Note 4 at Mk. 3:19: The name "Iscariot" means "man of Kerioth," a place in Judah. Judas Iscariot is mentioned 22 times in scripture--5 times in Matthew, 3 times in Mark, 4 in Luke, 8 in John, and 2 in Acts, all of which mention him in his role as the betrayer of Jesus. Several Old Testament scriptures deal prophetically with Judas, most notably Zechariah 11:12- 13 which prophesies Jesus being sold for 30 pieces of silver. Other Old Testament scriptures which could be applied to Judas are Psalm 41:9; 69:25; and Psalm 109:8 (see Acts 1:16-20).

Judas was the son of a man named Simon (Jn. 6:71), and like the other disciples, just an ordinary man. Not only was he chosen by Jesus as one of the twelve apostles, but also, he was given the power to work miracles (Mt. 10:5-20; Mk. 3:14-15; 6:7-13; Lk. 9:1-10; Acts 1:17) and apparently was very successful at it (Mk. 6:12-13; Lk. 9:10). He was the treasurer of the disciples (Jn. 13:29), but was also a thief (Jn. 12:6).

All four gospels contain the account of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. Matthew 27:3-4 says that when Judas saw that Jesus was condemned, he "repented himself" and went to the chief priests saying "I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood." Full of remorse when the chief priests would not listen to him (v. 4), he left the temple and hanged himself (Mt. 27:5).

Jesus refers to Judas as being "lost" and as the "son of perdition" (or destruction) in John 17:12. Jesus said "it had been good for that man if he had not been born" (Mt. 26:24; Mk. 14:21).