Judas Iscariot has always been an enigma to us.  One preacher, writing many years ago said, “No minister, at the time of his ordination, ever entertained more pleasing prospects for a brilliant career than had Judas Iscariot.” For one thing, Judas was given a good name.  The names Judas means “praise of God.” One of the eleven sons of Jacob bore that name.  So did one of the brothers of Jesus; the one who, by tradition, wrote the book of Jude in the New Testament.  He was probably named after one of the most revered military leaders in ancient Jewish history: Judas Maccabeus.  Just a few generations before the New testament period, Judas Maccabeus led his people in a revolt against the Greeks, thereby winning independence for them for a brief time.  Judas Maccabeus was to the Jews of Jesus…