Judas: An Instrument Chosen to Carry Out God's Plan

Was Judas Chosen for Salvation? A Clarification on John 15:16 A comment appeared recently in a Reformed Christian Facebook group suggesting that Jesus' statement, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you” (John 15:16), applies only to His selection of the twelve disciples—Judas included—and therefore should not be used to support the doctrine of divine election. While it is true that Jesus chose Judas as one of the Twelve, it does not follow that Judas was chosen for salvation. Scripture consistently makes a distinction between Jesus’ effectual calling unto salvation and His sovereign appointment of individuals to fulfill particular roles within redemptive history. Judas and the Fulfillment of Prophecy Psalm 41:9 declares, “Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.” Though spoken by David, this verse foreshadows Christ and anticipates the betrayal He would endure. Like many of David’s experiences, this passage functions typologically, pointing beyond David to the greater David, Jesus Christ. Psalm 22 similarly contains prophetic elements that are fulfilled in Christ’s suffering and crucifixion. Jesus’ choice of Judas must therefore be understood within this prophetic framework. Judas’ role was necessary to accomplish what had been foretold. His inclusion among the disciples served the divine purpose of bringing about the betrayal of Christ, not the redemption of Judas himself. Pharaoh as a Parallel Example Paul provides a compelling analogy in Romans 9:17: “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’” Pharaoh was raised up—appointed by God—for a specific purpose within the unfolding narrative of redemption. Early in the Exodus account, we read that Pharaoh hardened his own heart. Later, Scripture attributes this hardening directly to God. Both truths coexist to demonstrate that God sovereignly used Pharaoh’s stubbornness to display His power and to deliver Israel from bondage. Psalm 136:13–15 later reflects on God’s judgment against Pharaoh and his army at the Red Sea, underscoring the completeness of God’s sovereign purpose in raising him up. Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer and the “Son of Perdition” Jesus Himself clarifies Judas’ position in His prayer recorded in John 17. Verse 12 reads: “While I was with them, I kept them in Your name, which You have given Me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” Here Jesus distinguishes Judas from those whom the Father had given Him—those He would keep and preserve unto eternal life. Judas is excluded specifically so that Scripture would be fulfilled. The designation “son of perdition” (or “son of destruction”) signifies one destined for judgment. The term indicates not only a state of spiritual ruin but also the certainty of divine condemnation. It is not applied to the redeemed. Divine Sovereignty in Human Agents The cases of Judas and Pharaoh illustrate a larger biblical theme: God may sovereignly appoint even unregenerate individuals to accomplish His decreed will. Their actions—whether betrayal or hardened resistance—ultimately serve God’s redemptive purposes while still reflecting their own moral responsibility. Judas, then, was chosen not for salvation but for a role in the divine drama of redemption. His betrayal was foreknown, foretold, and sovereignly woven into God’s plan. In the same way, Pharaoh was raised up to demonstrate God’s power and to bring about the deliverance of God’s covenant people. Conclusion Yes, Jesus chose Judas. But His choice was not an act of saving election. It was an act of sovereign appointment to fulfill Scripture. Judas’ tragic role, like Pharaoh’s, reminds us that God’s purposes are unthwartable and that His election unto salvation is reserved for those whom the Father gives to the Son—those whom Christ keeps and preserves.