(By : Dessy Ariadna – Stand To Jesus Writing Team)
Yesterday we just received a question from someone who asked us : If JESUS really was God, did He know that His disciple Judas Iscariot would betray Him? If He knew, why did He let it go and not run to save Himself?
The answer is of course that JESUS knew that Judas Iscariot would betray Him. Even long before Judas planned the betrayal, JESUS already knew that Judas would later commit the betrayal. Pay attention to the following verses :
John 6:70-71 (IMB) JESUS said to them, “Did I not choose you twelve? But one of you is a devil.” He spoke of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, one of the twelve, because he was the one who would betray Him.
When JESUS said this, the time and event was after JESUS had performed the miracle of feeding 5000 people and walking on water, then when he arrived on the other side many people welcomed JESUS and He began to tell the Jews who He was, but they rejected Him even many of His disciples left Him, only the twelve disciples He chose did not leave Him, then JESUS also spoke about Judas, long before the incident that Judas committed betrayal of Him.
Even on the night when JESUS was about to be handed over, JESUS told His disciples that He would be betrayed and He also warned Judas. Pay attention to the following verses :
Matthew 26:21 (IMB) While they were eating, He said, “Truly I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”
Matthew 26:23-25 (IMB) He answered and said, “Whoever dips his hand with Me into this dish will betray Me. The Son of Man must indeed go, as it is written of Him, but woe to the man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would have been good for him if he had not been born.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, answered and said, “Is it I, Rabbi?” JESUS said to him, “You yourself have said it.”
Luke 22:21-22 (IMB) But behold, the hand of the one who betrayed Me is at this table with Me. Surely the Son of Man will go as appointed, but woe to the one who betrays Him.”
John 13:21 (IMB) Not long after saying all that, JESUS became troubled in heart. He testified, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.”
John 13:26-27 (IMB) JESUS answered, “He is the one to whom I will give the piece of bread that I have dipped.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son. And after Judas received the piece of bread, he was possessed by a demon. Then JESUS said to him, “What you want to do, do it immediately!”
So JESUS is an All-Knowing God, He knew that Judas Iscariot would betray Him. The statement that says that JESUS did not know that Judas Iscariot would betray Him is completely untrue. Even the books in the Old Testament have prophesied about the betrayal of Judas Iscariot. Pay attention to the following verses :
Psalm 41:9 (IMB) Even my closest friend whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has turned up his heel against me.
Zechariah 11:12 (IMB) Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my reward, but if not, then hold back.” Then they paid me my wages, thirty pieces of silver.
Zechariah 11:13 (IMB) But YAHWEH said to me, “Give your wages to the potter.” A high price they have paid me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver, and handed them to the potter in YAHWEH’s Temple.
These prophecies were all fulfilled :
John 13:18 (IMB) I am not talking about you all. I know whom I have chosen, but let the Scriptures be fulfilled: He who eats bread with Me, he lifts up his heel against Me.
Matthew 26:14-16 (IMB) Then one of the twelve disciples, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests, and said, “What will you give me, that I will hand Him over to you?” So they appointed thirty pieces of silver for him. Since then he has always looked for opportunities to surrender Him.
Matthew 27:3-8 (IMB) When Judas, who betrayed Him, saw that He was being condemned, he repented and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, and said, “I have sinned by betraying blood of innocent People.” But they said, “What is it to us? That’s your own responsibility!” He threw the pieces of silver into the Temple, then went and hanged himself. The chief priests took the pieces of silver and they said, “It is not lawful to put this money into the treasury, for it is blood money.” After making a deal, they bought a potter’s field with the money to use as a burial ground for the foreigners. Therefore, to this day the field is called the Field of Blood.
The final question, why did He let it go and not run to save Himself?
The answer is because JESUS came from heaven into the world on a mission of redemption and salvation. He had to fulfill the prophecies of the prophets in the Old Testament who recorded His suffering, death and resurrection. JESUS couldn’t possibly escape because He knew very well what His mission was in coming to earth.
