Was Judas The Devil? 

GEORGE L. FAULL

Dear Brother Faull,

I have a serious inquiry. In John 6:70-21, Jesus called Judas a devil.  In no other passage in the Bible is the word devil applied to anyone but of Satan himself.  The word here in the Greek is diabolus and THE DEFINITE ARTICLE in employed meaning “one of you is THE DEVIL in the verse.  Now Jesus called him the Son of Perdition in John 17:12, “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”  So, my question is simply, who was Judas or was he the devil incarnate?

Consider II Thessalonians 2:3-10.

ANSWER:

The answer to your question is this.  You have made several false statements.

1.             The text does not have the definite article, so this is not referring to “the devil.” 

2.             The Bible says that Jesus chose Judas.

          It is inconceivable that He would purposely choose “the devil” as an inspired apostle for He knew whom He chose.  John 13:11

3.             Judas fell.

Acts 1:25 Can the epitome of evil fall only after he became an apostle of Jesus?

4.             Satan entered his heart; therefore he is not Satan.

John 13:27

5.             He is not the only one to be called diabalos.

I Timothy 3:11, II Timothy 3:3, Titus 2:3

The word is simply “an accuser, an informer or slanderer” as seen above.

6.             Peter was called “Satan” or “adversary” (one who opposes another in purpose and act), but was 

        not Satan.

Matthew 16:23

7.             Elymus was called “the son of the devil” (diabalos), but was not the literal “child of Satan.”

Acts 13:10

8.       The fact that both Judas and the man of sin are called “the son of Perdition” should not be reason to believe that Judas was the “devil” incarnate.

This has often been held by heretical sects, but there is no reason for that.  Some are called “the child of the devil,” but it does not follow that they are incarnate devils.

Ø       An individual angel may be called “the son of God.”

Ø       Adam was called the “son of God.”

Ø       An individual believer is called “the son of God.”

Ø       Jesus is called the “Son of God.”

Yet these are not equated to be the same being.  The same can be said of “the son of man.”  Ezekiel is called the “son of man” repeatedly, yet he is not the “Son of man” as Jesus is.

So, jumping to the conclusion that Judas was the devil would be rash.