70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” 71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.
6:70
Jesus answered them,
Jesus here responded to the entire twelve, not just Peter. The Lord explained here that the vast crowd defected from Him but there was one within their own ranks who would turn traitor.
“Did I not choose you, the twelve,
Although the gospel of John did not record the choice of the twelve apostles, Jesus reminded them of their status with Him. Whatever authority they had, they had from Jesus.
and one of you is a devil?”
Jesus knowingly chose an unbeliever to be one of the twelve. He accused Judas of being a “devil” (Jn 13:2, 27). The word “devil” means slanderer.
6:71
He spoke of Judas Iscariot,
Jesus was not afraid to name His dark betrayer.
the son of Simon,
The gospel of John is the only place where Judas is called “the son of Simon.”
for it was he who would betray Him,
Jesus acknowledged in the upper room that one of the twelve would betray Him (Jn 13:2). This gospel called Judas “the traitor” (Jn 18:5). Judas immediately went out from the upper room to betray Jesus.
being one of the twelve.
It was quite a tragedy that one of the twelve would betray Jesus.
PRINCIPLE:
Even rebellion is under the sovereign control of God.
APPLICATION:
Judas’ role was determined by God as a necessary function in saving the world (Lu 22:22). This does not diminish the idea that his betrayal of Jesus arose from his rebellious heart.
