Welcome and thank you for taking a bible break to test your knowledge of God's word.
This week's question:

Jesus chose twelve men to follow Him during His teaching upon this earth, and yet, one would betry Him:

Mark 3:13-19 And He went up on the mountain and summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they

came to Him. And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out

to preach, adn to have authority to cast out the demons. And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom

He gave the name Peter), and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He

gave the name Boanerges, which means, "Sons of Thunder"); and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew,

and Matthew and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot; and

Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.

So we know that Judas Iscariot will betry Him, and yet Jesus chose Him, and not only that, but he was the treasurer of the group (John13:29). Judas seems to show concern for the poor when a pound of very costly perfume is wiped on Jesus feet by Mary with her own hair, he complains that the perfume could have been sold for three hundred denarii instead and used more wisely (Mark 14:3-5) but His real intent is to pilfer from the money box because he is a thief (John 12:1-8).

John 12:6 Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a theif,

and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it.

So that is our answer to our question today, as Judas Iscariot is the disciple who is a theif. And yet, Jesus, the Son of God, chose him as one of His own. The question that may come to mind is twofold: Why would Jesus choose someone with the heart like Judas's? Secondly, and as a followup, why would He do it if He knew?

Both of these questions are answered in John chapter thirteen.

John 13:18-21 "I do not speak of all of you, I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture

may be fulfilled, 'He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.' From now on I am telling you

before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He. truly, truly, I say to

you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me."

When Jesus said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, that

one of you will betry Me."

Jesus tells His disciples that alhough He knows the ones He's chosen, still one would betray Him, and He wants them to know that He knew it beforehand that they might believe in Him after the betrayal. And Jesus chose him to fulfill scripture. As they are reclining at the table the disciple whom Jesus loves asks whom it is and Jesus says it would be the one who dips in the sop after Him and as He does, it is Judas Iscariot who dips next and he says,

"Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" and Jesus says to him, "You have said it yourself." (Matthew 26:25).

Little did the other eleven know that Judas had set the betrayal in motion by selling the opportunity for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16). Jesus assures them that prophecy must be fulfilled, which answers the second part of

the question. Jesus tells Judas, "What you do, do it quickly." (John 13:27-30), and immediately Judas goes out into the night to betray Him. The other eleven think he has gone out to get things for the feast, since he has the money box. After Jesus is betrayed in the garden of Gethsemane, Judas watches as Jesus is sent ot the cross.

When Judas sees that Jesus is going to the cross, he feels remorse and tries to get Jesus released as he admits his guilt of charging innocent blood, but the chief priests and elders do not take back the silver and Judas thows the silver into the sanctuary and then goes out and hangs himself by throwing himself over a cliff. The cheif priests conferr and buy the field with the 30 pieces of silver and the potter's field which was then called the field of blood as it was bought with blood money, which also also fulfills prophecy (Matthew 27:1-10).

Judas remorse did not turn to repentance as he committed suicide. Peter, on the other hand denied Jesus three times that same night and yet he returns to the Lord by preaching the first gospel sermon in Acts chapter two.

Let us be ready to recognize any sins that we may be weighed with and return to Him in true repentance that leads to life.