![[judas_iscariot_0.jpg]] ## Resist Not Evil Judas did not technically think he was "betraying" Jesus. He had a fundamental misunderstanding of the Kingdom of God and the true nature of the Christ (in Hebrew, called Messiah). He, like the Pharisees and even the other apostles, believed that the Christ would be a political savior who would overthrow the Roman Empire, bringing peace and prosperity unto the whole world by establishing Jerusalem as the world empire. They had misunderstood the Old Testament prophecies which spoke of Christ's ***second coming***. They did not understand that the spiritual kingdom God's Son came to establish would reside within the hearts of believers, despite Jesus clearly telling them so ([`Luk. 17:21`](https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Luke-17-21/)). Because Judas did not understand this, he was confused by Jesus constantly teaching them about the "suffering servant" Christ that He was ([`Isa. 53:3-7`](https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Isaiah-53-5/); [`Psa. 22:16`](https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Psalms-22-16/); [`Zech. 12:10`](https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Zechariah-12-10/)) and how He would need to die before being resurrected. Because Judas was so fixated on the traditions he grew up with, he thought Jesus was being cryptic or speaking metaphorically. Under the inspiration of Satan, Judas devised a plan to effectively ***force*** Jesus' hand to prove to the Pharisees that He was indeed the Christ. He would do it in his ***own way*** (salvation by works). Judas became stricken with guilt only ***after*** he saw that the Son of God ***was not resisting arrest***. [`Matthew 27:3`](https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-27-3/) > Then Judas, which had betrayed him, ***when he saw that he was condemned,*** repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders He had expected that Jesus would use His divine power to destroy those who came to arrest Him. When Judas beheld the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world, ***not*** fight back (but instead, uphold His prior teaching to "resist not evil" [`Matt. 5:39`](https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-5-39/)) the great betrayer fled in agony of guilt and killed himself. Judas didn't ***think*** he was against Jesus but thought he was actually doing God a favor. This is the same spirit manifested by those who teach and practice *salvation by works*, as clearly seen in all forms of religion (and most prevalently on display in Catholicism). ## The Spirit of Judas The same spirit is seen today with Zionist Dispensationalism. Those who adhere to it misinterpret the Old Testament prophecies, which speak of the gathering and restoration of Jerusalem ([`Isa. 52`](https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Isaiah-Chapter-52/); [`Jer. 30`](https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Jeremiah-Chapter-30/); [`Eze. 36:16-38`](https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Ezekiel-36-16_36-38/); [`Zech. 8:3-5`](https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Zechariah-8-4/)). They do not understand it is spiritually speaking of the new heaven and earth. They instead believe it literally refers to a geographic location in the middle east, which must be defended at all costs, even if it involves deception, murder, and all manner of violations against God's divine love. They do not know our Lord nor our Father, but instead they serve the father of all lies—the one who offered my Lord all the kingdoms of the world in the wilderness. [[Foreshadowing, not Prophecy|<< Back]]