Jenkins shared that the show never portrays Jesus praying for Judas but said, “I’m not saying that’s exactly what Jesus would have prayed for Judas, but I’m just saying it’s not impossible that he would have.”
Dallas Jenkins Explains Jesus’ Line, ‘I Have Had Your Heart and I Want It Now’
Jenkins shared insight into the writers’ desire to have Jesus tell Judas “I have had your heart and I want it now.”
Jesus is “not necessarily referring to salvation,” Jenkins explained. “Of course, he wants everyone’s heart. He wants salvation, but the crucifixion hasn’t even happened yet…the true act of salvation has not actually occurred just yet.”
“We’re referring to the fact that Judas absolutely was a follower of Jesus, and absolutely, most assuredly, believed in him,” Jenkins said. “He had authority to cast out demons and preach in his name.”
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Now as to “whether or not he had salvation and then lost it,” Jenkins said, “that’s a debate for the Calvinists and the Armenians to have, but we’re referring to his belief.”
‘[Judas] Did Not Have a Choice. It Was Part of God’s Will,’ Dallas Jenkins Clarifies
As Jenkins concluded his video, he made sure that fans of “The Chosen” understood that he and the show’s writers “believe that Judas was originally a follower of Jesus and did believe that he was the Messiah and did believe in his miracles and whatever that meant for his salvation.”
“I do believe that [Judas] did believe and then didn’t—and that by that time, by that point in time, he did not have a choice. It was part of God’s will, especially once the spiritual, dark fears, spiritual forces entered into him, as the Bible says,” Jenkins said.
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“I do believe that Jesus can pray for people,” Jenkins added. “I do believe that Jesus can pray for his enemies. I do believe Jesus can pray for Judas.” Jenkins explained that John 17 references “one of Jesus’ big prayers [where] he talks about how in that moment he was praying for those who God gave him, but not the one, the son of perdition, not his betrayer.”
“So in that moment, he was not praying for Judas,” said Jenkins. “But that’s not to say that he never was. But [Jesus] absolutely, throughout his ministry, prayed for all of his apostles, many of his enemies, and Judas.”
Hoping that what he shared helps clear up some misconceptions the clip might have caused, Jenkins said, “It’s good to have these kinds of conversations. We just ask and pray that we’ll continue to do it respectfully and that we will be accurate in what we are assuming about others.”
