A prophet and leader in the Jerusalem church
Judas
Named in 3 verses of Acts, first in Acts 15:22.
ἸούδαςJudas
ΒαρσαβᾶςBarsabbas
Also called Barsabbas.
The name means “Jude, same as Judah.” Hitchcock's Bible Names, 1869
About Judas Written by AI
Judas, also known as Barsabbas, is mentioned in Acts 15:22 as a prophet and leader in the Jerusalem church. The context of the passage is the Jerusalem Council, where the early church leaders discussed and resolved the issue of Gentile believers and the Mosaic law (Acts 15:1 to 35). After the council reached a decision, they chose Judas Barsabbas and Silas, both described as leading men among the believers, to accompany Paul and Barnabas back to Antioch (Acts 15:22). They carried a letter from the Jerusalem church, confirming the council's decision and encouraging the Gentile believers (Acts 15:23 to 29). In Antioch, Judas and Silas, being prophets, exhorted and strengthened the believers with many words (Acts 15:32). This indicates that they had a recognized ministry of prophecy and encouragement within the early church. After spending some time in Antioch, Judas and Silas were sent back to Jerusalem with the blessing of peace from the church (Acts 15:33). No further details are provided about Judas Barsabbas' life or ministry beyond this event. The inclusion of Judas Barsabbas in this narrative highlights the unity and cooperation among the early church leaders, as well as the importance of prophecy and encouragement in the growth and strengthening of the believers.
Drafted by an AI model for STEPBible's TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Check it against the verses below.
Easton's Bible Dictionary, 1897
This entry is on the name Judas, and may cover more than one person or place by that name.
The Graecized form of Judah. (1.) The patriarch (Matt. 1:2, 3).
(2.) Son of Simon (John 6:71; 13:2, 26), surnamed Iscariot, i.e., a man of Kerioth (Josh. 15:25). His name is uniformly the last in the list of the apostles, as given in the synoptic (i.e., the first three) Gospels. The evil of his nature probably gradually unfolded itself till “Satan entered into him” (John 13:27), and he betrayed our Lord (18:3). Afterwards he owned his sin with “an exceeding bitter cry,” and cast the money he had received as the wages of his iniquity down on the floor of the sanctuary, and “departed and went and hanged himself” (Matt. 27:5). He perished in his guilt, and “went unto his own place” (Acts 1:25). The statement in Acts 1:18 that he “fell headlong and burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out,” is in no way contrary to that in Matt. 27:5. The sucide first hanged himself, perhaps over the valley of Hinnom, “and the rope giving way, or the branch to which he hung breaking, he fell down headlong on his face, and was crushed and mangled on the rocky pavement below.”
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Why such a man was chosen to be an apostle we know not, but it is written that “Jesus knew from the beginning who should betray him” (John 6:64). Nor can any answer be satisfactorily given to the question as to the motives that led Judas to betray his Master. “Of the motives that have been assigned we need not care to fix on any one as that which simply led him on. Crime is, for the most part, the result of a hundred motives rushing with bewildering fury through the mind of the criminal.”
(3.) A Jew of Damascus (Acts 9:11), to whose house Ananias was sent. The street called “Straight” in which it was situated is identified with the modern “street of bazaars,” where is still pointed out the so-called “house of Judas.”
(4.) A Christian teacher, surnamed Barsabas. He was sent from Jerusalem to Antioch along with Paul and Barnabas with the decision of the council (Acts 15:22, 27, 32). He was a “prophet” and a “chief man among the brethren.”
M. G. Easton, Illustrated Bible Dictionary, third edition (1897), public domain, from CrossWire. Shown as written; its Scripture quotes are from older translations.
Where the Bible names him
- Acts 15:22
Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to select men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas called Barsabbas and Silas, two leaders among the brothers,
- Acts 15:27
Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to tell you in person the same things we are writing.
- Acts 15:32
Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers.
From STEPBible's TIPNR, Tyndale House Cambridge (CC BY 4.0): names, family, references and the AI written article. Verse text is the BSB.