I finally voted "yes" for the following 6 reasons.
1. Language Usage -
no qualifier for the Tribes of Israel. We don't rationalize for v12 Joseph got a double share and his son's got land grants, therefore we arbitrarily exclude the lead brother who betrayed him and add Joseph's son. When we refer to the 12 Tribes of Israel, it means the 12 sons of Jacob - no matter how bad they acted.
2. Language Usage -
no qualifier for the 12 Apostles. As explained in post #38, there is no qualifier of
replacement Apostles.
3. Definition - The 3 Stooges (definite article,
THE). Like point 1, when we refer to
THE 12 Apostles, it means the
original 12 that Jesus picked - no matter how bad one of them acted. "The" 3 stooges are Moe, Larry and Curly. Any talk of a
replacement Stooge, Shemp, is not what is meant by the phrase. Same with the Apostles.
- Rationalizations that THE 12 Apostles refer to some replacement Apostles and some of the Apostles selected by Jesus does not hold up to scrutiny. From Apostle - Wikipedia, In Christianity, the term was used in the New Testament for Jesus' Twelve Apostles, the Apostles that Jesus selected.
- When we refer to THE 1st POTUS, we mean under the current form of government. We don't go back to the Articles of Confederation and mean John Hanson, who was 'president of the Congress' under the Articles of Confederation.
4. Logic - Math Adding Up. Again, as explained in post #38, the math does not add up if you subtract Judas but add Matthias, Barnabas and Paul. And there is no basis to add one but not the 3.
5. Theology - God's Ability to Communicate (Power & Knowledge)
. If God meant to exclude Judas in v14, he would have said so. Many times we look for what is there but fail to grasp the implications of what is missing in text. The idea that God meant to exclude Judas but failed to say so -
which puts the burden on us to read into the text what we want - is a bit presumptuous.
6. Theology - God's Grace. The most significant reason is what would it say about God's grace if only those through which his story unfolded WHO WERE PERFECT were honored in eternity and by eternal life?
- While the JW oppose celebrating people's birthday as a form of worship, was does it say about the 12 tribes and 12 Apostles names being written on the gates and foundation of New Jerusalem for all eternity? I would not say it implies worship but high honor.
- v12 and v14 represent high honors to these 24 men in God's story. Aren't we all honored by God's grace even though we fall short of the glory of God?
- From Judas Iscariot - Wikipedia, Calvin writes "surely in Judas' betrayal, it will be no more right, because God himself willed that his son be delivered up and delivered him up to death, to ascribe the guilt of the crime to God than to transfer the credit for redemption to Judas."
- It was said that Judas committed the unforgivable sin. These are lack of forgiveness of others and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. There is no evidence he committed either of these sins (although he certainly did not forgive himself). And in Scripture, these is no evidence he was damned to the Lake of Fire.
In conclusion, while our reflex is to exclude Judas, upon inspection, there is no reason to do so and at least 6 reasons to include Judas.
