RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-07-17	Judas: Better If Not Born (Mt.26:24)
		Mat 26:24  The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.". Jesus tells the disciples that one of them will betray Him (Mt.26:21). They began to challenge themselves asking “Lord, is it I?” (Mt.26:22). It is interesting to note that Judas did not call Jesus “Lord” as the other disciples did. Matthew suggests that Judas waited to speak until last. Jesus said, “"He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish” (v.23) while Judas was at that moment doing just that. The Master of the home, in this case Jesus, would sit at the center of a U-shaped table. The guest of honor would be to his left. We know from John's gospel that John was at Jesus' right side. Thus, Judas was seated on the left of Jesus which was the place of honor. So Jesus and Judas were sharing the same bowl. Jesus was giving Judas another opportunity to repent. What an incredible privilege Judas was given. Of course, Jesus knew full well Judas would betray Him. Judas asked “Rabbi, is it I” displaying a tragic level of hypocrisy. The hypocrisy of Judas is almost unbearable in this passage. For Judas to ask, “Rabbi, is it I?” while knowing he has already arranged the arrest of Jesus is the epitome of treachery. Then Jesus said, “You have said” not to condemn Judas, but again to call him to repentance. In the Bible we see it said of Job, that he “Cursed the day of his birth” (Jb.3:1). Job laments his life and expresses deep grief. Jeremiah also said, “Cursed be the day in which I was born!” (Je.20:14). Again tragedy based. When Jesus said, “It would have been good for that man if he had not been born” He was stating a fact. The level of opportunities but met with rejection will make the judgment for Judas overwhelming to imagine. This is a declaration of the awful judgment that would befall the traitor. We see both the human and divine sides of this event. From the divine point of view, Judas’ treachery was predicted in Scripture and was part of the plan of God. But from the human point of view, Judas was guilty of a base crime and was completely responsible for what he did. Divine sovereignty and human responsibility are not in conflict, even though we may not be able to understand how they work together to fulfill God’s will. Nowhere in Scripture does predestination and prophecy cancel human responsibility. Judas left before the room and went out to keep his promise to deliver Jesus into the religious leaders' hands. John records Judas left the room before Judas partook of the Last Supper (Jn.13:30). So Jesus only had believers at the Last Supper which is a model for the church today. He had been so cunning that not even the other eleven disciples suspected that he was guilty. There are some who take Judas as a hero, thinking it forced Jesus to the cross to fulfill prophecy. Judas was no hero. When you look at verse 24 Jesus says, “Woe” to that man, meaning he is guilty and cursed. So the more you reject truth, the greater the punishment in hell. And anyone who finds himself in hell, will wish they were never born. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

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