10-02-2012, 03:05 PM
Interesting! I have heard of a different ascription to the term "Qeriot" to a place in southern Yahudah known as the cities (hence the plural form) of Kerioth-Hezron sometimes called "Hazor" like Joshua 15:25 says. (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, fully revised edition, under the K section. It could be that Iscariot didnt translate well into Greek, and it was an Aramaic term for the same place. This makes sense to me, since the Brit Chadasha frequently mentions places that are uncommon, like Simon of Cyrene, Mary of Magdala, so why not Yehudah of Qeriyot? After all, there was more than one disciple named Yehudah (see John 14:22) and whatever Qeriot is, it was the way he was distinguished from others with a common name.
It could be where he's from or it could be that he carried the purse, but no one really knows.
It could be where he's from or it could be that he carried the purse, but no one really knows.