douglas

Do you feel there is any connection between these two Judas', or is it purely coincidence that both had the same first name?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judas_Maccabaeus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judas_Iscariot

Malachi151

Yes and no. I think that Judas was chosen as the name of the person who betrays Jesus because "Judas" represents Judah the nation. Judas and Judah were originally written the same.

See also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judah

Also, from my references to OT texts in another post:

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus:
T2: Matthew 26:14 - Amos 2
"4 This is what the LORD says: 'For three sins of Judah, even for four, I will not turn back [my wrath]. ... 5 I will send fire upon Judah that will consume the fortresses of Jerusalem.' 6 '... They sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals. ... 11 I also raised up prophets from among your sons and Nazirites from among your young men. Is this not true, people of Israel?' declares the LORD. 12 'But you made the Nazirites drink wine and commanded the prophets not to prophesy. 13 Now then, I will crush you as a cart crushes when loaded with grain.

James Brown

My favorite Judas is the one in John 14:22:

How do ya like that? Forever having to wear the label, "No not that guy!" For Halloween one year I wore the traditional bathrobe and a sign that identified me as, "Judas, not Iscariot," and I walked around with a hang-dog, misunderstood expression. Not everyone got the joke.

douglas

Funny! Next year I'll go with you as Adolf, not Hitler.

On the flip side, I've wondered what it feels like to be a boy named Jesus, common in Latin American countries. Talk about pressure!