The Meaning of Luke 6:16 Explained

Luke 6:16

KJV: And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

YLT: Judas of James, and Judas Iscariot, who also became betrayer;)

Darby: and Judas brother of James, and Judas Iscariote, who was also his betrayer;

ASV: and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Judas  [the brother] of James,  and  Judas  Iscariot,  which  also  was  the traitor. 

What does Luke 6:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 6:12-26 - New Leaders And New Principles
There are three circles here: First, Christ and His Apostles-the men who were to be sent into all the world to preach the gospel and to lay the foundations of the Church. How little did these single men imagine that one day their names would become inscribed on the foundation stones of the New Jerusalem!
The next circle is that of the disciples, Luke 6:17. You must be a disciple before you can be an apostle. You must learn, if you are to teach. You must sit at the feet of Jesus, till some day He calls you out from the class and commissions you to the world. The sheep becomes a shepherd.
The third great outer rim is the poor, needy world. What a gathering of sick folk! But if only people knew the distempers of their soul-life they would gather with equal eagerness to Jesus. How wonderful that secret touch! Luke 6:19. But many still touch Him in the press! [source]

Chapter Summary: Luke 6

1  Jesus reproves the Pharisees;
12  chooses apostles;
17  heals the diseased;
20  preaches to his disciples before the people: the beattitudes;
27  Love your Enemy
37  Do not Judge
43  A Tree and Its Fruit
46  The House on the Rock

Greek Commentary for Luke 6:16

Which was the traitor [ος εγενετο προδοτης]
Who became traitor, more exactly, εγενετο — egeneto not ην — ēn He gave no signs of treachery when chosen. [source]
Judas []
See on Thaddaeus, Mark 3:18. [source]
Judas Iscariot []
See on Matthew 10:5. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 6:16

