Written by: Ralph Thoren
January 9,2024
“ I never knew you”
There are always some verses that seem difficult to understand. This was just such a verse. For me:
Mathew 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.
I simply could not understand how our LORD could not know this person. After all they did prophesy in his name, they did cast out demons in his name and performed many miracles in his name. How could he not know them. Ahhh, The answer came, let’s read about Judas Ascariot.
MATTHEW 10
The Twelve Disciples; Instructions for Service
1 Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness.
2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew; and James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who also betrayed Him.
This occurred soon after the healing of the blind man, the waking of the sleeping girl and the 12 year afflicted woman. Judas was considered a disciple and had healing powers.
JOHN 12
Mary Anoints Jesus
1Therefore, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2So they made Him a dinner there, and Martha was serving; and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. 3Mary then took a pound of very expensive perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, the one who intended to betray Him, *said, 5“Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the proceeds given to poor people?” 6Now he said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he kept the money box and he used to steal from what was put into it.
Our Lord knows Judas is a thief, yet he only scolds him lightly.
7Therefore Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. 8For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”
Would a re-born Christian who witnessed miracles and wonders truly ever consider the statement that Judas made? I do not think so. He is stealing Gods Money right under the nose of his Lord and Messiah. No, Judas is not a believer.
This incident seemed to be enough for our non-repentant, non-believing sinner Judas to move
Judas’ Bargain Mathew 26
14Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15and said, “What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?” And they set out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16And from then on he looked for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.
And the plot thickens:
JOHN 13 THE LORD’S SUPPER
having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. 2And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,
9Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!” 10Jesus *said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet; otherwise he is completely clean. And you are clean—but not all of you.” 11For He knew the one who was betraying Him; it was for this reason that He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
Our Lord continued his work with his betrayer right alongside of him
Jesus Predicts His Betrayal
21When Jesus had said these things, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.” 22The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking. 23Lying back on Jesus’ chest was one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24So Simon Peter *nodded to this disciple and *said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking.” 25He then simply leaned back on Jesus’ chest and *said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” 26Jesus then *answered, “That man is the one for whom I shall dip the piece of bread and give it to him.” So when He had dipped the piece of bread, He *took and *gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27After this, Satan then entered him. Therefore Jesus *said to him, “What you are doing, do it quickly.” 28Now none of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. 29For some were assuming, since Judas kept the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, “Buy the things we need for the feast”; or else, that he was to give something to the poor. 30So after receiving the piece of bread, he left immediately; and it was night.
The other eleven still just don’t get it, however Jesus say’s this:
JOHN 17
12While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name, which You have given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
JUDAS BECAME KNOWN AS THE “SON OF PERDITION”
per·di·tion
[pərˈdiSHən]
NOUN
(in Christian theology) a state of eternal punishment and damnation into which a sinful and unpenitent person passes after death.
Notice: a repentant person could excape perdition.
Ok, at this stage, we have discovered much about the character of Judas.
- He was a non-believer, he was not a re-born Christian, yet he stayed on as a disciple.
- He was a money hungry thief.
JOHN 18
Judas Betrays Jesus
1When Jesus had spoken these words, He went away with His disciples across the ravine of the Kidron, where there was a garden which He entered with His disciples. 2Now Judas, who was betraying Him, also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples. 3So Judas, having obtained the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, *came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons. 4Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, came out into the open and *said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” 5They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He *said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. Note: John doesn’t mention “the kiss” as does Mathew. I suspect John slept a little and just wasn’t quite awake yet. 6Now then, when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7He then asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” 8Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you are seeking Me, let these men go on their way.” 9This took place so that the word which He spoke would be fulfilled: “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.”
They took Jesus into custody and moved on with him toward the crucifixion. What did Judas do?
MATTHEW 27
Judas’ Remorse
1Now when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus to put Him to death; 2and they bound Him and led Him away, and handed Him over to Pilate the governor.
3Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? You shall see to it yourself!” 5And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and left; and he went away and hanged himself.
Remorse and regret are emotions, but they are not repentance. A re-born Christian would know that humble repentance would be required. Repentance is acknowledgement of sinful behavior and a sincere change of heart and action. Remorse and Repentance are not the same. They can overlap, but they cannot be exchanged.
I now understand Mathew 7:21
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ 23And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you;
Amen , So be it
Written by: Ralph Thoren for: www.listentotheholyspirit.com no copywrite intended