He spoke of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that would betray him, being one of the twelve.
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Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Jesus answered, Thou, 0 Peter, answerest in the name of all the Apostles, as if all believed in Me, and were My faithful friends. But know that thou art deceived, for one of them is a devil, unbelieving, and faithless to Me, who also will betray Me.
Have chosen Twelve, as to the Apostleship according to their present state apt and meet Whence it seems that Judas the traitor, even when he was first chosen by Christ, was good and honest. For prudence and charity forbid the choice of one who is dishonest. So S. Cyril, Maldonatus and others. Also S. Jerome (lib3 , cont. Polag.), Tertullian (lib. de prscrip. hret. c3). Some, however, think that Judas, when he was bad, as Christ knew, was yet chosen by Him to be an Apostle, with this object, that it might be one of His own who should betray Him, and so afford the occasion and the way for His passion and death, and from them the redemption of men. This opinion is attributed to SS. Bede and Augustine, yet neither says so expressly. Indeed, both rather intimate that Judas was chosen by Christ when he was good, even though he was known to be about to become bad by his own fault. Hear S. Augustine: "Their number of Twelve was consecrated, who through the four quarters of the world were to proclaim the Trinity. And because one of them perished, not on that account was the honour of that number taken away from them. For in the room of him who perished another was chosen." And after a while he says, "He was chosen, from whom, albeit unwilling, and knowing it not, a great good was to proceed. For as wicked men wickedly use the good works of God, Song of Solomon , on the contrary, God for good uses the wicked works of men. The Lord used for good the wicked Judas, and delivered Himself to be betrayed that He might redeem us." Hear also Bede: "To one end He chose eleven, to another end one. These He chose that they should persevere in the dignity of the apostolate, him, that by the office of his treachery He might work out the salvation of the human race."
A devil: Syriac, Satan: Nonnus, he who is called by posterity another new devil. Christ would not name Judas that He might spare his reputation. "He neither openly pointed him out," says S. Chrysostom, "nor wished him to lie concealed. The former was that he might not contend too impudently; the latter, lest supposing he was concealed, he should act too unguardedly." He did it also that he might impress the Apostles with fear, that they like Judas might not apostatize, nor presume proudly upon their own constancy. Listen to Cyril: "He confirms them by sharper words, and makes them diligent by the peril before their eyes. For it is thus He seems to speak, Ye have need, 0 ye disciples, of great watchfulness, and great care for your safety: for the way of perdition is very slippery." After a while, "He makes all more watchful, because He does not say openly who would betray Him, but affirming that the charge of such heinous impiety hung over one, He makes them all anxious, and by the dread of such a thing He arouses them to greater vigilance."
You will ask why Judas is called a devil. I answer (1.) because he was διάβολος (diabolus), i.e, a false accuser. For he spoke evil of the works and miracles of Christ to the Scribes and chief priests.
(2.) He was a diabolus, Hebrew and Syriac, a Satan, i.e, an adversary, because he opposed himself to Christ.
(3.) He was a diabolus because he did not believe in Christ because he was a thief and a liar. For the devil is "a liar and the father of a lie" (cap. viii.) Wherefore Christ saith, he is a devil, in the present tense, not will be in the future.
(4.) He was a devil, that is a minister of the devil, an instrument and organ of the devil. For at the instigation of the devil he betrayed Christ his Lord and his God, as though he had been possessed of a devil. Whence John says (xiii2), that "Satan entered into him." So S. Chrysostom and others. So in common speech a very wicked man is called a devil.
(5.) He was a diabolus, i.e, betrayer of Christ. For in this sense diabolus is used for a traitor in Ecclus. xxvi6 , in the Greek, though the Vulgate has betrayal. So the devil is the traitor angel, because by his malice he betrayed and ruined the angelic state. For from the angelic choirs and from, heaven Lucifer, the traitor, by his perfidy dragged down with himself to hell the third part of the stars (Apoc. xii4). He betrayed therefore heaven and its inhabitants to hell and destruction.
Christ is alluding to the fall of Lucifer, who being chosen by God prince of the angels, by his pride made himself a devil and the prince of the demons. In like manner Judas chosen by Christ to the angelic office of the Apostolate, by his own fault fell from it, and made himself a companion of the devil, and a diabolus, that we may learn to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, and to fear a fall, although we stand in the most holy places. For the higher the place the greater is the fall, and the ruin the more profound.
