Why was Judas not included in Jesus' prayer in John 17:20-23?

Bible Question:

Why was Judas not included in Jesus' prayer?

Bible Answer:

Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17 occurred just before He was betrayed by Judas, arrested, and then sentenced to death. It occurred on a Thursday night and on Friday afternoon He was crucified. His high priestly prayer is a magnificent one as He prayed that the Father would glorify both Jesus and Himself. He also prayed for the disciples in a variety of ways. But one of the disciples that was not included in the prayer was Judas. Why was Judas not included in Jesus’ prayer in John 17? There are several reasons that Judas was not included.

Judas

First, Judas was not included in Jesus’ high priestly prayer because he was an apostate. An apostate is a person who has come to full knowledge about Jesus Christ and then rejected Him. This was definitely true of Judas for he spent three to four years listening to Jesus teach, watching Him perform miracles, and experience wonders that only God could perform. Judas saw Jesus create food when He multiplied bread and fish at the Feeding of the Five Thousand and the Feeding of the Four Thousand. Apostates are also tares. They appear to be a Christian, but they are not. Consider Jesus’ statement in Matthew 7:21-23 where He shares that He will tell some individuals on the day of judgment that He never knew them.

“ Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’” Matthew 7:21-23 (NASB)

Jesus told us that some will claim to have performed miracles in His name. The same was true of Judas.

Second, Scripture teaches that Judas did not believe in Christ since he was possessed by Satan. Satan motivated him to betray Jesus (John 13:2, 27).

During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him. John 13:2 (NASB)

After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly. John 13:27 (NASB)

Third, Scripture calls Judas the son of perdition (John 17:12).

While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled. John 17:12 (NASB)

That means he was destined to utter destruction because son of perdition means son of utter destruction, the son of waste, or the son of ruin. That is, Judas was never a believer. The same name was used of the antichrist in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

Fourth, Jesus’ prayer was not a prayer of hope or a wish for something to happen. His prayer was effectual; His requests would be fulfilled. His prayer for the apostles was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost when the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, but Judas was not there.

Fourth, Judas committed suicide and never fulfilled the ministry of an apostle. Acts 1:16-20 says Judas had hanged himself. Consequently, Jesus’ prayer for the apostles could not have included Judas.

Fifth, Judas betrayed Jesus. How could a true disciple of Jesus betray Him?

Conclusion

Neither Jesus nor the gospels ever tell us why Jesus chose Judas to be one of the twelve disciples. Yet, Judas was not like the other disciples. His heart was not committed to Jesus. One wonders what Judas thought when he was with Jesus and saw and heard all that He did. The other disciples thought that Judas was one of them. Judas a thief of the money box. He was part of the ministry, but he was not a true friend of Jesus. Judas was a tare or someone who appears to be like a Christian. But he was never a Christian nor was he ever an apostle.

So, a question for the reader. Are you are a true Christian?