And what nation is ruling that part of the statue were in? When we forget that God is in control, we overstep our limited authority. Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 2001. Judas knew he had done wrong, and when the full force of his terrible act hit him, the Bible says "he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins" to those who had paid him (Matthew 27:3). Sprouls new book on the hard sayings of Scripture. It isn't. As a result, the church added about 3,000 new believers (verse 41). 10:12), because Jesus then turned to Simon and said to him in loving terms, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat (Luke 22:31). Another Answer Peter found forgiveness because he repented, but Judas did not repent and therefore was not forgiven. Peter and Judas are not all that different, it seems. We need to get away from the idea that God is only presented in the Scriptures, in these warm and soft sort of pictures the shepherd, the Father, the friend, whatever it is if you take those pictures of God to the exclusion of everything else that the Bible says about God, you have an incomplete picture of Him. If we are just disappointed with ourselves and our failure, this is not real repentance but simply pride. After his denial, Peter "went out and wept bitterly" (Matthew 26:75). Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Remember what Paul said in 2 Corinthians. Real repentance leads us back, leads us to forgiveness; real repentance is a special kind of love towards the person one has betrayed. While Judas planned to betray Jesus, Peter was a different story. (NIV), Acts 10:34-35 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right." Jesus knew Judas' intention was to follow Him, not because He loved Jesus but because of his own selfish interest. We pray for God to heal today. God looks at our hearts more than our outward appearance. But Peter insisted emphatically, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." There was clearly something on Jesus' mind, as he took Peter and 'the two sons of Zebedee' with him to go and pray. Yes! I believe that what Jesus did right here, in Luke 23:34, was He was simply saying, Lord, these people who are doing the work of executing me right now, they dont know what theyre doing, Lord, be compassionate to them.. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. Submit a Rosary Prayer Request to be Read Live Online. Like the other 11 apostles, he left his occupation to follow Jesus for three years, learning from him about the kingdom of heaven. Peter was the one who kept losing his temper. And why did He go to hell? He did not just look at Judas, but even kissed him. Halton, Thomas Patrick. But what the world, the flesh and the devil work together to do, is to deface that statue. Its the armor that just indicates that He is a warrior as well. What happened to the Catholic Knights Hospitaller? Now notice, I said SOME people. Fisherman, a leader in the early church, missionary, Epistle writer. And that was why Jesus never abandoned him. Its an amazing thing. Copyright 2022 Catholic Online. And to pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you (Matthew 5:44). Zavada, Jack. All four gospels record Peter's denial of Jesus, and all of the synoptic gospels record how Peter "wept bitterly" after the rooster crowed. Would you please know that I love you and that its not too late for you to turn back if you only would. But of course, Jesus knew that Judas would not do that. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. Live with Pastor David. Surely, they were all sad, scared and full of remorse over their sins, just as we are. His ruin came because he lost hope; he either did not believe in forgiveness or did not trust it would be given him or he decided he could not, would not forgive himself, and so he gave in to despair. Another reason I believe that Jesus is coming in this generation, is because I think thats what Jesus wants us to believe. Perdition means destruction. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1994. I think it is a good and healthy thing for us to believe that Jesus Christ is coming soon, but not with crazy predictions of dates, not with panic, not with fear. And Ill explain it to you to the best of my understanding. Any/all written content and images displayed are provided by the blogger/author, appear herein as submitted by the blogger/author and are unedited by Opera News. His story stands as a sober warning for all time, reminding us of the dangers of a superficial belief in Jesus. I have to say I personally think thats not accurate at all. Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen. And when we talk about Christ dwelling in us, we usually mean Christ dwelling in us through the Holy Spirit. Christians arent perfect yet. On Illustrious Men. Just go to them and say, hey, Ive got a dispute with brother so and so. Its real. They could apply to many people among the mob and the onlookers of Jesuss crucifixion, there on that day at Golgotha. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. Why was Peter forgiven? Perhaps, he wanted to tell all those who would also fall like him about the forgiveness he received and say: - No sin is so grave that Our Lord could not forgive it;- No betrayal of God can be so great that the God's mercy could not be greater- No denial can be so shameful and humiliating that we should despair over it. Why? Its possible to deface it, so to speak, but I dont think it can be removed. Yet He is always waiting for me to return and ask for His grace once more. She maintains a faith and lifestyle blog graceandgrowing.com, where she muses about the Lord, life, culture, and ministry. 27:5). And he was the one that acknowledged Christ as the Messiah (Matthew 16:16). A kiss. Later, Peter was among those same disciples Jesus chose to witness the transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-9). We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. Why did God wait 120 years to destroy the earth by the flood? Real Questions. But in His divine nature, He could never change, and He could never stop being God. The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. Jesus did this ceremonially in front of all the other disciple, to express His love for Judas, His favor, His compassion, even though Jesus knew that Judas was about to betray him. Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. If the content contained herein violates any of your rights, including those of copyright, and/or violates any the above mentioned factors, you are requested to immediately notify us using via the following email address operanews-external(at)opera.com and/or report the article using the available reporting functionality built into our Platform Are these three terms the same? If those passages in Matthew 12 and Mark 3, were the only passages we had that speak of forgiveness, then we might have reason to believe the unforgivable sin is a one time statement. Jesus says in the parable of the Unforgiving Servant that it is not enough simply to forgive someone seven times, but seventy time seven (Matthew 18:21-22) which implies as often as is needed. Through the remainder of that book, Peter and John were persecuted for their stand for Christ. And we would pray that God would continue to sanctify us, and Christians who are given over to celebrity culture, whether they idolize the celebrities of the world and the common culture, or they idolize the celebrities of Christian culture, they need to be not so worldly in that regard. What led to Peters denial of his Lord was his failure to watch and pray as Jesus instructed him during the last night in Gethsemane. It is one thing for God to give forgiveness and redemption, and it is another for us to accept His forgiveness and redemption, especially through the Sacraments of Baptism, Penance and the Holy Eucharist. Bethany Verrettis a freelance writer and editor. I think its interesting to think that its not only the armor that God supplies, but its Gods own armor. Finally, he followed his Master unto death the death of a martyr. DEAR DR. GRAHAM: Do you think God forgave Judas for betraying Jesus? Notice, however, that Jesus does not say to Peter, What you are going to do, do quickly. Our Lords words to Simon Peter were significantly different from what He said to Judas. We can accomplish great things when we put our faith in God instead of ourselves. I would disagree with this because of what seems to be the teaching of Scripture regarding the marriage of Mary and Joseph, which seems to imply that they did have marital relations after Jesus was born. Jesus said in John 6:37 the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. Jesus did not add the words, Except if youve spoken against me five years ago. So again all this put together makes us believe that the blaspheny of the Holy Spirit is a settled rejection of what the Holy Spirit says about Jesus and the refusal to come to him. Following his resurrection, Jesus took special care to rehabilitate Peter and assure him he was forgiven. Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Request R.C. What about things that dont seem to line up? He wrote 1 Peter and 2 Peter. So did that forgiveness that Jesus spoke of in Luke 23:34 apply to Judas? You see, there's a difference between feeling sorry over something we have done, and actually repenting of it. But now in verses 3 through 5 he wants you to understand that Jesus is an innocent man that is absolutely essential to our salvation . Legend has it that the Romans were going to crucify Peter, but he told them he was not worthy to be executed in the same manner as Jesus, so he was crucified upside down. When Jesus said it is finished at the cross, He meant it and our sins were paid for there. The difference lies in this only: Peter trusted in God's mercy - Judas did not. When you turn out to be sinful? Zavada, Jack. Is it I? When Judas asked, Is it I, Rabbi? Jesus said to him, You have said so (Matt. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. No, this is what I remember. He does not have full fellowship with sinners. When we become Christians, there is a genuine transformation of life that happens. Hope pulls you out of yourself and into the world, forcing you to believe more is possible. What a tragedy! It also helps us make sense of the accounts of Peter and Judas, two of Jesus disciples who experienced a serious fall. That is the great lesson for our faith: How often do we wallow in self-pity and think we are really humble. If we just focus on Judas' greed we miss the true lesson behind it. We can't cling to sin with one hand and forgiveness with the other, believing we are pious and humble. So, we have the father treating the son as if he were a sinner, at the very moment that the Son is performing the Most Holy act of love that can ever be imagined. He was aware of how deeply he had betrayed Jesus, and yet because of his humility, Jesus restores him by the Sea of Tiberias. As despicable as this act was, it did not lead to Judas' tragic demise. When Jesus called Judas the son of destruction he means that Judas was a man who would be completely and absolutely sent to destruction that he is the son of it. Instead, patiently, gently, pick yourself up and start all over again. News ), Opera News is a free to use platform and the views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent, reflect or express the views of Opera News. And I would respectfully disagree with this relatively late doctrine, also known as the perpetual virginity of Mary. Jennifer Hartline is a contributing writer for Catholic Online. 