A common question many Bible scholars and teachers mull over is whether Judas went to Heaven. Have you ever sat with this question before, friend? Many of us know Judas and associate his name with evil, but what does the Bible tell us about him? Let's dive in together.
When you hear the name Judas, what is the first thing that comes to mind? I am transplanted to my childhood, and the sun's warmth is beaming on my skin. Running down a gravel driveway under the towering tree that covered the carport, I see my grandmother nearby, watching me closely. After getting into mischief, I used to run up to my grandmother and plant a kiss on her cheek. With a grin, she would say, "Judas, kiss," knowing I was up to no good. Sometimes I would sincerely show her love, and she would say it to be funny, but it always aggravated me.
A common question many Bible scholars and teachers mull over is whether Judas went to Heaven. Have you ever sat with this question before, friend? Many of us know Judas and associate his name with evil, but what does the Bible tell us about him? Let's dive in together.
Who is Judas Iscariot?
Judas Iscariot is widely known for betraying Jesus. He was also the treasurer of the twelve disciples and used his position for personal gain and for passing judgment due to his greed. (John 12:3-6; John 13:29) At The Last Supper, Judas was prompted by the devil to betray Jesus, and, at the passing of the bread, the devil entered into Judas to fulfill the betrayal. (John 13:2,27) Judas had an emotional change once Judas saw that Jesus had been condemned to death. He felt regret, attempted to return the payment for Jesus' betrayal, threw his money in the temple, and left to hang himself. (Matt. 27).
How did Judas betray Jesus?
Once The Last Supper ended, Jesus retreated to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray because He knew the time of His crucifixion was drawing near in Matt. 26:47-56 and Mark 14:43-50, Judas "led a crowd of men, armed with swords and clubs," "sent by the leading priests and elders to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus was. (Matt. 26:47)
"Now the betrayer (Judas) had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man; seize him." And he came up to Jesus at once and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" And he kissed him. Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you came to do." Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him." Matt. 26:48-50 ESV
With one single kiss, the betrayer signaled for the Savior to be arrested. What an intimate gesture to be used for a cruel signal. But Jesus knew the Scriptures must be fulfilled. He accepted Judas' gesture and encouraged him to "do what you came to do."
When I sit in this moment of scripture, I cannot help but repeat those words. "Do what you came to do." Judas did not have the upper hand. He did not have the opportunity to catch Jesus by surprise. After spending years following Jesus in His ministry, Judas knew that Jesus was aware this was coming. (Matt. 26:23-25) It hurts my heart that Judas was so blinded. Blinded, like so many of us, by greed. And, by sin.
"Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?" And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment, he sought an opportunity to betray Him." Matt. 26:14-16
Did Judas go to Heaven?
Many scholars, Bible teachers, and Christians come to this same question, did Judas go to Heaven? Every article I have found clearly states Judas did not go to Heaven, and the scriptures point to this claim.
- Jesus referred to the loss of one as the son of destruction. (John 17:12) The word "destruction," in this verse, is translated to "apōleias" in Greek, meaning "destruction, ruin, loss, perishing; eternal ruin."
- Jesus, Himself referred to Judas as a devil. (John 6:70-71).
- Jesus stated, "Woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born." (Matt. 26:24)
Friend, where do you think Judas is spending eternity? What is the first answer that pops into your mind? Immediately, my answer is no. Judas does not deserve to enter the gates of the Lord's Kingdom. Despite walking side by side and speaking face to face with Jesus, Judas hand-delivered Jesus over to the leading priests and elders to be put to death. That feels like the worst of the worst and a definite get-sent-to-hell card. But, when I continue to think it over, what if? Walk with me, friend, and I will explain.
- Judas was overcome with regret and remorse. (Matt. 27:3) What if he had a personal conversation with God, unknown to anyone else? What if, in his regret and remorse, he repented?
- Jesus gave Judas and the other disciples the power and authority for the Kingdom of God (Luke 9:1-2). Jesus used Judas despite his impending betrayal.
- Jesus washed Judas' feet despite knowing Judas' heart. (John 13)
- Judas tried to give the payment for Jesus back, but he was denied. After throwing his money in the temple, Judas left and hanged himself. Judas was so overcome with emotion that he ended his own life. He was blinded by greed and possessed by the devil. The scripture does not state that the devil ever exited Judas' body, but one could assume that the devil did, in fact, leave him for Judas to feel remorse and end his life. Maybe Judas was so overcome with guilt that he felt undeserving of forgiveness and/or life itself. Why would he hang himself if he didn't believe Jesus was who He said He was?
Ultimately, only God knows where Judas resides for eternity. We see firsthand in scripture the hold the devil had on Judas. Judas was face to face with Jesus and still became overtaken by the enemy. I cannot fathom sitting at the table, looking into the eyes of the Savior, and being consumed by the evil presence of the devil. The mental image of this scenario is mind-blowing to me. Friend, can you imagine the excitement the enemy must have felt thinking he was about to defeat the world's Savior? But can you even imagine the authority and sovereignty of Jesus as he looked the devil in the face knowing that God's plan for the salvation of His people would soon be fulfilled through this deliberate act of evil? Great is our thankfulness for God's promise that all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28), especially despite the heartbreaking betrayal and Crucifixion of Jesus. What the enemy means for harm, the Lord will use for good.
I am not a Bible scholar, Bible teacher, or professional Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek interpreter. I am a daughter of the King who yearns to study His word. I hope you can work through this question in your own heart, but I would like to challenge us to take a deeper look at Judas. We are like Judas in many ways. We did not betray Jesus, but we are flawed. Each of us makes mistakes, becomes blinded by our sin, seeks our gain at times, and becomes beaten down by the lies the enemy feeds into our minds and heart, stealing our joy. We are all sinners in need of a Savior. The mom in the trenches of motherhood feels like she is a failure. The woman scrolling through her feed sees pregnancy announcements as she feels helpless about her inability to birth a child. To the friend who is tempted to cut corners to further her success. To the girl who wishes she could go back and converse with her younger self. To the woman reading this article on her screen.
Judas does not deserve to enter the gates of Heaven. This is true, but honestly, neither do we. We deserve death, the penalty for our sins. Our Father in Heaven gives us the gift of freedom from our sins. Through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, upon the personal decision to believe in Him and accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we have been forgiven of our sins and promised eternity in Heaven with our Lord. How amazing does that sound, sweet friend?
So, the important question here is, are you going to Heaven?
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Laura Spurlin is a Christian, wife to her high school sweetheart, mama to her kiddos, nurse, and writer that has a passion for sharing what the Lord puts on her heart about motherhood, mental health, and all things in the Word of God.
