We understand Judas had been stealing from the other disciples. Yet the Lord included him among the chosen, even though the Lord knew there was sin in his heart.

But that Judas was not thoroughly evil is revealed in the depths of his repentance once Satan had had his way with him. Judas threw away the thirty pieces of silver, which is a remarkable action on the part of a thief. Judas was genuinely remorseful over the fact he had betrayed an innocent person, not because he believed he had betrayed the Messiah of Israel.

The same was true of the rich man in Hell. Even while in agony he expressed concern over the members of his family.

I suspect Judas may have wondered if Jesus might not actually be the Messiah. If He were actually the Messiah, Judas stood to be in a place of power when the Lord took His throne as King of Israel. But the closer the disciples came to the cross the more they began to see that the end of following the Carpenter was going to be disaster.

Thus the suicidal remorse of Judas was that of a somewhat righteous individual whose conscience tormented him over the fact of having betrayed an innocent person.

We have some notions in our thinking that are not scriptural and therefore not in line with spiritual realities. We tend to believe people are totally wicked or totally righteous. This is not true. Most of us have both tares and wheat in our personality.

Do you remember how the king of Israel questioned Gehazi about the great things Elisha had done? Gehazi, the leper, did not refuse to answer the king, although he would have refused to answer if he had been burning with hatred against Elisha for putting the disease of leprosy on him. Instead one gets the impression that Gehazi was boasting about the marvelous experiences he had had when he worked as the servant of Elisha.

The king was talking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, and had said, "Tell me about all the great things Elisha has done." Just as Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life came to beg the king for her house and land. Gehazi said, "This is the woman, my lord the king, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life." (II Kings 8:4,5—NIV)

No, Gehazi, Judas, Ananias, and Sapphira were not devils in red suits with long tails, holding pitchforks. They were people just like you and me who desired to be close to the things of God. They were not thoroughly wicked people.

There undoubtedly were numerous Israelites in the days of Elisha who were more wicked than Gehazi.

There were many Pharisees in the days of Jesus more wicked than Judas—Pharisees who out of envy called for the Lord's death. Notice how these wicked, heartless people responded to Judas' remorse.

When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility." So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:3-5—NIV)

To be continued.