Dict: smith - JUDA

smith:

JUDA - J>@ - (praised). Son of Joseph, in the genealogy of Christ. kjv@Luke:3:30) Son of Joanna, or Hananiah. HANANIAH, 8 kjv@Luke:3:26) He seems to be certainly the same person as ABIUD in kjv@Matthew:1:13) One of the Lord’s brethren, enumerated in kjv@Mark:6:3) The patriarch Judah. Sus. 56; kjv@Luke:3:33; kjv@Hebrews:7:14; kjv@Revelation:5:5 kjv@Revelation:7:5)

JUDAEA, OR JUDEA - J>@ - (from Judah), a territorial division which succeeded to the overthrow of the ancient landmarks of the tribes of Israel and Judah in their respective captivities. The word first occurs kjv@Daniel:5:13) Authorized Version "Jewry," and the first mention of the "province of Judea" is in the book of Ezra, kjv@Ezra:5:8) It is alluded to in kjv@Nehemiah:11:3) (Authorized Version "Judah"). In the apocryphal books the word "province" is dropped, and throughout them and the New Testament the expressions are "the land of Judea," "Judea." In a wide and more improper sense, the term Judea was sometimes extended to the whole country of the Canaanites, its ancient inhabitants; and even in the Gospels we read of the coasts of Judea "beyond Jordan." kjv@Matthew:19:1; kjv@Mark:10:1) Judea was, in strict language, the name of the third district, west of the Jordan and south of Samaria. It was made a portion of the Roman province of Syria upon the deposition of Archelaus, the ethnarch of Judea, in A.D. 6, and was governed by a procurator, who was subject to the governor of Syria.

JUDAH - J>@ - (praised, celebrated), the fourth son of Jacob and the fourth of Leah. (B.C. after 1753.) Of Judah’s personal character more traits are preserved than of any other of the patriarchs, with the exception of Joseph, whose life he in conjunction with Reuben saved. kjv@Genesis:37:26-28) During the second visit to Egypt for corn it was Judah who understood to be responsible for the safety of Benjamin, ch. kjv@Genesis:43:3-10) and when, through Joseph’s artifice, the brothers were brought back to the palace, he is again the leader and spokesman of the band. So too it is Judah who is sent before Jacob to smooth the way for him in the land of Goshen. ch. kjv@Genesis:46:28) This ascendancy over his brethren is reflected in the last words addressed to him by his father. The families of Judah occupy a position among the tribes similar to that which their progenitor had taken among the patriarchs. The numbers of the tribe at the census at Sinai were 74-600. kjv@Numbers:1:26-27) On the borders of the promised land they were 76,500. kjv@Genesis:26:22) The boundaries and contents of the territory allotted to Judah are narrated at great length, and with greater minuteness than the others, in kjv@Joshua:15:20-63) The north boundary, for the most part coincident with the south boundary of Benjamin, began at the embouchure of the Jordan and ended on the west at Jabneel on the coast of the Mediterranean, four miles south of Joppa. On the east the Dead Sea, and on the west the Mediterranean, formed the boundaries. The southern line is hard to determine, since it is denoted by places many of which have not been identified. It left the Dead Sea at its extreme south end, and joined the Mediterranean at the Wady el
- Arish. This territory is in average length about 45 miles, and in average breadth about 50.

