(A Speculation, in Poetic Theological Prose)
Do not look for proofs or conclusions, only a few metaphysical exonerations …!
Judas Iscariot’s account, or legend behind the man has been oversimplified in that his act of treason by those who have written his story, have disrupted it to look as if it was sabotage (preordained). Although consensus would prove me more wrong than right, yet I feel he wasn’t that cleaver to have outwitted all the apostles, and Jesus Christ himself; consequently, Judas has been given way too much credit for his treachery; oh well, it did occurred, did it not?
A tragedy, this tragedy, one has adapted in history was not accidental, yet mysterious; that is to say, in how it developed. Was Judas not like all men, born of sin, and a trying heart? Yes of course he was. Was Christ’s divinity a secret among the few and many, perhaps? What unforgivable sin did Judas do? Are we not led to believe (like sheep to be sheered) the worse of Judas?
He lowered himself into the abyss, the fires of hell—is what has been legend and lore said, with the taking of those corruptible thirty pieces of silver…! Yet I doubt that is the most corruptible part of his sin! (If indeed that was the case, Peter denied Jesus three times; hence, he has saintly company! Moreover, Thomas did the same, by requesting he inspect and touch Jesus’ pierced hands.)
There is more to this reprehensible psychological psychodrama than meets the eye: even though some have said, it was in the plan of the Lord, that Judas was his instrument planned long ago! …and as a result, he gave the kiss of damnation to Judas’ soul—but for what? Did he not have—as all human beings have—choice or will? In indeed he did. Was this a theological game that the Lord had planted (that humankind has implied he planted, inferred by announcing it was written down in the Book of Days—figuratively speaking, eons ago) —likened to a mustered seed, far-off in ages yet to be—if so, this is miraculous. The reason being, because the grace of God was not with him and he placed indifference upon this man’s soul, to hang him for humankind, before birth: and there was no need for God to have done that. Oh but, should we call this the propagated glory of God? If so, would not history have proclaimed Him the Infamous Slayer, not the Saviour (?) In addition, should we not question, “Was this the unpardonable sin” which can only be against the Holy Spirit?
Oh no, I do not think Judas, played this game to be an infamous, renowned legendary hero, not at all, nor would the Trinity allow this abominate crime. If so, Judas must have thought Christ was less than the word itself—then, and again, this could not be, and far from proven? …yet theologians, the world over and centuries on… rebuked him, for his hypocritical, two-faced contradicting crime, sharp-edged heresy… (for it was quite the opposite) likened to Paul, the once quarrelsome, argumentative, slanted pious Jew; in the beginning he was no less a betrayer to the truth of the Messiah, and perhaps God saw this before time, long before Paul’s birth…who accepted his calling, when called.
Is there a canon that implies Judas claims Jesus Christ needed to redeem man? To my knowledge there is not. Did he not know Jesus was omnipotent, God incarnate, the son of God? Of course, he did—and he knew much more than that, perhaps more than the other apostles did—in that he believed wholeheartedly in the divinity of Christ and the power he could call upon, and his humanity, that is perhaps where the core of his sin resides.
Perchance what he did not understand, or fully understand was that Jesus did not come to choose between right and wrong or conquer the world like Alexander the Great. Only to announce the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand (which was not foreseeable at that moment; nor physical to Judas’ mind); moreover, in so doing curing the ill, the sick to include the leprous. In addition, in the course of his thirty-three years on earth, casting out demons— and that in time, his death and resurrection would invalidate man’s sin, through him, that he would bring them back to the grace of God Almighty—and that that Heavenly Kingdom would be waiting for those who chose it! —that he was the bridge to cross over from blasphemy, and tyranny, and rebellion—He knew although, fully knew—I do believe, Jesus was the one the Baptist called the Messiah, the Christ, and the Lamb.
Perhaps, just perchance, Judas was mad in that his King of Kings would not take command by moving the forces of the world, with the wave of his finger, as He did with the Red Sea for Moses; conceivably, it had to do with extravagance. Therefore, his heart, or perhaps his mind or spirit within him (maybe all those I’ve just mentioned), at that time, that moment, was not for the greater glory of God and that in itself, meant boldly if not traditionally, he was not invested in Jesus’ heavenly kingdom to be for mankind? However, he was investing in the kingdom on earth that was now in place. One might even say, it was a dilemma for him, if indeed he was conscious of both roads, both kingdoms that is, and surely he was aware somewhat if not devouringly so.
