Judas in Hell

[ValiantDomain]

A popular philosophical argument used in discussing Judas is

If Jesus only suffered while dying on the cross, and then ascended into Heaven, while Judas must suffer for eternity in Hell, then Judas has suffered much more for the sins of humanity than Jesus, and his role in the Atonement is that much more significant.

How should this argument be approached?

 

[estesbob]

A popular philosophical argument used in discussing Judas is

If Jesus only suffered while dying on the cross, and then ascended into Heaven, while Judas must suffer for eternity in Hell, then Judas has suffered much more for the sins of humanity than Jesus, and his role in the Atonement is that much more significant.

How should this argument be approached?

Judas died for his own sin, he did not care in the least about mine. Jesus died for ALL of our sins.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

By that “logic”, ANY soul suffering in hell has ‘suffered more’ than Jesus (or indeed any soul in heaven).

Point is, Judas is not, and did not ‘suffer for humanity’. Judas did not freely choose hell (if he is there) IN ORDER TO SUFFER FOR OTHERS. Judas chose hell, as ALL who do choose hell, solely for himself. All are given the choice, all are given the grace, to choose heaven.

What Christ did in His death and resurrection was to atone for our sins. Before this, even the most ‘righteous’ person was simply not able to enter heaven. The stain of concupiscence from original sin was simply too great. Even now, nothing that ANY person on earth can do ‘merits’ salvation. We can none of us claim that heaven is ‘owed’ to us.

That grace for salvation, that free gift, comes from Christ’s offering of HIMSELF, the perfect offering. Thus, all of us are redeemed and all of us have the FREE CHOICE to accept that redemption.

Those who chose hell REJECT redemption. It is that simple. It is not that GOD condemns them but that they condemn themselves. Not God’s will, but theirs, will be done.

 

[Fr_Ambrose]

A popular philosophical argument used in discussing Judas is

If Jesus only suffered while dying on the cross, and then ascended into Heaven, while Judas must suffer for eternity in Hell, then Judas has suffered much more for the sins of humanity than Jesus, and his role in the Atonement is that much more significant.

How should this argument be approached?

One of the great Catholic Church Fathers, Saint John Chrysostom, says that Judas is not in hell. He says that Judas hung himself in sorrow and shame in order to be able to meet with our Lord in the next world and beg His forgiveness.

Saint John may or may not be correct but it is a very generous thought and one we can share.

 

[USMC]

A popular philosophical argument used in discussing Judas is

If Jesus only suffered while dying on the cross, and then ascended into Heaven, while Judas must suffer for eternity in Hell, then Judas has suffered much more for the sins of humanity than Jesus, and his role in the Atonement is that much more significant.

How should this argument be approached?

The suffering of Judas in hell has no merit; the suffering of Jesus - who was God, and who willingly suffered for the redemption of man - had infinite merit. It is not the degree of suffering, but the merit of suffering that must be considered; and Judas is not suffering for the sins of humanity, but for his own sins.

Fr. Ambrose: Will you provide that quote from St. John Chrysostom?

If find it interesting that he would teach that Judas was in hell, when he is quoted by St. Vincent Ferrar as saying that probably only three or four in the audience of hundreds that he was preaching to would be saved.

I would be interested in reading the quote you referred to.

 

[Church_Militant]

If Jesus only suffered while dying on the cross, and then ascended into Heaven, while Judas must suffer for eternity in Hell, then Judas has suffered much more for the sins of humanity than Jesus, and his role in the Atonement is that much more significant.

As the nonsense that it is perhaps?

The point is that there are several essential mistakes in this reasoning.

1. Jesus Christ was God incarnate; Judas Iscariot was just a human like me.
2. Compare their lives: It becomes clear that Iscariot was barely even a follower of Christ.
3. Becuase of the incarnation, the prophecies of His propitiating sacrifice on the cross were fulfilled in Jesus. The same cannot said for Judas.
   Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum,

 

[VociMike]

One of the great Catholic Church Fathers, Saint John Chrysostom, says that Judas is not in hell. He says that Judas hung himself in sorrow and shame in order to be able to meet with our Lord in the next world and beg His forgiveness.

Saint John may or may not be correct but it is a very generous thought and one we can share.

Thank you for that reference. We cannot presume to know more than the Church knows about Judas’ fate, and the Church does not say definitively that he is in hell.

Some bring up Jesus’ words that “it would be better for that man if he had never been born” as proof that Judas must be in hell, but Jesus may have been speaking about Judas’ soul at that particular moment, not about his eternal fate. Even Judas may have repented, and if he repented he is forgiven and will rest in heaven.

 

[Church_Militant]

One of the great Catholic Church Fathers, Saint John Chrysostom, says that Judas is not in hell. He says that Judas hung himself in sorrow and shame in order to be able to meet with our Lord in the next world and beg His forgiveness.

Saint John may or may not be correct but it is a very generous thought and one we can share.

I can agree with that.
Pax tecum,