JUDAH, KINGDOM OF - J>@ - Extent.
When the disruption of Solomon’s kingdom took place at Shechem, B.C. 975, only the tribe of Judah followed David, but almost immediately afterward the larger part of Benjamin joined Judah. A part, if no all, of the territory of Simeon, ( kjv@1Samuel:27:6; kjv@Kings:19:3) comp. kjv@Joshua:19:1 And of Dan, ( kjv@2Chronicles:11:10) comp. kjv@Joshua:19:41-42 Was recognized as belonging to Judah; and in the reigns of Abijah and Asa the southern kingdom was enlarged by some additions taken out of the territory of Ephraim. ( kjv@2Chronicles:13:19 kjv@2Chronicles:15:8 kjv@2Chronicles:17:2 ) It is estimated that the territory of Judah contained about 3450 square miles. Advantages.
The kingdom of Judah possessed many advantages which secured for it a longer continuance than that of Israel. A frontier less exposed to powerful enemies, a soil less fertile, a population hardier and more united, a fixed and venerated centre of administration and religion, a hereditary aristocracy in the sacerdotal caste, an army always subordinate, a succession of kings which no revolution interrupted; so that Judah survived her more populous and more powerful sister kingdom by 135 years, and lasted from B.C. 975 to B.C. 536. History
The first three kings of Judah seem to have cherished the hope of re-establishing their authority over the ten tribes; for sixty years there was war between them and the kings of Israel. The victory achieved by the daring Abijah brought to Judah a temporary accession of territory. Asa appears to have enlarged it still further. Hanani’s remonstrance, ( kjv@2Chronicles:16:7) prepares us for the reversal by Jehoshaphat of the policy which Asa pursued toward Israel and Damascus. A close alliance sprang up with strange rapidity between Judah and Israel. Jehoshaphat, active and prosperous, commanded the respect of his neighbors; but under Amaziah Jerusalem was entered and plundered by the Israelites. Under Uzziah and Jotham, Judah long enjoyed prosperity, till Ahaz became the tributary and vassal of Tiglath-pileser. Already in the fatal grasp of Assyria, Judah was yet spared for a checkered existence of almost another century and a half after the termination of the kingdom of Israel. The consummation of the ruin came upon its people in the destruction of the temple by the hand of Nebuzaradan, B.C. 536. There were 19 kings, all from the family of David. (Population.
We have a gage as to the number of the people at different periods in the number of soldiers. If we estimate the population at four times the fighting men, we will have the following table: King...Date ... Soldiers ... Population David...B.C. 1056-1015 ... 500,000 ... 2,000,000 Rehoboam...975-957 ... 180,000 ... 720,000 Abijah...957-955 ... 400,000 ... 1,600,000 Asa...955-914 ... 500,000 ... 2,000,000 Jehoshaphat...914-889 ... 1,160,000 ... 4-640,000 Amaziah...839-810 ... 300,000 ... 1-200,000

- ED.)

JUDAS - J>@ - the Greek form of the Hebrew name Judah, occurring in the LXX, and the New Testament. The patriarch Judah. kjv@Matthew:1:2-3) A man residing at Damascus, in "the street which is called Straight," in whose house Saul of Tarsus lodged after his miraculous conversion. kjv@Acts:9:11)

JUDAS - J>@ - surnamed Barsabas, a leading member of the apostolic church at Jerusalem, kjv@Acts:15:22) endued with the gift of prophesy, ver. kjv@Acts:15:32) chosen with Silas to accompany Paul and Barnabas as delegates to the church at Antioch. (A.D. 47.) Later, Judas went back to Jerusalem.

JUDAS OF GALILEE - J>@ - the leader of a popular revolt "in the days of the taxing" (i.e. the census, under the prefecture of P. Sulp. Quirinus, A.D. 6, A.U.C. 759), referred to by Gamaliel in his speech before the Sanhedrin. kjv@Acts:5:37) According to Josephus, Judas was a Gaulonite of the city of Gamala, probably taking his name of Galilean from his insurrection having had its rise in Galilee. The Gaulonites, as his followers were called, may be regarded as the doctrinal ancestors of the Zealots and Sicarii of later days.

JUDAS ISCARIOT - J>@ - (Judas of Kerioth). He is sometimes called "the son of Simon," kjv@John:6:71 kjv@John:13:2 kjv@John:13:26) but more commonly ISCARIOTES. kjv@Matthew:10:4; kjv@Mark:3:19; kjv@Luke:6:16) etc. The name Iscariot has received many interpretations more of less conjectural. The most probable is from Ish Kerioth , i.e. "man of Kerioth," a town in the tribe of Judah. kjv@Joshua:15:25) Of the life of Judas before the appearance of his name in the lists of the apostles we know absolutely nothing. What that appearance implies, however, is that he had previously declared himself a disciple. He was drawn, as the others were, by the preaching of the Baptist, or his own Messianic hopes, or the "gracious words" of the new Teacher, to leave his former life, and to obey the call of the Prophet of Nazareth. The choice was not made, we must remember, without a provision of its issue. kjv@John:6:64) The germs of the evil, in all likelihood, unfolded themselves gradually. The rules to which the twelve were subject in their first journey, kjv@Matthew:10:9-10) sheltered him from the temptation that would have been most dangerous to him. The new form of life, of which we find the first traces in kjv@Luke:8:3) brought that temptation with it. As soon as the twelve were recognized as a body, travelling hither and thither with their Master, receiving money and other offerings, and redistributing what they received to the poor, it became necessary that some one should act as the steward and almoner of the small society, and this fell to Judas. kjv@John:12:6 kjv@John:13:29) The Galilean or Judean peasant found himself entrusted with larger sums of money than before, and with this there came covetousness, unfaithfulness, embezzlement. Several times he showed his tendency to avarice and selfishness. This, even under the best of influences, grew worse and worse, till he betrayed his Master for thirty pieces of silver. (Why was such a man chosen to be one of the twelve?

(1) There was needed among the disciples, as in the Church now, a man of just such talents as Judas possessed,
the talent for managing business affairs.

(2) Though he probably followed Christ at first from mixed motives, as did the other disciples, he had the opportunity of becoming a good and useful man.

(3) It doubtless was included in God’s plans that there should be thus a standing argument for the truth and honesty of the gospel; for if any wrong or trickery had been concealed, it would have been revealed by the traitor in self-defence.

(4) Perhaps to teach the Church that God can bless and the gospel can succeed even though some bad men may creep into the fold. What was Judas’ motive in betraying Christ?

(1) Anger at the public rebuke given him by Christ at the supper in the house of Simon the leper. kjv@Matthew:26:6-14)

(2) Avarice, covetousness, the thirty pieces of silver. kjv@John:12:6)

(3) The reaction of feeling in a bad soul against the Holy One whose words and character were a continual rebuke, and who knew the traitors heart.

(4) A much larger covetousness,
an ambition to be the treasurer, not merely of a few poor disciples, but of a great and splendid temporal kingdom of the Messiah. He would hasten on the coming kingdom by compelling Jesus to defend himself.

(5) Perhaps disappointment because Christ insisted on foretelling his death instead of receiving his kingdom. He began to fear that there was to be no kingdom, after all.

(6) Perhaps, also, Judas "abandoned what seemed to him a failing cause, and hoped by his treachery to gain a position of honor and influence in the Pharisaic party." The end of Judas.

(1) Judas, when he saw the results of his betrayal, "repented himself." kjv@Matthew:27:3-10) He saw his sin in a new light, and "his conscience bounded into fury."

(2) He made ineffectual struggles to escape, by attempting to return the reward to the Pharisees, and when they would not receive it, he cast it down at their feet and left it. kjv@Matthew:27:5) But, (a) restitution of the silver did not undo the wrong; (b) it was restored in a wrong spirit,
a desire for relief rather than hatred of sin; (c) he confessed to the wrong party, or rather to those who should have been secondary, and who could not grand forgiveness; (d) "compunction is not conversion."

(3) The money was used to buy a burial-field for poor strangers. kjv@Matthew:27:6-10)

(4) Judas himself, in his despair, went out and hanged himself, kjv@Matthew:27:5) at Aceldama, on the southern slope of the valley of Hinnom, near Jerusalem, and in the act he fell down a precipice and was dashed into pieces. kjv@Acts:1:18) "And he went to his own place." kjv@Acts:1:25) "A guilty conscience must find neither hell or pardon."

(5) Judas’ repentance may be compared to that of Esau. kjv@Genesis:27:32-38; kjv@Hebrews:12:16-17) It is contrasted with that of Peter. Judas proved his repentance to be false by immediately committing another sin, suicide. Peter proved his to be true by serving the Lord faithfully ever after.
ED.)

JUDAS MACCABAEUS - J>@ - MACCABEES

JUDAS, THE LORDS BROTHER - J>@ - Among the brethren of our Lord mentioned by the people of Nazareth. kjv@Matthew:13:55; kjv@Mark:6:3) Whether this and the Jude above are the same is still a disputed point.