Why did Jesus choose Judas as a disciple?

Jesus was “delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23).  That means that God knew ahead of time that Jesus would be betrayed by a friend, and planned it that way.  Jesus himself knew this as well (John 13:18; cf. Ps. 41:9).

Why did Jesus choose Judas to begin with?  Jesus knew what was in people’s hearts (John 2:24-25), so it is likely that Judas had as pure a heart as the other apostles whom Jesus chose at the beginning of his ministry.  This would have been a man who had chosen to follow Jesus in the first place, thus volunteering to commit himself to the sacrifices involved following Jesus.  Judas was one of the men whom Jesus had sent out two by two on the domestic missionary journey throughout Galilee (Matt. 10).  Thus, Judas was likely a godly man at first.

However, over time his heart became corrupted.  By the end of Jesus’ ministry, Judas had begun to steal from the group (John 12:6) and Satan had entered Judas’ heart.  He began to plot his betrayal of the Lord at this time (Luke 22:3-6; John 13:2, 27).

Why did God plan that a close friend would betray the Messiah.  I believe it was to teach us that we also, in spite of our own closeness to Christ, can and oftentimes do betray him.