For other posts dealing with Bible contradictions see our Collection of Posts Responding to Bible Contradictions.
Today’s post will tackle another question that the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: “When did Satan enter Judas?”
Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes shows a Bible contradiction:
Before the last supper.
And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve….Then came the first day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. (Luke 22:3, 7)
After the last supper.
After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus *said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” (John 13:27)
(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)
Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:
- When dealing with skeptics’ claim of Bible contradictions it seems one can never be reminded enough of what exactly is a contradiction. A contradiction occurs when two or more claims conflict with one another so that they cannot simultaneously be true in the same sense and at the same time. To put it another way, the claims found in the Bible are mutually exclusive.
- Technically it is possible that the two claims, “Satan entered Judas before the last supper” and “Satan entered Judas after the last supper” are not necessarily mutually exclusive since it is possible that Satan could have entered into Judas before the last supper but left Judas only to enter into Judas again after the last supper.
- The skeptic quoted from the book of Luke to prove that Satan entered Judas before the last supper. The same book of Luke also teaches that demons and unclean spirits can go back and forth from unsaved people they possessed: “When the unclean spirit goes out of a man, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there; and the last state of that man becomes worse than the first” (Luke 11:24-26). Given that this teaching is within the book of Luke, we shouldn’t be surprised that Satan could come and go in regards to entering the person of Judas.
- We can harmonize Luke 22:3 and John 13:27 if we consider the entirety of Luke 22 and especially in light of Luke 22:31. We must not forget that Satan, as powerful as he is, is still finite. That is, there are limitations for him. Limitations that include not being omnipresent. In Luke 22:3 we find that Satan entered Judas before the Lord’s supper. But during the last supper Jesus revealed the following statement to Simon Peter: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat” (Luke 22:31). Obviously in order for Satan to go ask permission to sift Simon like wheat, Satan had to be away from Judas’ body at some point during the supper. Some time after that Satan reentered into Judas. Thus we don’t see a contradiction.
- We must also not forget that both Luke 22:3 and John 13:27 mentioned Satan entering Judas to lead him to do specific tasks; in Luke 22:3 it is to get Judas to negotiate with the religious leaders to betray Jesus while John 13:27 to quickly carry out the plan of betrayal. There’s different functions Satan accomplishes and so there are different senses in which Satan entered Judas. Which means there is not a contradiction
[…] When did Satan enter Judas? […]
Now I want to tell the whole world that Mr John is accurate than Luke..John was Apostle walked with Jesus, Mr Luke was converted to disciple under self claimed apostle Paul…Mr Luke had to inquire to write history, but Apostle John wrote out of experience and eye witness. Sadly Mr Luke ain’t eye witness and experience. I feel sorry for people like Luke and Paul
In one sense I get what you are saying but in another sense I think of Jesus’ words in John 20:29= “Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
The Lord bless you.
I still feel sorry..because we did see the evidences..GOD did show himself to us in many ways..Apostles needed evidences to believe…ya blinding light was enough for Pharisee self claimed apostle Paul also falsely claimed as apostle to gentiles…i feel sorry for Luke’s inaccuracy as well…he could have better listened to John, Matthew and Peter before writing the historical accounts.,,People always try to compare inaccuracy of Mark and Luke with Matthew and John which is not only surprising but shocking…if only little bit of common sense used…instead of proving both them are right…it would be better to say Luke and Mark are quite inaccurate compared to literate Matthew and devoted John- the eye witnesses of Jesus and appointed Apostles..it’s even quite useless to listen to self claiming apostles and believe me Luke has plenty of such apostle in his book Acts…we must be thankful to Luke and Mark and Paul but that does not mean we have to believe and support even wrong inputs they have put in their writings.
I ask for clarity; do you not believe Paul’s writing then should be included as Scripture?
“Literate Matthew”? As opposed to what, dummies Luke and Paul? Sorry, that’s quite funny.
why..not even if Paul is wrong in some aspect..his writing can be including in scriptures..why not…every one is not perfect…it’s a great source of what Peter and 11 other apostles taught him and some disciples like Barnabas taught him..as a student he did well but was wrong while criticizing his senior mentors…so we should always be careful not exalt ourselves like Paul did
It’s very interesting to me that you feel sorry for Luke and Paul, who were men used by the Holy Spirit to write some of the bible books. By the same logic, you should feel even more sorry for yourself.
God makes no mistakes my friend.
Good point; I suppose by that logic we are to be even more pitied being removed by 2 millenniums…
Even man used by Holy Spirit can make mistakes..Paul was a person attacked by Satans thorn and not healed even after prayer..isn’t that simple..Lets see David! wow..he had guts to commit adultery and bend the justice of GOD even after his son raped sister of Absalom..ahum ahum!..ya even men used by Holy Spirit can sometimes wander away due to pride…if Luke and Mark are so correct to you why then do their writing contradict with Matthew and John..and why was Paul so argumentative with Barnabas and Peter..he rejected to go on journey with Barnabas who had been his mentor and chosen by Spirit to be his partner while extending gospel to other churches…Paul ain’t perfect as many paulines preach about…why isn’t the letter of Barnabas not qualified to be in New testament??..though it is flawless…ya read Acts one more time and you will find Paul wasn’t even listening to HolySpirit, disciples and apostle. https://gadolelohaiministries.wordpress.com/2016/11/11/who-is-right-luke-or-paul/. is a capsule for those who worship Paul like Jesus…why people are so worried when spoken about Paul’s weakness is what shocks me..he ain’t perfect…there are so many things and i can go on and on…and prove Paul is wrong about himself from Bible itself
When i say..Matthew is literate..i was trying to say even Matthew was literate like Luke and Paul
So for purpose of clarity: do you not believe Paul’s writings then should be included as Scripture?
Paul exalted himself? I am not sure what bible you have been reading sir.
There are no contradictions in the bible.
but the article is clearly on Bible contradiction…o yes he did..he said he worked harder than any other apostle…you believe there is no contradiction..go on…some people even say Paul was right then Jesus…we meet many kinds of people…
You said “he said he worked harder than any other apostle” as an example of a Bible contradiction. But in order for there to be a Bible contradiction, where’s the verse that says Paul did not work harder than the other apostles?
TO SLIMJIM since reply is disabled…the reply of paul exalting himself as working harder than any other apostle was reply to Eliane Bittencourt..
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
Thanks for the reblog Vince! How’s your health this week thus far?
You’re very welcome Pastor Jim, feeling much better praise God 🙏
Thanks for the analysis, Jim. I’ve pondered over this one myself.
Praise God! Thanks for reading this brother Tom. Just right now someone messaged me for help with another Bible contradiction…I noticed that most of the ones attackers of the faith throw around the easier ones…its like they are so blinded with irrationality in their attacks. But there’s time the more sincere ones have something that look like the one I dealt with in this post in which fellow believers also wonder about…
Satan entered the world with all of us. Check out my proof later.
Never thought of it this way
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[…] When did Satan enter Judas? […]
[…] When did Satan enter Judas? […]
[…] When did Satan enter Judas? […]
[…] When did Satan enter Judas? […]
This teaching you provide is great!
[…] When did Satan enter Judas? […]
[…] When did Satan enter Judas? […]
[…] When did Satan enter Judas? […]