Did Judas Iscariot have free will to not betray Jesus?
Just curious what is the correct understanding of the role that Judas Iscariot played in the betrayal of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Was he bound to betray Jesus because someone had to betray Jesus to fulfill prophecy and Jesus chose Judas Iscariot for that role like he chose John the Baptist for his role, or did Judas have free will to not betray Jesus at any point in time but he chose to betray Jesus anyway?
As I read the story of Jesus’ death and passion on the cross, I wondered about the role of Judas.
It seems that Jesus knew Judas would do what he did, so that made me wonder if Judas had to betray Jesus or whether Jesus just knew ahead of time what decision Judas would make on his own
Hi Tommy,
Your question {I HOPE] is not one an Informed Catholic would ask [not that it’s a “bad” question] WHY
The reformation brought with it a multitude of NEW thinking and understanding based primarily on LOGIC. But there is very much in the bible, by God’s intent that simply cannot be rightly discerned by applied HUMAN logic alone. And you’re question points our several areas that a right [GOD”S] understanding is different than man’s logic.
Isa.55: 8 - 9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
What is required here is a more complete understanding of the very natures of God, Sin and Divine Justice & how they interrelate.
- Let’s look at a few bible passages that I pray help will clarify this for you.
Gen. 1:26-27 “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
& Jn. 4:23-24 3] But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
The question then looms how does one relate mortal-HUMANITY being created in the VERY Image of our God who is we are told; A SPIRIT?
Tommy, you’re a thinker and that is very good. So ponder carefully the following.
The Universe consist of many BILLIONS of stars, planets and galaxies;** BUT only ONE can be proven to sustain all the life forms we are aware of. PLANET EARTH**
On Planet earth there are many MILLIONS of living things,** BUT only ONE is rational. HUMANITY**
RATIONAL FREEDOM “Immunity from determination by one’s feelings, whether fears or desires, so that the will can decide for itself what the mind (enlightened by faith) judges is the right course of action”
FREE WILL “The power of the will to determine itself and to act of itself, without compulsion from within or coercion from without. It is the faculty of an intelligent being to act or not act, to act this way or another way, and is therefore essentially different from the operations of irrational beings that merely respond to a stimulus and are conditioned by sensory objects” From Father Hardon’s Catholic Dictionary
The odds that this reality were “luck”; coincidence” or accidental [none of which actually exist…. It’s all Divine Providence] are BILLIONS to one; so great as to be illogical.
Take for example the fact that both the Sun and the Moon are in Earth’s Orbit. And BOTH are essential for the sustaining of many of earths life forms.
So in all of Creations BILLIONS of things, only HUMANITY is rational. …. So what is essential to make HUMANTY ALONE “rational?”
To be rational requires a Mind, an Intellect and a Freewill. Each of which like God are immortal and Spiritual realties
I have come to term this Spiritual package that every HUMAN SOUL has attached to it; “OUR OTHER SPIRITUAL SELF.”
If one doubts this then describe for us your FREEWILLS size, color, shape and weight. CAN”T be done but proving the every human soul does not have a FREEWILL is logically impossible. So each HUMAN SOUL has this “Spiritual other self-attached to it, and LIKE OUR GOD they ae immortal and Spiritual realties.
2. SIN: Sin exist as the “God Test” of eternal life [OUR Choice]
Isa.43: 7 “everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made. & [21] the people whom I formed for myself that
THEY MIGHT declare my praise” [God’s desire BUT OUR FREEWILL Choice], so we can know these Spiritual Gifts have a purpose. ……
Heaven & Hell are OUR freewill choice, each and every time.
3. Divine Justice
Because God can be defined as “ALL GOOD THINGS PERFECTED” we can know that God in an absolute sense has to be both fair and good.
Hence God cannot give to HUMANITY all the attributes that make us like “Him” [in God’s Image], and then NOT permit HUMANITY to use these very Gifts to determine for themselves Eternal hell or Eternal Heaven.
So in an absolute sense God HAD TO permit Judas to choose for himself. ALL the evidence seems to point to Judas choosing Eternal Hell, But ONLY God knows if Judas repented seconds before killing himself.
Tommy, I pray this aids you’re understanding.
GBY,
Patrick
