Mark 14: 17-21…..Jesus knew.

And when it was evening, he came with the twelve. And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

Comment: What did Jesus know? He knew of Judas’ treachery. With Jesus announcement there was asked, as it appears, by all of the disciples ‘Is it I?’ Jesus statement was ‘will betray’ not ‘has betrayed’ me. They all knew that for some time the authorities had been looking to catch and kill Him. Peter had received a sharp reply for telling Jesus that He was wrong in talking about His, Jesus, future death. But Jesus indicates who would betray Him by a sign of friendship – almost like sharing a chocolate bar but in this case together dipping bread together into the shared food bowl. Judas, for that was the betraying friend’s name, must have quaked inwardly. What did Jesus mean by ‘It had been better if you had never been born?’ Death is common to all people, so Jesus had to be talking about the means of a gruesome death or what was to happen after death. Jesus, in His teaching frequently made the differentiation between heaven and hell clear. Betraying ‘the Son of Man’, a term used for the Messiah, didn’t give heaven much of a chance of being Judas’ future abode.

Prayer: Help me to see myself as You see me, O God. Thank You for promised forgiveness upon true repentance and believing trust.