Mark 14:45 Commentary and Bible Study

As the Scripture had predicted, Judas proceeded to betray the Lord. He did so in the most despicable way. Matthew includes the Lord’s piercing question to Judas: ‘Friend, wherefore art thou come?’ (Matthew 26:50). This ought to have cut Judas’ heart to the quick, but even this did not yet awaken his conscience, and that would not happen until it was too late, and then suicide would follow. Luke records, ‘But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?’ (Luke 22:48). It was a familiar greeting which was part of the culture, but Judas kept up pretence of friendship to the very end. How much Judas forfeited for how little! What did the chief priests and elders think of a man who could betray his master in this way? Even they must have felt this was a worthless man conducting a sordid business, but for now it suited them to do business with him, because it delivered their great enemy into their hands, so what did they care? Their contempt for Judas’ action is shown later when even they cannot bring themselves to use the thirty pieces of silver thrown back at them, for anything other than the purchase of a burial plot.