📖 Biblical Definition
Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve apostles whom Christ deliberately chose, who kept the common purse, who was a thief ("and bare what was put therein", John 12:6), who betrayed Christ to the chief priests for thirty pieces of silver — the price of a slave (Matthew 26:14-16) — and who hanged himself in remorse without repentance (Matthew 27:3-5; Acts 1:18-19). Christ called him "the son of perdition" (John 17:12). He is the most sobering case in the New Testament: outward apostleship — three years of intimate access, casting out demons in Christ’s name, preaching the kingdom — without inward life. Judas warns every minister and elder: nearness to Christ does not save where the heart is not regenerate.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
JU'DAS, n.
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One of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, called also Iscariot. He betrayed his master into the hands of his enemies for thirty pieces of silver, and afterwards in remorse hanged himself.
📖 Key Scripture
Matthew 26:15 — "What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver."
John 12:6 — "He was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein."
John 17:12 — "None of them is lost, but the son of perdition."
Matthew 27:5 — "He cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Judas is the warning that proximity to Christ is not the same as union with Him.
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Judas heard every parable, watched every miracle, was sent out two-by-two, was given authority over demons, kept the common purse, sat at the Last Supper, and was kissed by Christ in the garden. By every external metric he was an apostle. He was also a son of perdition. The hardest sentence in the Gospels is that a man can stand inside the inner ring of Christ's ministry and still be lost.
The danger is not theoretical. Modern Christianity has its Judases — ordained men, conference speakers, podcast hosts, prominent leaders — whose hearts never bowed and whose treasure never changed banks. Examine yourself (2 Cor 13:5). Outward proximity to Christ is not the same as inward submission to Him. Judas's remorse was real but not repentance. The difference is everything. Run to the cross while it is still today.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Greek Ioudas (G2455); Hebrew Yehudah, praise.
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G2455 — Ioudas — Judas; Judah; praise
G2469 — Iskariotes — Iscariot; man of Kerioth
Usage
"Proximity to Christ is not the same as union with Christ — Judas is the proof."
"Remorse weeps over consequences; repentance weeps over the Lord. The difference is heaven and hell."
"Examine yourself; the kiss in the garden was given by an apostle."