3.03.2006

Is Judas in heaven?

1. Suicide doesn't mean he didn't have faith in Jesus. I don't believe suicide automatically excludes one from heaven.

2. Matt 27:3 says he was "remorseful" and returned the money, but that doesn't mean he believed in Jesus, either.

3. An interesting THEORY I've heard (not saying I believe it, but it's rather convincing:
Judas was a zealot who wanted Jesus to contend militarily with the temple authorities. In betraying Jesus' location to the chief priests, he was forcing Jesus' hand militarily. As he kisses Jesus, he's thinking, "So there; now you've got to DO something instead of just talk. Fight for the Kingdom!" It's only when he realizes Jesus is going to give up instead of fight that he is remorseful.

4. This theory doesn't say whether or not he'll be in heaven: I'm agnostic on it. But it does say he believed Jesus was a **political** Messiah, as many Jews were looking for. I think too many faithful people today still place their hopes overmuch in that political realm, instead of in Jesus.

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