How does Luke 22:3 align with the concept of divine sovereignty and human responsibility? Text and Translation “Then Satan entered Judas Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve.” Immediate Literary Context Verses 1–6 set the stage: the Passover is approaching, the chief priests seek to kill Jesus, and Judas approaches them to betray Him for money. Luke 22:22 then declares, “Indeed, the Son of Man will go as it has been determined, but woe to that man who betrays Him!”—placing divine determination and human woe side by side. Prophetic and Canonical Background • Psalm 41:9; 55:12-14 foretold betrayal by a close companion. • Zechariah 11:12-13 anticipated the thirty pieces of silver. • Acts 1:16-20 cites Psalm 69:25 and 109:8 to explain Judas’s fall. Scripture thus portrays the betrayal as foreknown and written in advance. Divine Sovereignty Displayed 1. Foreordination: Luke 22:22; Acts 2:23; Acts 4:27-28 affirm that the crucifixion (and therefore the betrayal triggering it) occurred “by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge.” 2. Providential Timing: The Feast of Unleavened Bread (vv. 1-2) aligns Jesus’ death with the Passover lamb (Exodus 12; 1 Corinthians 5:7). 3. Concurrence: God works through secondary causes—including Judas’s choices—without becoming the author of sin (cf. Habakkuk 1:13; James 1:13). Human Responsibility Maintained 1. Moral Agency: Judas volunteers (vv. 4-6); John 12:6 reveals his ongoing greed. 2. Condemnation: “Woe to that man” (v. 22) assigns guilt squarely to Judas. 3. Personal Regret: Matthew 27:3-5 records Judas’s remorse and self-destruction, underscoring accountability. Satan’s Limited Agency “Entered” (eisēlthen) signals decisive influence yet presupposes divine permission (Job 1–2; Luke 22:31). Satan cannot act apart from God’s sovereign boundaries (1 Corinthians 10:13). Judas’s pre-existing sin gave the devil a foothold (Ephesians 4:27). Compatibilism in Biblical Theology Scripture repeatedly joins divine determination with human choice: • Genesis 50:20 – “You meant evil… God meant it for good.” • Isaiah 10:5-12 – Assyria freely invades Judah, yet is “the rod of My anger.” • Philippians 2:12-13 – “Work out your salvation… for it is God who works in you.” Luke 22:3 fits this pattern: God ordains the cross; Judas acts freely and culpably; Satan operates under divine limits. Pastoral and Practical Implications Believers rest in God’s control without fatalism: God can use even treachery for redemptive ends (Romans 8:28). Unbelievers are warned: foreknowledge does not excuse sin; repentance is urgent (Acts 17:30-31). Spiritual vigilance is essential; habitual sin opens doors to demonic influence (Ephesians 6:10-18). Key Cross-References Psalm 41:9; Zechariah 11:12-13; John 6:70; 12:6; 13:2,27; Luke 22:22,31; Acts 1:16-20; 2:23; 4:27-28; Romans 9:17-24. Summary Luke 22:3 upholds divine sovereignty—God scripted the redemptive drama—while affirming human responsibility—Judas sins willingly and is condemned. Satan’s role is real yet subordinate. The verse exemplifies the biblical synthesis: God reigns, people choose, and both truths stand together without contradiction. |
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