Summary: As one of the twelve disciples, Judas was a chosen ambassador of hope. Yet, it was his own despair that led to his ultimate destruction. He had been given the authority to heal and cast out demons. He was trusted as the treasurer. He had witnessed the miracles and the teaching of Jesus. He was found around the proximity of glory, but he was not found in it. In his sorrow he turned not to the Father, but rather to his own failures. Therefore, his identity remains Judas the betrayer, the thief, the entitled, and the deceptor, rather than Judas the redeemed. While a glimpse into the life of Judas can serve as a warning, it can also be a source of comfort.
