In Luke chapter 22 and verse three the inspired word of God reads: “Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.”  On a documentary of Satan the men interviewed said that this passage in Luke teaches that Satan “possessed” Judas and took control of him to betray Jesus.  Is this really what occurred?  The beloved John also wrote of Judas and his betrayal of Christ in a similar way.  John’s account adds great clarity to the discussion of whether or not Judas acted on his own or if Satan took control of him.  (John 13:2) “And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him.”  With both of these passages and a common understanding of how Satan works we can know whether or not he took over the actions of Judas Iscariot.

Satan by definition of the term means “the adversary”.  Satan is as a roaring lion seeking to whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8).  Satan is the tempter that can be resisted (Matthew 4:1-11).  Satan does not have all power to do as he pleases.  The fact that Satan is limited in his power is shown clearly in the account of Job and the losses he suffered at the hands of Satan (Job 1:6-12 and Job 2:1-6).  The darkness and evil that represents Satan is what one comes out of upon conversion through obedience to the Gospel of Christ (Colossians 1:12-13).  Satan’s goal is to keep us from having the seed of truth planted in our hearts (Luke 8:12).  Satan tries to blind us so that we cannot see the truth (II Corinthians 4:3-4).  Satan is out to hide from mankind the simplicity that is in Christ (II Corinthians 11:3).  Satan is a liar and the father of it (John 8:44).  Satan is the exact opposite of God; he is evil!

(Psalms 41:9) “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”  Jesus knew that he would be betrayed by one of His own friends.  Jesus even knew who it was (Matthew 26:21-25).  All of the passages in reference to Judas betraying Jesus show that it was his choice to do so.  All accounts show that Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver not Satan (Matthew 26:14-15, Mark 14:10-11, and Luke 22:4-5).

Satan only has the power over us that we give him.  The Bible teaches that we can resist him, as did Jesus, and he will flee.  (James 4:7) “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”  The Bible teaches that we make our own choices even if Satan involves himself in our lives through temptation.  Satan lied to Eve and she bought the lie and sinned.  Then she made her husband to sin also.  (Genesis 3:1ff.)  Satan did not make her take of the fruit, she choose to do so.  Had she resisted, Satan would have lost.  We have that option.  Sin is a choice that we make.

Judas had a flaw with the love of money long before the seed of betrayal was planted in Judas’s heart.  The Bible teaches that the love of money is the root of evil.  (I Timothy 6:10) “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”  Judas had been stealing money from the bag even before Satan tempted him to betray Jesus (John 12:3-6).  It is no surprise that Judas would give up the Lord for money, all Satan needed was the way to his heart.  Without surprise the way to Judas’s heart was also the root of all evil.  Judas gave up Jesus because of the temptation Satan presented, not because Satan took over him.

(Matthew 27:3-5) “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.  And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.”  Judas said that he had sinned.  He did not say: “Satan made me do it”.  He repented and then murdered himself.  Sorrow is what leads men to repentance (II Corinthians 7:10-11).  How true it was as Jesus said (Matthew 26:24) “The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.”  Judas left this life, and as for his whereabouts in the realm of eternity: “…from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place – Acts 1:25”.