John 6:64 Should betray [παραδώσων]
See on Matthew 4:12; see on Mark 4:29. Judas is once in the New Testament designated by the noun προδότης , traitor, Luke 6:16. [source]
John 13:11 ( παραδίδοται ) [παραδίδοται]
See on Matthew 4:12, and compare προδότης , betrayer, Luke 6:16; Acts 7:52; 2 Timothy 3:4. [source]
John 14:22 Not Iscariot [ουχ ο Ισκαριωτης]
Judas Iscariot had gone (John 13:30), but John is anxious to make it clear that this Judas (common name, two apostles also named James) was not the infamous traitor. He is also called Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus (Mark 3:17; Matthew 10:3) and the brother (or son) of James (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13). This is the fourth interruption of the talk of Jesus (by Peter, John 13:36; by Thomas, John 14:5; by Philip, John 14:8; by Judas, John 14:22). And not to the world Judas caught at the word εμπανιζω — emphanizō in John 14:21 as perhaps a Messianic theophany visible to all the world as at the judgment (John 5:27.). He seems to suspect a change of plan on the part of Jesus (τι γεγονεν οτι — ti gegonen hoti = how has it happened that). [source]
John 6:64 That believe not [οι ου πιστευουσιν]
Failure to believe kills the life in the words of Jesus. Knew from the beginning In the N.T. we have εχ αρχης — ex archēs only here and John 16:4, but απ αρχης — ap' archēs in apparently the same sense as here in John 15:27; 1 John 2:7, 1 John 2:24; 1 John 3:11 and see Luke 1:2; 1 John 1:1. From the first Jesus distinguished between real trust in him and mere lip service (John 2:24; John 8:31), two senses of πιστευω — pisteuō Were Present active indicative retained in indirect discourse. And who it was that should betray him Same use of εστιν — estin and note article and future active participle of παραδιδωμι — paradidōmi to hand over, to betray. John does not say here that Jesus knew that Judas would betray him when he chose him as one of the twelve, least of all that he chose him for that purpose. What he does say is that Jesus was not taken by surprise and soon saw signs of treason in Judas. The same verb is used of John‘s arrest in Matthew 4:12. Once Judas is termed traitor (προδοτης — prodotēs) in Luke 6:16. Judas had gifts and was given his opportunity. He did not have to betray Jesus. [source]
Acts 1:13 They were abiding [ησαν καταμενοντες]
Periphrastic imperfect active. Perfective use of κατα — kata to abide permanently. It is possible that this is the house of Mary the mother of John Mark where the disciples later met for prayer (Acts 12:12). Here alone in the N.T., though old compound. Some MSS. here read παραμενοντες — paramenontes This could mean constant residence, but most likely frequent resort for prayer during these days, some being on hand all the time as they came and went. Simon the Zealot (Σιμον ο ηλωτης — Simon ho Zēlōtēs). Called Simon the Cananaean (ο Χαναναιος — ho Cananaios) in Matthew 10:4, Mark 3:18, but Zealot in Luke 6:16 as here giving the Greek equivalent of the Aramaic word because Luke has Gentiles in mind. The epithet (member of the party of Zealots) clung to him after he became an apostle and distinguishes him from Simon Peter. See note in Volume 1 on the Gospel of Matthew for discussion of the four lists of the apostles. Judas the son of James Literally, Judas of James, whether son or brother (cf. Judges 1:1) we do not really know. “Of James” is added to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot (John 14:22). However we take it, he must be identified with the Thaddaeus (=Lebbaeus) of Mark and Matthew to make the list in the third group identical. No name appears in Acts for that of Judas Iscariot. [source]
Acts 1:13 Simon the Zealot [Σιμον ο ηλωτης]
Called Simon the Cananaean (ο Χαναναιος — ho Cananaios) in Matthew 10:4, Mark 3:18, but Zealot in Luke 6:16 as here giving the Greek equivalent of the Aramaic word because Luke has Gentiles in mind. The epithet (member of the party of Zealots) clung to him after he became an apostle and distinguishes him from Simon Peter. See note in Volume 1 on the Gospel of Matthew for discussion of the four lists of the apostles. [source]
Acts 7:52 Which shewed before [προκαταγγειλαντας]
The very prophets who foretold the coming of the Messiah their fathers killed. The coming (της ελευσεως — tēs eleuseōs). Not in ancient Greek or lxx and only here in the N.T. (in a few late writers). Betrayers Just like Judas Iscariot. He hurled this old biting word at them. In the N.T. only here and Luke 6:16; 2 Timothy 3:4. It cut like a knife. It is blunter than Peter in Acts 3:13. Murderers (πονεις — phoneis). The climax with this sharp word used of Barabbas (Acts 3:14). [source]
Acts 7:52 Betrayers [προδοται]
Just like Judas Iscariot. He hurled this old biting word at them. In the N.T. only here and Luke 6:16; 2 Timothy 3:4. It cut like a knife. It is blunter than Peter in Acts 3:13. Murderers (πονεις — phoneis). The climax with this sharp word used of Barabbas (Acts 3:14). [source]
2 Timothy 3:4 Traitors [προδόται]
Or betrayers. Only here, Luke 6:16; Acts 7:52. [source]
2 Timothy 3:4 Traitors [προδοται]
Old word (from προδιδωμι — prodidōmi), in N.T. only here, Luke 6:16; Acts 7:52. [source]
Jude 1:1 Brother of James [αδελπος Ιακωβου]
Thus Jude identifies himself. But not the “Judas of James” (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13).To them that are called (τοισκλητοις — tois- κλητοις — klētois). But this translation (treating τοις — klētois as a substantive like Romans 1:6; 1 Corinthians 1:24) is by no means certain as two participles come in between κλητοις — tois and Κλητοις — klētois εν τεωι πατρι ηγαπημενοις — Klētois may be in the predicate position (being called), not attributive. But see 1 Peter 1:1.Beloved in God the Father Perfect passive participle of εν — agapaō but no precise parallel to this use of αγαπαω — en with Ιησου Χριστωι τετηρημενοις — agapaō for Jesus Christ Perfect passive participle again with dative, unless it is the instrumental, “kept by Jesus Christ,” a quite possible interpretation. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 6:16 mean?

and Judas [son] of James Judas Iscariot who became [the] betrayer
καὶ Ἰούδαν Ἰακώβου Ἰούδαν Ἰσκαριὼθ ὃς ἐγένετο προδότης

Ἰούδαν  Judas  [son] 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰούδας 
Sense: the fourth son of Jacob.
Ἰακώβου  of  James 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰάκωβος  
Sense: son of Zebedee, an apostle and brother of the apostle John, commonly called James the greater or elder, slain by Herod, Acts 2.
Ἰούδαν  Judas 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰούδας 
Sense: the fourth son of Jacob.
Ἰσκαριὼθ  Iscariot 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰσκαριώθ 
Sense: the apostle who betrayed Jesus.
ἐγένετο  became 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
προδότης  [the]  betrayer 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: προδότης  
Sense: a betrayer, traitor.