Ἰούδας. Excluding the genealogies of Christ we have six persons of this name in N.T. 1. This Judas, who was the son of a certain James (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13): he is commonly identified with Lebbaeus or Thaddaeus (see on Matthew 10:3). 2. Judas Iscariot. 3. The brother of Jesus Christ, and of James, Joses, and Simon (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3). 4. Judas, surnamed Barsabas (Acts 15:22; Acts 15:27; Acts 15:32). 5. Judas of Galilee (Acts 5:37). 6. Judas of Damascus (Acts 9:11). Of these six the third is probably the author of the Epistle; so that this remark is the only thing recorded in the N.T. of Judas the Apostle as distinct from the other Apostles. Nor is anything really known of him from other sources.

τί γέγονεν. What is come to pass; what has happened to determine Thee to so strange a course? Ἐμφανίσω rouses S. Judas just as ἑωράκατε (John 14:7) roused S. Philip. Both go wrong from the same cause, inability to see the spiritual meaning of Christ’s words; but they go wrong in different ways. Philip wishes for a vision of the Father, a Theophany, a suitable inauguration of the Messiah’s kingdom. Judas supposes with the rest of his countrymen that the manifestation of the Messiah means a bodily appearance in glory before the whole world, to judge the Gentile and restore the kingdom to the Jews. Once more we have the Jewish point of view given with convincing precision. Comp. John 7:4.

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Old Testament