Originally posted by Brother Ian:
From: http://www.tentmaker.org/Dew/Dew3/D3-JudasIscariot.html
"Iscariot most likely means "man from Kerioth," a city in the Negev of the region in Jesus' day which was called Judea. There are several other theories about this word. If this is true, Judas was the only one of the twelve apostles the scriptures record not coming from Galilee. Galileans were looked down upon by Judeans."
Even if it is true, would it make a difference?
Well, I'm not prepared to preach on it, lest I be called a heretic since I'm developing a private view of Scriptures in light of this (if it were true, that is).
If it were not true, the intrigue it generated in me is worth it. I like left fielders and surprises at times. Stimulates this foggy, diabetic, six-decade brain of mine.
Heretic because my thinking will not be along the lines of accepted mainstream Christian views on Judas (that he also was a Jew, like everybody else in Jesus' close circle of disciples), though I guess with the animosity towards Judas I guess nobody would care even if he were Filipino.
As most everybody on this board knows, I am a Primitive Baptist who believes in the absolute sovereignty of God in election and that he does what he does in the army of heaven and earth, and that Judas may well have been the reason for Isaiah's question to the potter: why hast thou made me thus ?
Now, I also happen to believe that not all Israel is Israel, and not all Jews who call themselves Jews (literally) are Jews but he is a Jew who one inwardly the translation of which is not all in Christendom are true Christians but the Christian is the one who belongs to Christ by operation of the Spirit of God, and by Divine Edict from eternity past.
Also, that as Paul said, 'all things that were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope which to me means that the Bible was not written for the sake and benefit of all mankind but for the sake and benefit of God's people (whether they believe the same way I do or not).
Having said these, and noticing that in the Bible there are only the wicked and the righteous, and that God uses both to illustrate certain principles, were it not possible that in the inclusion of Judas, a non-Jew, among His first disciples, God, in Christ, was actually illustrating another principle ?
Think about it.
The Son of God lives among Israel, who call themselves the chosen people of God, and calls out twelve, eleven
true Israelites among Israelites, and one who is probably not a full Israelite, but one who walks and talks like one, and is accepted by others, and in fact trusted with the money, but only Jesus knows the truth.
It's a little hazy yet.
But there's a wrench I found that can be thrown in this machine though which will probably be enough not to pursue this trend of thought.
It's John 13:26, which identifies Judas as the son of Simon, which is a very Jewish name.
Oh, well.....
