted, and his betrayal did not make the other apostles alike in character. His presence does not mean there were no genuine disciples who loved Jesus and sought to follow Him, and it is not a reason for sincere learners to give up their purpose or become discouraged, since Christ knowingly accepted faulty disciples and instructed them so they could learn the character of a true Christian.
A betrayer could be among those serving with Christ, so a Judas may also enter the ranks of Christ's workers. Judas stands as a disappointing outcome in Christ's own day, proving that disappointing workers will also be seen now. Though such workers cause great sorrow and their errors must be corrected, their failure does not make the ministry itself less sacred, holy and worthy of respect, and it is not to be belittled or ignored.
The Saviour chose Judas not because his character was perfect but in spite of his defects, to give him the advantage of His own lessons of godliness and His own perfect and righteous example so that he might choose the beauty of holiness. Judas kept thinking he would reform, yet he thought his good qualities would counterbalance his hereditary and cultivated evil traits. His case warns one who has had light and knowledge but does not appropriate it, thinking it means someone else, that one blot on the character, one sin unconfessed and unrepented of, will close the gates of the city of God. Safety requires humbling the heart before God and following the Lord with undivided heart instead of dwelling on the wrongs of others, sitting in judgment, yielding to jealous thoughts and temptations, and showing weakness under reproof and warning.
He spoke to make plain that the betrayer He had warned of was Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, one of the chosen twelve who would hand Him over. He said it in the synagogue at Capernaum after teaching that men must eat His flesh and drink His blood, when many called it a hard saying and left Him, when He asked the twelve if they also would go away, and when Peter confessed Him as the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus knew from the beginning who did not believe and who would betray Him, that Judas was selfish and covetous and was schooling himself to become a traitor, yet He chose and kept him among the twelve to give him every opportunity to learn, to be trained by His example, and to choose holiness. To eat His flesh and drink His blood is to truly believe, to receive His words as spirit and life, to believe on Him whom God sent, and to be a doer of the Word in spiritual union with Him. Outward place among His followers did not make Judas genuine, and his fall warns that covetousness indulged, one cherished sin unconfessed and unrepented, will shut one out, so safety is found only in humbling the heart, following with undivided heart, and holding fast in personal faith.
Identity and Setting
The verse names the one Jesus meant when He said one of the twelve was a devil as Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. It declares that Judas, though himself one of the twelve, was the one who would betray Him. His standing among the chosen twelve did not prove his faith genuine.
It was spoken in the synagogue at Capernaum after Jesus taught that men must eat His flesh and drink His blood. Many disciples called that teaching a hard saying and went back and walked no more with Him. Jesus then asked the twelve whether they also would go away. Peter answered that they would remain because He has the words of eternal life, confessing Him as the Christ, the Son of the living God.
That moment was a turning point when followers drawn by hopes of an earthly kingdom were disappointed, for Christ had promised no earthly rewards to those who followed Him. Many had followed Him hoping for earthly benefits and freedom from Roman rule, even while a betrayer was near Him among His followers. After the feeding of the five thousand Judas became dissatisfied when Jesus refused the crowd's attempt to make Him king, and resolved to destroy Him.
Eating His flesh and drinking His blood is spoken in figure, representing true, earnest belief. His words are spirit and life. All who truly receive His word never hunger, and all who believe in Him never thirst.
Foreknowledge and Character
Jesus knew from the beginning who did not believe and who would betray Him, and He knew the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, though he was one of the twelve. He knew that Judas was selfish and covetous in character and that he was educating himself to become a traitor. He knew that a betrayer was near Him among His own followers.
Judas's betrayal grew from covetousness and selfishness that he repeatedly indulged and refused to reform, even though he was taught against it. He let love of money take root until it displaced the truth, and because he did not receive and improve, opposition to the light arose in his heart. He treasured his defects as if a precious treasure, and they poisoned the whole man in principle, in spirit, in life, and in character, until he sold his Lord for a trifling sum of money.
Judas was gifted in service and capable of preeminence above his brethren, and with Peter, James, and John he was prepared for a distinct leading part. Yet he was already brooding in his soul over purposes of betrayal whose full ripening he little dreamed. He kept thinking he would reform, supposing that his good qualities would offset and counterbalance his inherited and cultivated evil traits.
