Common misinterpretations of John 6:70 include viewing Jesus' choice of the twelve as guaranteeing salvation for all, overlooking Judas as a counterexample of nominal election without regeneration; assuming strict predestination that coerces Judas' betrayal, negating his willful choice as described elsewhere; taking 'a devil' literally as demonic possession rather than a metaphor for Judas' adversarial character and satanic alignment; or implying Jesus erred in selection, which contradicts His omniscience.
John 6:70
King James Version (1769)
70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
In John 6:70, Jesus reveals His divine foreknowledge by affirming that He chose the twelve apostles yet one among them, Judas Iscariot, is 'a devil,' signifying his betrayal and satanic influence rather than true discipleship. This passage emphasizes the reality of false followers even within Jesus' inner circle, the sovereignty of God's election coexisting with human responsibility, and the piercing insight of Christ into human hearts, warning believers to examine their own faith amid outward association.