“…Judas Iscariot who became a traitor” (NRSV, Luke 6:16)

Unlike the rest of the Apostles, who were Galileans, Judas Iscariot came from Judea.  The name of his home town was Kerioth, as we learn from his name Iscariot which means ‘man of Kerioth’.  The polished Judeans habitually looked down on the rough and ready Galileans, and no doubt Judas felt the same towards his fellow Apostles.  So probably from the start he was the odd man out among the Apostolic band.  He ended as the lone wolf in the flock.

Nevertheless, it is quite clear that to begin with he was a sincere and devoted follower of Our Lord.  He took part in the Mission of the Twelve and like the others he preached the Kingdom of God and performed miracles of healing.  These would have been an impossibility if his faith in Jesus at that time had not been unquestioning and absolute.