Question 134: In what sense was Judas a devil?

Answer:

Little is known of the life of Judas before his appearance among the apostles. He was probably drawn by the Baptist's preaching or by his own ambitious hopes of the coming of a Messianic Kingdom, in which he might play an important and lucrative part. He seems to have declared himself a disciple of Yeshua as the others did and as he was entrusted with the finances of the little company, we may judge that he enjoyed a measure of confidence, although this seems to have been undeserved. (See John 12:6.) That Yeshua himself knew the heart of Judas from the beginning is made clear from the text. (See also John 6:64-71.) Our Saviour knew his inmost thoughts. He knew Judas to be deceitful and treacherous. He knew of his criminal confidences with the priests, which culminated in the betrayal. (See John 18:3-5.) The act of betrayal was not the outcome of a sudden impulse at the Last Supper, but was the closing scene in a long career of deceit and treachery. Judas was probably ambitious and like several other apostles believed that Yeshua would set up an earthly kingdom in which he himself might have an influential part of his early history before his name appears in the list of the apostles, nothing is known. The name "Iscariot" is variously explained, some writers holding that he was so called because he belonged to Kerioth in the tribe of Judah

Question 133: For what purpose was Judas chosen as a disciple?

Answer:

He was attracted as the others were, by the preaching of the Baptist or by his own Messianic hopes. It can be imagined however, that baser motives may have mingled with his faith and zeal. He must have possessed some qualifications, probably plausibility being one and he may even have excelled the rest of the twelve in business ability. Again, he may have joined the twelve in all sincerity and yielded to temptation only when he found the handling of the money made him covetous. It was evident that Yeshua knew from the beginning what Judas would do (John 6:64). Volumes have been written in the futile effort to explain why Judas was chosen.

Question 132: What was Paul’s “Thorn in the flesh”?

Answer:

It referred to some bodily affliction affecting him individually and physically, but not his work as an apostle. In Galatians 4:13, 14 he refers to it as an "infirmity of my flesh" - some form of bodily sickness which had detained him among the Galatians. It was probably something that caused him acute pain and also some degree of shame, since it "buffeted" him (1 Peter 2:20). There have been many conjectures as to its real character. Some have imagined it to be blasphemous thoughts and others; remorse for his former life; but the most probable view is that it was an affliction which caused him physical annoyance, possibly a disorder of the eyes or some nervous ailment. At all events, we are assured that it was so persistent and recurrent that he speaks of it in terms of apology and mortification.

Frequently asked questions and answers:

Question 131: Was Peter converted before his denial of Moshiach?

Answer:

Peter was a man of resolute character, bold and decisive. He was easily the leader of the twelve. Honest-hearted and warmly attached to Moshiach, he believed himself immovably loyal; yet in the hour of temptation, he proved unstable and weak. Yeshua knew his heart and warned him against overconfidence in his own loyalty. "I have been praying for thee," he said, "that thy faith fails not." He needed this divine strengthening. His faith had failed once before in a crisis (see Matthew 14:29) and what he needed to confirm him now was the "power from on high" which would come later. The tempter was to sift all the disciples and Yeshua foresaw Peter's weakness, but he was preserved from falling by this special intercession. His case shows, perhaps more completely than any other in the New Testament, the weakness of the natural and the strength of the spiritual man. Even at the moment of his denial of Moshiach, it needed but a glance from the eye of his Saviour to make him instantly repentant. After the enduement with Ruach HaKodesh he stood forth as the leader of the apostles, faithful unto death.

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Shavua Tov

Thought for Today: Sunday January 19

Make time today to sit in the presence of YHVH, letting all your fears and worries be clear in the surface of your consciousness. Then in the Light of His presence, that fears and worries will disappear. Our nature is to give problems to our Elohiym, but to look for answers ourselves afterwards. Leave those fears and worries with Him at His feet and keep on praising Him for the solutions in the day, weeks and months afterwards.

"If thy hand or thy foot cause thee to offend, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life, halt, or maimed, than having two hands, or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire."

Mt 18

Had a great Sabbath. Good worship, good Bible study, nice meal, wonderful nap, and finished off watching a Kent Hovind Creation Seminar video. ?