Mark 14:20 Commentary and Bible Study

‘He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.’ That became a sign later on identifying Judas as the betrayer, but not at this stage, because they would all be dipping in the dish. It will be one of you he says, that shares my supper. John 13:18 tells us that Judas’ betrayal was prophesied in Psalm 41:9. Christ identifies the betrayer this way in order to highlight the despicable nature of this act. Betrayal was given in exchange for love and friendship and kindness, and in the context of that close community of Christ and his apostles.Here is the Lord’s insistence on human responsibility for this most terrible of acts, in spite of the fact that it must happen. It must happen because it is predestined to happen and was written in Scripture long before (Psalm 41; Psalm 109). It is from this latter psalm that Peter quotes in seeking guidance about the replacement of Judas to make the number of the apostles up to twelve again (Acts 1:20). The Lord knows it will happen; it is part of the divine plan; but there is a horror about being the one to do this treacherous deed. To be the one who bring about the death of the Son of Man – even though it is a vital necessity in the plan of God – is the ultimate case of returning evil for good. So terrible is this that Christ is prepared to say what he says on no other occasion: ‘Good were it for that man if he had never been born.’ That can only be said about one who is destined to hell, and this was certainly the case with Judas. When Job wished that he had never been born and wanted to pour contempt on the celebrations at his birth, he spoke in error. But here it was right to say that it would have been better if Judas had not been born. It would have been better not to have experienced the blessing of life, even though it is such a great gift. It may be that greatest torment for those who are lost eternally is to realise that although they are entirely responsible for their destiny, God predestined them to this end and he never knew or loved them.