Judas a traitor? (1)

The name Judas is in our language a symbol for sneakiness and treachery. Think of expressions like “Judas kiss”, “Judas goat”, Judas’ payment”, which by definition are associated with betrayal. But did you know that every (over fifteen) times, in the Passion accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Judas is, incorrectly, called a traitor? The Greek word that is consistently used in this context, is paradidomi (Matt.26:25; John 18:2). It certainly does not mean betrayed, but hand over (and hence, also: deliver up). That’s a big difference! The word “tradition” (Mat.15:6) is derived from this Greek word. The root of this Greek word occurs more than one hundred thirty times in the NT and is almost always translated with gives up, delivered up or gave. Such as, for instance, in the passages below:

Surely, He Who spares not His own Son, but gives Him up for us all, how shall He not, together with Him, also, be graciously granting us all? -Romans 8:32-

Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. -1Corinthians 15:24-

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. -Galatians 2:20-

How out of place would the rendition of “betrayed”‘ have been in the above cases. Did God betray His Son? Or did the Son betray Himself? Was He not exactly true to Himself by showing proof of His love? But when this same Greek word is used in connection with Judas, then, the translators do not hesitate to translate paradidomi with betray/ed. And thus, they paint Judas blacker than Scripture paints him. Here are a few examples of where, unjustly, the word betray/ed is used:

Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. -Matthew 10:4-

And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. -Matthew 26:21-

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, -Matthew 27:3-

When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. -John 13:21-

That in these cases paradidomi is translated betray/ed, is inconsistent. As God gives up His Son for all (Rom.8:32) and as the Son gave himself (Gal.2:20), so Judas gave his Master, over to the Jewish authorities and the Romans. Judas did not secretly, from behind a tree, point out who Jesus was, but greeted and kissed him, openly, for the soldiers to arrest Him. So did Judas give Jesus over to them. However, that’s not all that needs to be said… to be continued　

Delen: