People say Judas betrayed Jesus, but others say he didn’t and has been mis-portrayed. What’s the truth?

Judas became a traitor to Jesus when he went and made a covenant to deliver him to the chief priests, after the devil put it into his heart.

Nevertheless, the making of the covenant was only the start of an act of betrayal. The betrayal itself would not be a finished act until Judas fulfilled his obligation under the covenant, and, just as importantly, fulfilled it in the same diabolical spirit in which he made it.

Judas was susceptible to the influence of the devil because he was lost. In other words, he was in need of a savior.

Jesus was the son of man who came to save that which was lost. In other words, Jesus was the savior Judas needed.

Nevertheless, the will of the Father of Jesus was that he not save him until the last day, the day at which he would finish his work. For that reason, portrayals of Judas before the last day, e.g., that he was a devil, and that he was a thief, are just portrayals of him before Jesus saved him.

Jesus performed his salvific work upon Judas symbolically, and, in doing so, he spoke to him indirectly and cryptically. In this way, Jesus kept his salvific work a thing between him and Judas alone.

The evangelist narrated the salvific work literally, and, in keeping with Jesus himself, he offered no explanation of what Jesus did.

The salvific work of Jesus upon Judas was the foot washing. Jesus washed the heel lifted up against him.

The effect of the washing by Jesus was to cast out the prince of this world, the devil.

The effect of casting out the devil was to abort the act of betrayal by removing the diabolical spirit in which Judas made the covenant to deliver him.

Then, continuing to speak cryptically, Jesus showed Judas that the one who had lifted up his heel against him was the one whom he chose to eat bread with him (cooperate with him), that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Thus, Jesus put it into the heart of Judas to fulfill his obligation under the covenant he made. What would have become the finish of an act of betrayal of Jesus became the start of a life of service to him.

And that is how Jesus saved the lost and delivered himself to be lifted up, to draw everyone to himself.