Jesus deliberately chose and kept Judas among the twelve in spite of his defects and though he was not right in principle but cherished selfishness. He did this to give him opportunity to improve and to choose holiness and the beauty of holiness through His lessons, training, painstaking efforts, godliness, and perfect and righteous example. Judas had the same opportunity, education, and training as the other disciples, but he did not receive Christ's words and grace into his heart or receive and practice them, so the lessons were lost on him. The grace that would have converted him from selfishness and worked wonderful changes in him as it did in John and Peter did not change him.
Christ kept Judas near while preparing the disciples for His death and ascension so He could counteract the influence Judas might use against His work. He knew that dismissing him could let Satan spread misleading accounts of His words, harm the disciples, and make the opposition of the Jewish leaders appear justified. Having already disclosed that one of the twelve was opposed to Him, His exposure of Judas's hidden purpose at the Passover confirmed His hidden knowledge and divine foresight as Messiah. That prior warning and foreknowledge were meant to strengthen the faithful disciples' belief when He was humiliated and betrayed.
The crisis revealed the difference between true and false disciples and brought the apostasy into view. Judas's presence among the chosen twelve did not prove that his faith was genuine.
Call to Faithful Discipleship
John 6 answers what must be done to work the works of God: believe on Him whom God sent, with believing coming first and then working. Christ is the spiritual bread from heaven that satisfies the soul, the Way, the Truth and the Life, and the price of heaven is God's only begotten Son, with the way to heaven by faith in Jesus. Eating His flesh and drinking His blood means being doers of the Word of God, with the Bible as the great educating Book above all other books, and the chapter calls people to choose whom they will serve with an undivided heart. The divine Teacher came down from heaven and clothed divinity with humanity to reveal Himself in simple language, and what He requires must be understood or heaven will be missed, so students taught to believe in Christ will work the works of God.
The chapter plainly expresses God's will for His people, calling them to receive and obey Christ's words, which are spirit and life and lead to eternal life. Salvation comes through personal faith in a personal Saviour, which brings the soul into spiritual union with Christ, since outward connection with a church does not save. Its instruction bears on resisting dissension and self-exaltation and living in unity with Christ and one another.
Christ's plain testimony tested His hearers and exposed real loyalties, for those not wholly with Him would oppose Him at His trial. Many were offended, rejected reproof, and turned away rather than reforming their lives. When Jesus said one of the twelve He had chosen was a devil, He meant Judas Iscariot the son of Simon, who would betray Him, placing the betrayer inside the chosen twelve at the moment Peter confessed Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God who has the words of eternal life. Every neglected counsel from God puts a person in distrust and suspicion, and unless defects of character are thoroughly reformed and self is died to, he separates farther and farther from righteousness and truth, while Christ's word of counsel and reproof is given to recover His disciples whenever they fall into error and peril.
Judas had the same opportunity as the other disciples to learn from Christ, but he refused to receive and practice Christ's words. Although the other disciples thought he was a faithful follower, he belonged outwardly to their small church but had no heart-connection with Christ and was not changed in character. His presence among the twelve did not make the whole group perfect or true-hearted, and his betrayal did not make the other apostles alike in character. His presence does not mean there were no genuine disciples who loved Jesus and sought to follow Him, and it is not a reason for sincere learners to give up their purpose or become discouraged, since Christ knowingly accepted faulty disciples and instructed them so they could learn the character of a true Christian.
A betrayer could be among those serving with Christ, so a Judas may also enter the ranks of Christ's workers. Judas stands as a disappointing outcome in Christ's own day, proving that disappointing workers will also be seen now. Though such workers cause great sorrow and their errors must be corrected, their failure does not make the ministry itself less sacred, holy and worthy of respect, and it is not to be belittled or ignored.
The Saviour chose Judas not because his character was perfect but in spite of his defects, to give him the advantage of His own lessons of godliness and His own perfect and righteous example so that he might choose the beauty of holiness. Judas kept thinking he would reform, yet he thought his good qualities would counterbalance his hereditary and cultivated evil traits. His case warns one who has had light and knowledge but does not appropriate it, thinking it means someone else, that one blot on the character, one sin unconfessed and unrepented of, will close the gates of the city of God. Safety requires humbling the heart before God and following the Lord with undivided heart instead of dwelling on the wrongs of others, sitting in judgment, yielding to jealous thoughts and temptations, and showing weakness under reproof and warning.