Can Jesus encourage someone to commit sin? And furthermore, can Jesus hasten someone to commit a sin?

Question

Can Jesus encourage someone to commit sin? And furthermore, can Jesus hasten someone to commit a sin?

In John 13:27 it reads:

And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

Answer 1

To induce someone to sin is to sin. Jesus did not sin, so he did not induce anyone to sin.

At the time of the quote you make, Judas was already determined to betray Jesus, so Jesus did not induce him to do anything. Doing it "quickly" does not increase the sin, so Jesus is not telling him to sin worse. You might argue doing it "quickly" lessens the sin, as it reduces the time Jesus is agonizing about his death in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Answer 2

Although some may consider the question blasphemous, I think it deserves careful thought. For me it is a too simple to argue that the answer must be no because "to induce someone to sin is to sin." According to the rabbis not all sins are equal. It may sometimes be necessary to violate a minor commandment in order to perform a major good. For example, Jesus violated the commandment against working on the sabbath in order to heal people. Many rabbis would agree with this policy. More controversially, Jesus directed a disciple not to return home to bury his father (Mt. 8:22) - arguably a violation of the commandment to honor one's father and mother. In this case, the urgency of following Jesus trumped one of the basic commandments.

The OP is particularly concerned with Jesus apparently instructing Judas to betray him. The principle at stake here is the same as the above, except that it is writ large. Betraying Jesus was a sin, but in Christian theology, it was performed in order to obtain a greater good, because it furthered God's plan to send Jesus to the Cross. So too with the actions of the Jewish and Roman leaders who convicted and executed Jesus. As Paul says as much in 1 Corinthians 2:8:

We speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

Conclusion: Although the question is disturbing, it is worth considering. Jesus' policy sometimes involved violating a minor commandment in order to perform a good work. But in the larger sense - such as the example mentioned in the OP - we should not write the issue off by arguing that since Jesus never sinned he could not have told Judas to sin. In John's Gospel, Jesus did seem to instruct Judas to betray him. It is hard to deny that Judas sinned by doing so. Yet that sin - by which Judas doomed himself - was instrumental in the traditional Christian understanding of God's plan of salvation for the world.

Answer 3

Sin is never the external act but the inner desire. It is impossible for God to tempt a man to sin. It is nearly impossible that he does not speed up, or slow down, the external manifestation of sin under his sovereign almighty will. He can speed up or slow down the manifestation of our evil plans just by giving us the flu, or not. Putting us to death, or not. It’s quite easy for God to be a Lord.

Was Jesus speaking to Judas or Satan?

John 13:27 (ESV): Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”

Satan was preauthorized by the Father to kill the Messiah, Satan in his blind madness, thinking that this would destroy Christ, did not realize it was the very method that Christ would destroy him. Judas is just the instrument Satan would use. Yet Christ is still Lord even of his death and if he did not find the Devil‘s timing convenient he can exercise control even of that. And so the Devil was forced to obey God‘s timing over ’his desire‘.

As Christ was God we must allow Judas and the Devil in their regrets, read this and nod in agreement:

James 1 ESV

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

And so God used the desire of Satan to commit a kind of suicide, that Judas afterwards mimicked the same result. This symbolism may have been by design as well.

Answer 4

The answer is No, and here is why. John said that “Satan entered into Judas” and it was not the first time Satan did this. A few days before, the sin was agreed upon against a price.

Luke 22:3-6 says:

Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.

Thereby, Satan an Judas unintentionally started the fulfillment of a prophecy (Matthew 27:9,10).

So what Jesus said to Satan/Judas was about being quick in fulfilling the prophecy and honoring the agreement with the chief priests and officers.

The actual sin of betrayal was already done when Jesus spoke these words.

Answer 5

Jesus did not approve and agree with Judas plan to betray him that would lead to his death. Jesus only knew and submitted to the predetermined events leading to his sacrifice. The question then emerges as an objection against self-sacrifice, as if sacrificing one's life to save others is a sin of suicide via killers. Was Jesus committing the sin of suicide in his mission? This is incorrect, as the act of self-sacrifice is counted as righteousness, because it is done to save someone else's life. References:

• John 15:13 "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
• [Phil 2:3-5 RV] doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself; not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others. Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus
• [John 11:50 RSV] "it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish".
• 1John 3:16 [RSV] By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

Answer 6

No and no.

The Savior taught,

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. (Matthew 7:16-18)

Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? (James 3:11)

Can the same Being, God, do both good and evil things?

The answer to this question is further expounded by Moroni in the Book of Mormon (had by Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints):

Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to do that which is evil continually.

But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.

Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.

For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.

For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

But whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do evil, and believe not in Christ, and deny him, and serve not God, then ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of the devil; for after this manner doth the devil work, for he persuadeth no man to do good, no, not one; neither do his angels; neither do they who subject themselves unto him.

And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.

Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ. (Moroni 10:12-19)

The Savior already knew at this time that Judas would betray Him. Judas had already made up his mind, the Savior's saying can be seen as, "if you are going to betray Me, get it over with!". The Lord does not delight in suffering, but in the glory that comes from overcoming sin and suffering. Thus the Lord hastens the work of His glory that comes after betrayal, sin and suffering. As Isaiah says, "It pleased the Lord to bruise Him", and as the Risen Lord said, "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?"

Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! (Matthew 18:7)

Answer 7

He didn’t encourage or induce. He said, “What thou do …” Judas was already in process. He was doing it. Jesus was telling him, “What you’re doing, hurry up and get it over with.”