Judas Iscariot was one of Jesus's twelve original disciples (compare apostles).
According to the New Testament accounts, he carried their money box and is best-known for having betrayed Jesus for a bribe of "30 pieces of silver" by pointing him out to arresting Roman soldiers. However, other accounts say Judas was merely the designated facilitator of a prearranged prisoner exchange (following the money-lender riot in the Temple) that gave Jesus to the Roman authorities by mutual agreement, and that the "traitor" aspect was a historical distortion.
According to the Gospel of Matthew, after Jesus' execution by the Roman authorities, Judas returned the bribe to the priests and committed suicide by hanging. The Acts of the Apostles (1:18) tells differently about Judas' death: that he "purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out". According to the Acts of the Apostles, his place among the apostles was later filled by Matthias.
Etymology
Iscariot (Hebrew: Ish Kerayoth, i.e., "man of Kerayoth") indicates that Judas originated in the Judean town (more probably, collection of small towns) of Kerayoth. Alternately, it may derive from Sicarii, or dagger-man, a cadre of Jewish rebels intent on driving the Romans out of Judea. Although Judas's name became synonymous with "betrayer," he may have turned Jesus in to the Jewish authorities because he felt Jesus had betrayed the rebel movement.
Theological Questions
Judas has been a figure of great interest to esoteric groups such as many Gnostic sects, because of the apparent contradiction in the idea of "the betrayal of God". Either Jesus did not foresee the betrayal by Judas, or was unable to prevent it, or he allowed Judas to betray him, or Judas was an informed accomplice in Jesus's planned destiny.
Judas in Art and Literature
Judas has become the archetype of the betrayer in Western culture. In Dante's Inferno, he is condemned to the lowest circle of Hell, eternally frozen into ice.
Some modern works such as Jesus Christ Superstar and The Last Temptation of Christ also highlight the role of Judas in the Gospel story.
See also: quisling
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