Shmuel Silberman
We in the yeshiva have
made a serious mistake. We have been waiting for Messiah but in fact we missed
him 2000 years ago. How could we have overlooked what is clearly written in our
Scripture?
Judas is King Messiah, as
foretold by the Patriarch Jacob, "The scepter shall not depart from Judah
(Genesis 49:10)." "
The world will know G-d
when Judas reigns, as it says, "Declare to the cities of
Judas has been maligned
for 2000 years, a man of ugly reputation. "He was despised and rejected of
men ...we hid our faces from him. He was despised, and we esteemed him not
(Isaiah 53:3)."
Judas betrayed Jesus by a
kiss, as it says, "He shall kiss me with the kisses of his mouth (Song of
Songs 1:2)."
His act of betrayal saves
souls, as it says, "the betrayer is a ramsom for the upright (Proverbs
21:18)."
Judas said, "I have
sinned" and this was foreshadowed by King David who said, "I have
sinned" (Psalms 51:5)
He "went and hanged
himself" as Isaiah predicted of the Suffering Servant, "if he will
make himself a guilt offering" (53:10).
Judas as an unblemished
lamb atones for our sins, as it says, "
After Judas was hanged,
he "fell headlong" in the field. He was prophecized to not remain
hanging, for "you shall not leave his corpse on the tree (Deuteronomy
21:23)." His fall shows he is chosen by G-d , as it says, "G-d
supports those who fall (Psalms 145:14)." By falling, he fulfilled "
As a result of falling to
his death, he glorified the Holy One: "He burst asunder... and his bowels
gushed out" as it says, "all my innards shall bless His holy
name" (Psalms 103:1)."
The spilling of Judas'
innards was foreshadowed by the
His body fell into a
field, as it says, "He makes me lie down in green pastures (Psalms
23:2)."
Judas will return to his
people in a Second Coming, as it says, "
His death cannot be
permanent, as it says, "G-d will not destroy
Judas will return to
judge the world, as it says, "the enemies of
Note: The flaws in this
essay are shared by the missionary "proofs" for Jesus in the Hebrew
Bible.