Another thought while reading through Mathew regarding Judas' regret

The word 'grant' means to 'allow' and since this is dealing with repentance it makes sense. God does not 'give' us repentance (as in places it into us because we could never be remorseful and seeking of forgiveness) however since God is the offended party only He can allow you to repent or not. God commands all men to repent and desires all men to come to the knowledge of the truth, so in effect God allows all men intially to repent but that door is not everlastingly open.
As a side note: The only place in scripture that make this type of statement is dealing with a christian who has gone back into sin and passage is refering to the believer being 'granted' or 'allowed' to repent.

We know from scripture that God commands all men to repent as well as desires all men to come to the knowledge of the truth, and if men will not then God will turn them over to their own lusts/godless desires - IOW God is no longer going to deal with them.

We find this same thing (God no longer dealing with men over sin) with Judas. Judas was one of the 12 and Jesus expounded to him, like the other 11, the mysteries His preaching, and even empowered him over demons like the others. He was given all that the others were given but still he chose to go his own way. To me, Judas just like Israel, I see as a picture to us of God's dealing and working upon all men in the same manner/way. However what is to be noted is that God designed this 'calling' in such a way as to only bring to Himself a specific and certian people, those of faith - His chosen.
This design though it works in the same way both toward and upon all men, it does not bring about the same responce in all men and is designed specifically to seperate those of faith and those not.

As I said just a bit ago about Judasl being much like Israel. All people who were of Israel were dealt with in the same manner, given the same promises and benifits and teachings and yet not all who were of Israel were saved, only those of faith. Thus even the sacrifice of atonement was made on behalf of all of Israel and yet only those of faith had the sacrifice applied to their sins. God called to them all the same, or gave to them the same understandings but not all would come, much akin to the parable of the Wedding Feast.


Anyway, no matter how one sees the issue with Judas I will say this; Woe to the ones whom God has let go their own way because after that there is no hope or mercy left for them at that time. Up till that time yes, but not after. (Rom 1; 2 Thes 2:10-12)

At least that is my nickle's worth.

 

Scripture says about Judas:

John 17:12. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Mark 14:21. The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

 

Also:

Jesus answered them, Did not I choose you the twelve, and one of you is a devil? Now he spake of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve. Jn 6:70,71

But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, that should betray him, saith, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred shillings, and given to the poor? Now this he said, not because he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and having the bag took away what was put therein. Jn 12:4-6

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I place the regret of Judas in the same catagory as 'the weeping and gnashing of teeth' of those that have been cast out into the outer darkness.

Consider Essau's regret:

lest there be any fornication, or profane person, as Esau, who for one mess of meat sold his own birthright. For ye know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for he found no place for a change of mind in his father, though he sought it diligently with tears. Heb 12:16,17

Consider the regret of Israel when they were rejected from entering into the promised land:

35 Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see the good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers,
45 And ye returned and wept before Jehovah; but Jehovah hearkened not to your voice, nor gave ear unto you. Dt 1

When the door is shut from on high................it's all over with but the crying.

 

I think there is a difference between regret and repentance. Judas certainly regretted what he had done, but he didn't repent. There was no asking of forgiveness that is required with repentance.

Judas wanted to stop what he had done, because in his mind that would equal restitution, but he never understood that true repentance means accepting God's provision for forgiveness. Judas wanted to fix things on his own terms.

 

A few thoughts color coded for ease.

Ironic? Not really. Just as Adam walked with God, Judas walked with Christ. Neither understood who they were dealing with.

Yes, that is pretty much what I am saying. Just as Cain wanted to do things his own way even though he certainly knew what God required.

I think that Judas heard and understood the gospel without ever truely believing that Christ was the Messiah and the sacrifice for sin. I believe that it is possible that Judas and others believed that Christ was the Messiah, but left out the whole idea of a sacrifice for sin. They were looking for a conquering king, not a perfect lamb. And when Christ didn't conquer, Judas ignored the other more important half of the equation. And his rejection of that led to his rejection by God and his subsequent blindness.

Probably some of all three. Or rather the first two lead to the third as Paul says "God gave them over to reprobate minds" (I can't think of the exact wording at the moment).