Joo´duhs; Gk. for the Heb. Judah
1 Judas, the son of Jacob (Matt 1:2-3). 2 Judas, an ancestor of Jesus (Luke 3:30). 3 Judas Maccabeus, the third of the five sons of Mattathias. When officers of Antiochus IV Epiphanies sought to force Mattathias and his family to apostasize, Mattathias rose up in defense of the law and the covenant and led his sons into the wilderness in revolt (1Macc 2:15-48). Upon the death of his father, Judas successfully led Israel in numerous battles against the Syrians, after which the Temple was purified (1Macc 4:36-61; John 10:22). Judas continued to lead Israel in battle with great success, liberating Jews from surrounding territories and even making a treaty with Rome. He finally fell in battle in 160 BCE (1Macc 9:1-18). 4 Judas of Galilee, a Jewish leader who led a revolt against Rome during the census of Quirinius (Acts 5:37). Josephus credits him with founding the “sect” of the Zealots. 5 Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles, the son of Simon Iscariot. He is to be distinguished from the other apostle called Judas (John 14:22). Judas possessed a privileged position among the apostles as treasurer of the group (John 12:5-6; John 13:29). Why he betrayed Jesus is uncertain. Some suggestions are that he did it after being convinced that Jesus truly planned to die (Mark 14:3-11) or that he did it for money (Matt 26:14-16). The betrayal consisted of indicating to authorities how Jesus could be arrested privately (Mark 14:1-2). Upon reflecting on what he had done, Judas experienced remorse and sought to undo his evil deed (Matt 27:3-4), but it was not possible. In sorrow he hanged himself (Matt 27:5). According to Acts, he fell headlong, his body split open, and his bowels fell out (Acts 1:18). 6 Judas, the son of James and one of the apostles (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13; John 14:22). This is probably the Thaddaeus of (Matt 10:3; Mark 3:18). The qualification of Judas in these latter two passages only makes sense if there were another Judas in the group. 7 Judas, one of the four brothers of Jesus (Mark 6:3), traditionally identified as the author of Jude. 8 Judas, a man to whose home in Damascus the blind Saul was brought (Acts 9:11). 9 Judas Barsabbas, a leader in the Jerusalem church chosen along with Silas to accompany Paul and Barnabas back to Antioch in order to announce the apostolic decree (Acts 15:22-23). It is possible that he and Joseph (Acts 1:23) were brothers.
