disclaimer : what is posted below is purely my thoughts and my assumptions.i'm not too sure if he needs to be sympatized or not. but then again, story has it that he was a betrayer, a back-stabber, the one doomed to be destroyed. he was also the one that needs to carry out the 'duty' in order the prophecy may be fulfill.
he is judas iscariot.
i had the discussion the other day with some of my girlfriends while discussing about this portion. he was a tax-collector. he loves money. he brought the pharisees to Jesus and thus, Jesus was caught, cruxified, etc. judas on the other had, got the money that he wanted - 30 silver coins.
so, up to that part, we know that he was the bad guy.
but if we read in Matthew 27, we read that he said 'i have sinned for i have betrayed innocent blood.' and he hangs himself. in the movie 'the passion', they potrayed judas being disturbed by all the little devils and all. well, who wouldnt be in sound mind after realizing that he just betrayed the Son of God.
my conclusion about judas was, what he did is probably no different from what peter did. peter denied Jesus 3 times.
[ matthew 10: 32-33 "Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven. ] but what made peter one of the great apostles after that was, he repented before God after he realized it. judas continued in his wallow-pity-party.
so, that was my conclusion - God is a God of second chances. and that if we repent of our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive them.
but now.. my second thoughts is this verse. "While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled."
[ John 17: 12 ]kinda like.. Jesus knew that judas is going to destruction (ie Hell) even before judas met Him. meaning, he is seriously, bound to destruction.
well, i'm sure there's a reason why he chose judas to be his disciple. i mean, his 12 disciple out of the many thousand people that Jesus could have chose. why did Jesus picked him and yet knew that he is going to be destructed.
at first i though that maybe, Jesus picked him cuz He knew that judas was weak - as in his temptation to money. so, probably Jesus picked him, trained and guided him be stronger when tempted. but.. 'except the one doomed to destruction'.
ultimately.. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.
[ coffeexified ]why is it that sometimes we want to do what is wrong when we already know its wrong..? or is it just me..?