Oh yes, he tried to glorify himself—no doubt, and accordingly, as theologians have indicated or inferred, destroyed himself in the process—no doubt again, indisputable. In addition, as they have implied, cast into the eternal fires of Hell, which is questionable, at best. Nevertheless, his actions were not done by intent nor was it his aim, rather his burden, obsession.
The words that keep coming to my mind for Judas, are: predestined and the unpardonable sin; the theologians seem to make them into a package deal; one for all and all for one: meaning, one cannot be without to the other, like two peas in a pod. Christ said, “It would have been better had you not been born.” (This was a figure of speech for the most part. For is it not true, all persons in hell would have been better off had they not been born; on the other hand, if Judas made it to paradise, or even heaven, the shame he would carry with him, eternal shame, would this not also bear the truth of: “You would have been better off had you not been born.”)
In any case, there was no curse that God had cast down like lightening upon this man—; however, he knew the love Judas once had for him (perhaps still had in a mad way), and Jesus knew the psychological mind of man. Had he not loved Jesus, he would not have hung himself, nor thrown the thirty pieces of sliver into the gutter. The sin comes into play when Christ confronted Judas, and Judas did not change his formal (or should we called it his: prescribed or strict) reasoning, way of thinking, his attitude, remaining as he wished, as it had been for a long while.
Was it planned by Satan to move Judas—everywhichway, with his poisonous tongue, with a whisper in his ear? Like Satan tried with Christ. Should we give Satan the pleasure in promoting him to an influential figure in Judas’ rise and demise, in this ultimate plan of God’s, this somewhat 9/11? In a way we could infer, —like unto like—Judas was not unlike Satan, by wanting the glory no man nor angelic being could ever have; likened to sitting at the right hand of God Almighty…Himself (or thinking a grasshopper, could rule by the side of the Emperor of the Universe)!
Judas knew, Jesus could if he wanted to, change things with a gesture of his finger, in addition, this was his plan—now his new plan, I doubt it was always his diagram, only when he knew Christ was not going to use his power for earthly gains. Perchance, he felt Jesus would not read his mind, like so many of us think as we sin from day to day, sin right in front of him thinking he’s blind to our shenanigans. Sinning and wearing his cross, and sinning again (consequently the cross being no more than a trinket to the wearer) sinning as if we have a licence to do so because we can go to church and ask the Priest for absolution and all is forgiven with the wave of a finger, or sliding our fingers down the rosary. We forget, God reads the heart as well as the mind. He is not blind and lost; even with a horde of Christian Churches surrounding us, we think no more of his spoken word in that church than a person reading the daily newspaper sitting on a park bench, at times.
Another thing Judas did not fully understand was similar to John’s mother’s way of thinking: that John could one day sit at the right hand of God Almighty, like Jesus Christ—so you see, Judas is not alone in this obsession for power, in that, having a son next to such power could be quite valuable in the long run. Christ told her, “You don’t understand what you’re asking!” The deed or sin may be of ignorance, but nonetheless, behind all of it was greed for power.
What is actually taking place here? Christ could not offend the Trinity, he was (is) part of it. In addition, the unpardonable sin is it not, blasphemy, or irreverence, against the Holy Spirit? Thus, if Judas knew what he was saying and doing, he had thus committed the Unpardonable sin—I would think, perhaps conclude. John’s mother, on the other hand, did not, for Christ said, “You do not know what you are asking!” Let us take this a little further. To become equal to Christ was to denounce the Holy Spirit, to take his place. Christ could not cleanse that sin. However, was Judas asking to sit at the right hand of God, or the left hand? If not, then his sin is pardonable. Therefore, he commits suicide out of depression; this again, is pardonable—if approached right. However, Judas did not care about the sins of man, but the Glory of Jesus (God in human form), and his position with Jesus, and he knew at the wave of a finger, Jesus could switch his quandary, this dilemma, this fix he found himself in: wanting to rule the world alongside of Jesus. This was his plight.
Judas, stretching his arms to the heavens, with half-opened eyes—saw the labyrinth he was lost in; an unending, unwinding entanglement. Thus, at his ends wit, he committed suicide, more sorrowful—I believe—than any man alive had ever been.
Note: written 11-26-2008 (No. 2526); reedited 10-17-2011 (by Dlsiluk)