2. He was the son of perdition, as the King James Bible, and the New King James Bible say it. The following was first presented to me in the late 1980s. Indeed, history testifies that Peter, in spite of this radical and serious fall, nevertheless endured to the end. May we receive grace to serve God with reverence and godly fear in Jesus name. It is not proof of my love for Him to dwell on my failures or nitpick my flaws and defects. He lived by the principles of righteousness that Christ preached. You will again; I will again. Seeing how Peter was received by Jesus, with forgiveness and love, gives each of us confidence that He waits for us with mercy and affection. Why Did Jesus Forgive Peter And Not Judas? Every single one of his apostles left Jesus that night, denied him and betrayed him somehow. DEAR F.B. St. Francis de Sales. Humility is always truth, and the truth is: we sinned. Start every morning off the right way with God! Peter correctly identified Jesus as the Messiah (Matthew 16:16), not through his own knowledge but the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. In His human nature, He could change. And someone who has a level of spiritual maturity, someone who can discern whats right and whats wrong. She is a contributing writer for Catholic Online on topics of Catholic faith, family, Life and politics. Today, we humbly ask you to defend Catholic Online's independence. The punishment He endured has brought peace for others, but not for me. The truth is, we have sinned. Would you be willing to be a witness about it? As we consider the scriptures there seems to be two driving forces behind Judas' betrayal of Jesus. And I believe that as I look around in the world today, I see that our present day fits the description of the kind of political, economic, cultural and spiritual scenario that the Bible says will mark the last days. It is an invitation for us to always remember what St. Benedict says at the end of Chapter 5 -- fundamental -- of his Rule: "Never despair of God's mercy." In fact, "God is greater than our hearts," as St. John says (1 John 3:20). You have, I have. The same story repeats itself over and over - all the way to Golgotha: two thieves are being crucified together with Jesus. Volume 1. In the Passion according to St. Mark we notice the parallel between Judas and Peter. They could apply to the Roman soldiers. Peter's true name was Simon. We only know that Judas did not forgive himself. Hearst Foundations award WSU with a $150,000 grant, Hearst Foundations award Seattle Art Museum with $250,000 grant, Hearst Foundations award two Wash. orgs with $175,000 in grants, Two popular Seattle parks will close early this summer, city says, Most calls made to Seattle police are for noncriminal activity, Home in local architect's family since the 60s is on sale for $3M. Zavada, Jack. We cant seem to resolve it. Looking at the full armor of God in Ephesians 6 Im confused by the fact that God himself would even need to wear an armor at all, as described in Isaiah 59. Though Jesus loved Judas, Judas did not receive that love and he turned against Jesus. God you could even say the Triune God dwelling in us by the presence of the Holy Spirit in us. It's a demanding emotion that insists on changing you. Peter Denies Knowing Jesus Bible Story Study Guide, The Transfiguration Bible Story Study Guide, Cornelius in the Bible Becomes a Christian, Jesus Calls the Twelve Apostles (Mark 3:13-19), Israel Tour Pictures: Photo Journal of the Holy Land, Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead, M.A., English Composition, Illinois State University, B.S., English Literature, Illinois State University. Superficially, Peter and Judas have the same fate. Perhaps, he wanted to tell all those who would also fall like him about the forgiveness he received and say: - No sin is so grave that Our Lord could not forgive it; - No betrayal of God can be so great that the God's mercy could not be greater Its taught by tradition in the Roman Catholic Church, not by the scriptures themselves. God can forgive any repented sin, but man must repent of his sins before he can be forgiven. . And there is only one way to make up for it, to "undo" it. In some sense, the Romans who crucified Jesus sinned in ignorance, but Judas sinned with full knowledge. Boz witnesses Jesus' entry to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. He persevered in the faith. Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received . He was not one of the ignorant who didnt know what he was doing. The truth also is, He died knowing that; He died because of that; He died to heal that. The answer to this question lies in the fact that there is a great difference between the life of Peter and that of Judas. St. Marculf: Saint of the Day for Monday, May 01, 2023, To Saint Peregrine: Prayer of the Day for Monday, May 01, 2023. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. Betraying Jesus wasn't the worst thing Judas did. His fate was not sealed by his kiss, but by his pride. Do you still think that, in spite of the many unfulfilled prophecies? Opera News furthermore does not condone the use of our platform for the purposes encouraging/endorsing hate speech, violation of human rights and/or utterances of a defamatory nature. Also someone had to betray Jesus for Jesus to die for our sins as he was meant to. Isaiah 53:5. Proverbs 4: 23 admonishes us to guard our hearts with all diligence for all of our decisions are based on the thoughts of our heart. She and her husband have lived all over the country serving their Lord and Savior in ministry. After Pentecost, Peter boldly proclaimed the gospel in Jerusalem, unafraid of arrest and persecution. It also helps us make sense of the accounts of The intercession of our Great High Priest is the foundation for our confidence when it comes to our perseverance. It was a piece of bread that was dipped in the juices of the meat dish they ate all together. But the changes that happen to our life, they dont all happen at once. Lift your heart gently, accept your failure without wallowing in your weakness. Show the volunteers who bring you reliable, Catholic information that their work matters. Judas' sin, however, receives more attention because it seems more scandalous than the others. But at the same time, the Father was pleased to see his Son perform this holy work. Lets examine these lives: This disciple led an obedient life to God. As far as how do you gather witnesses without seeming to gossip or murmur, I would just simply say this: if youre concerned about gossip, and you ask somebody to be a witness in a dispute that you have with another person, dont tell them your case in advance! In doing so, he repeatedly rejected the convictions of the Holy Spirit which led to the hardening of his heart against God. But while Peter went on to become one of the greatest Christians ever, the story of Judas ended in ignominy.