[floridaobserver]

Regarding your analysis of Judas . . it really makes no sense.

If Judas was truly a Zealot, he would have been delighted when handed off to the Romans and certain execution.

If he was as you say, he would be laughing his head off . . a false prophet had been eliminated, and the true Messiah could now be found, to liberate the Jews from Roman oppression.

But Judas did not act in that way. He was hoping that the Temple Elders could reach some sort of compromise. The Elders were interested in keeping their power and position, something Jesus could care less about.

When Jesus was handed over to the Romans, Judas was shocked and disheartened. He felt responsiblity for Judas' execution and committed suicide.

A true Zealot wouldn't have been sad about Jesus' death. Judas was not a zealot, by definition.

[OrthodoxPresbyterian]

Regarding your analysis of Judas . . it really makes no sense. If Judas was truly a Zealot....

Judas was indeed a Zealot... in fact, a Radical "Sacarii".

(And you're WRONG YET AGAIN about the late origin of the Sacarii; the followers of "Judas of Gamla" were called "Sacarii" as early as 7 B.C. -- have the Atheists whose theories you have been parroting served you so poorly, "FloridaObserver"? Tsk, tsk... "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." ~~ 1 Corinthians 13:11.

If you truly desire Understanding, then it is time to put away the childish Irrationalism of Atheism... and come into the Light of Rational, Aristotelian-Causality, Logical Christian Calvinism.)

Judas would have been delighted when handed off {Jesus} to the Romans and certain execution...

No, you're not putting yourself in his sandals.

Judas Iscariot -- the Zealot, the "Sacarii", the Political Assassin -- WANTED a Revolutionary, Military, Political Messiah. He was, according to his own desires, convinced that Jesus was that Messiah; at least at one point.

He'd walked with Jesus, seen the Miracles, even seen Jesus refuse Worship to Caesar (Matthew 22:21). AND YET, in spite of it all, Jesus would not directly assault the Roman Authority.

Judas was getting impatient at this point. He'd wasted three years of his life on this Messiah, and he was convinced that the purpose of the Jewish Messiah was to Destroy Rome. It was time for Jesus of Nazareth to "put up" or "shut up"; Judas wanted a direct military confrontation between Jesus and Rome, and he was prepared to do anything to acheive it.

So, the Iscariot Revolutionary sold out his Messiah... "put up or shut up!"... and the Messiah went willingly to the Accursed Roman Cross!

Talk about a major bummer. Judas saw Jesus raise the Dead to Life, it don't get any more Messianic than that. And yet, even under Roman Arrest, Jesus STILL would not directly assault the Roman Political Authority.

Judas, a broken and disappointed Political Revolutionary, went out and hanged himself.

Moral of the Story? Don't trust Politics. Jesus Alone Saves.

Best, OP