Ish Kiriath
The story of a certain man
from a certain place…
ISH KIRIATH
• Geography & Bible history of Kiriath-arba
– Located in Judah, about 30 miles south of Jerusalem
– Also known as Hebron to the Israelites (Josh. 14:15)
– Abraham’s wife Sarah died there (Gen. 23:2)
– Abraham and Isaac lived there (Gen. 35:27)
– Was an Amorite city before Israelites came (Josh. 10:5)
– Given to Caleb (Josh. 14:13-14)
– One of six cities of refuge (Josh. 20:7)
– David was king there for 7.5 years (2 Sam. 2:11)
This is the story of a certain man from Kiriath…
(have you guessed who yet?)
• Translation
ISH KIRIATH
– The N.T. tells of a certain man from Kiriath…
– Hebrew word “Kiriath” = the city of Kiriath (Hebron)
– Greek word “ish” = a man from
– Hebrew word “kiriath” transliterated to Greek “cariot”
– So who is this man from Kiriath?
• Jesus chose 12 disciples (Luke 6:13-16)
– Eleven of them were from Galilee, in the north
– One was a man from Kiriath, in Judea
– Judas Iscariot = Judas, the man from Cariot (Kiriath)
– “Iscariot” distinguishes him from others named Judas,
including the other disciple Judas of James
– Sympathy for a southerner surrounded by northerners?
This is the story of Judas Iscariot…the man from Kiriath
ISH KIRIATH
• Judas the treasurer
– Luke 8:1-4 - Jesus received money from friends
• Judas was trusted to keep the purse
– John 12:1-8 – Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with perfume
• Judas objected to the “waste” of money
• Judas’ intentions were dishonest…he was a thief
• Jesus rebuked Judas: “leave her alone!”
– Meanwhile, the chief priests seek an opportunity
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Afraid to arrest Him in public, fearing the crowds
Had failed to catch Him in His words to charge Him
Did not know where to find Him when He was not in public
They needed an inside man…a traitor
Judas knew they wanted Jesus dead, thought he could gain
Matt. 26:13-14 – Judas leaves Jesus, goes to the chief priests
ISH KIRIATH
• Judas the greedy
– What drove Judas Iscariot to commit betrayal?
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Anger over the rebuke?
Greed for money? Or fear of being caught stealing?
Disappointment that Jesus would not be an earthly king?
An irresistible Divine edict that overpowered his freewill?
An irresistible Satanic edict that overpowered his freewill?
– Mark 14:10-11: “Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of
the twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to
betray Him to them. They were glad when they heard
this, and promised to give him money. And he began
seeking how to betray Him at an opportune time.”
• Also compare Matt. 26:14-16 and *Luke 22:3-6
ISH KIRIATH
• Judas the betrayer
– God did not tempt/force Judas to do it. James 1:13-15
– Judas Iscariot made his own a choice...a choice that
flowed from the lust that dwelt within his own heart,
lust that opened the door for temptation, which then
conceived and gave birth to the sins of greed and
betrayal. Judas freely sought the priests out and
offered to betray Jesus in exchange for money.
– The chief priests were happy to have their inside man.
Finally they would find out how to catch Jesus. Finally
they had someone to deliver Him into their grasp. And
all it would cost them was 30 pieces of silver. Let's talk
about those 30 pieces of silver…
ISH KIRIATH
• Judas Iscariot and 30 pieces of silver
– Can you put a dollar value on human life?
– Exodus 21:32 – a slave’s life valued at 30 pieces of silver
– Zechariah 11:7-13 – God’s shepherding wages set at 30
pieces of silver by the Jews
– Just 30 pieces of silver to betray a friend (Mt. 26:14-16)
– What an insult to God the Father and to Jesus His Son!
• Irony: treachery paid from the treasury; the greedy Chief
Priests wouldn’t even pay out of their own pockets
– Before you condemn Judas for accepting 30 pieces of
silver to betray Jesus, let’s make personal application:
• Have you ever betrayed Jesus for less?
• Forsaken His Body (the church) for less?
ISH KIRIATH
• Judas Iscariot and the Passover meal
– Matt. 26:20-25; Mark 14:17-21; Luke 22:14-16,21-27
– John 13:1-30
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Judas Iscariot has returned from making his deal
Jesus and the twelve recline together in the evening
Lord’s Supper instituted, then Jesus foretells His betrayal
A dispute arises of who is the greatest
Jesus washes their feet
Jesus repeats the foretelling of His betrayal by one of them
Jesus gives the morsel to Judas Iscariot
Judas leaves, but the other disciples know not exactly why
Jesus teaches the eleven disciples on love and the Holy Spirit
Jesus and the eleven proceed to the garden of
Gethsemane…
ISH KIRIATH
• Judas Iscariot and the kiss of betrayal
– Jesus prays in Gethsemane
• Matt. 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46
– Judas and the soldiers arrive
• Matt. 26:47-50; Mark 14:43-46; Luke 22:47-48; John 18:1-5
– Judas regrets his actions (Matt. 27:1-10)
• Judas felt remorse, knew he had sinned (freewill)
• Returned to the priests, thinking to be rid of the blood money
• He had betrayed the best man he’d ever known, and eleven
men who had trusted him. The chief priests and elders wanted
nothing more to do with him. He felt alone…suicidal
• He threw the money on the floor and went to hang himself
• Chief priests used it to buy Potter’s Field for a cemetery
– Could Judas have repented to Jesus and been forgiven?
• Yes…Peter denied Jesus, but still found forgiveness
• But Judas’ suicidal death ended his opportunity for forgiveness
ISH KIRIATH
• And that is the story of Judas, a man from the city
of Kiriath.
• He was chosen to be one of Jesus’ 12 disciples.
• But he was greedy and a thief, and betrayed Jesus
for just 30 pieces of silver.
• He realized his sin, and committed suicide.
• You and I betray Jesus every time we sin, but
there is time and opportunity for repentance and
forgiveness while we live.
• Will you receive His gracious forgiveness today,
before it is forever too late?
Lessons from Judas,
the man from Kiriath
• Even Jesus’ closest disciples are
susceptible to sin
• We sometimes forsake Jesus for
things worth less than 30 pieces
of silver
• Forgiveness is available while
we are alive…don’t wait!