I'm so glad you decided to get us into our bible reading using this format. With set readings for each day I can see questions coming up with all of us sharing in the answers and incites that come from the readings. I got so excited about this that I got right back into my daily reading as I should have been doing all along. I look forward to new and deeper revelations of God's will in my life and how to let God use me more completely.

Thank you, Pastor, for your faithfulness and your example of walking the walk of Jesus Christ!

"20When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. 21And while they were eating, he said, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me."

22They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, "Surely not I, Lord?"

23Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. 24The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."

25Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, "Surely not I, Rabbi?"
Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you."

In the above verses Jesus talks about being betrayed and when Judas is told it is he, why is the whole subject dropped as if nothing were said? The next verses describe the "Last Supper" without any more mention of Jesus' betrayer. Why were verses 20-25 even included?

I'm not sure what the Holy Spirit have given you but what I take from it is: It seems Jesus is pointing out that He is laying down His life, no one takes it (not even Judas, nor Satan) but He gives it freely. Exclaiming to Judas/Satan that He knows what he is doing "Yes it is you who is betraying me". John's translation says this in verse 27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”

The devil saying "Surely not I, Rabbi?" not "Lord".

One other observation is:
Judas has been in the heavenly system (sowing and reaping - the Good News) for over 3 years. With him being the treasurer and all that money coming in and out, why did he all of a sudden have to use a different system to get cash. Where was he going to get another Source like this? He must have been feed a line from the enemy that Jesus would be released (rather than Barrabas) (no harm no foul), maybe the others would bail Him out, or maybe Jesus would use his faith to release Himself. You can tell this non critical issue to him by the way he returned the money here in Matthew.

(AMP) Matthew 3. When Judas, His betrayer, saw that [Jesus] was condemned, [Judas was afflicted in mind and troubled for his former folly (or lack of good sense Merriam Webster); and] with remorse [with little more than a selfish dread of the consequences] he brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders,
4.Saying, I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. They replied, What is that to us? See to that yourself.

Of course he took his own life and met an awful fate. There is a sin unto death, I do not say he shall pray for it. It would have been better for him to not to have been born. Jesus couldn't even forgive him.

I had a thought on the way to work this morning. If Peter cut off the ear of that servant, he most likely (maybe the others too) would have killed Judas had he/they known who it was betraying the Master. They weren't Spirit filled yet so no real self-control.

Have a bless day.

The conversation about Judas was included for the same reason that it mentioned that Paul would deny him 3 times. Had Jesus not mentioned that he knew Judas was going to betray him then it would have made it seem that the great prophet could not even see his own destiny. This whole conversation showed Jesus's power as a prophet and was included to show to doubting people that Jesus already knew..

By:

Carmencita Tubbs

Thank you for your reply, Carmencita.   It didn't strike you odd that the apostles just let the subject drop as though it had never been asked who would betray Jesus?

After reading Mark's Gospel I wondered why did they ask "Is it I?" "It isn't I, is it?" Like they couldn't say whether they could do it or not. Did they drop it because they couldn't say that they wouldn't be the one? They were so close knit. Even Judas was exactly the same as them until he ate the morsel of bread. In John's account the disciples all looked puzzled at one another because they were brothers and knew each other so well, even Judas. While reclining with John is His bosom and Judas at His back how could they decide who was going to betray Him especially those trusted to be so close to Him? Even afterwards when Jesus told Judas do it quickly, they thought it was their brother giving to the poor. After he left Jesus said "Now the Son of Man is glorified". Could that have stopped it? Great question Cora. I find these all of the time in the Bible and it thrills me to get understanding about Who He was on earth and is today. Helps me to apply to my life.

GOD'S MORNING TO YOU CORA!
AS WE ALL KNOW, GOD'S WORD NEVER RETURNS VOID IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. BEFORE JESUS' ARRIVAL HERE ON EARTH, GOD SPOKE THROUGH THE PROPHETS AS TO HOW JESUS' "WALK" THROUGH THS WORLD WOULD PLAY OUT.  JESUS HAD TO FOLLOW THOSE PROFESIES TO THE LETTER OR HE HIMSELF WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN IN THE WILL OF GOD.
ALTHOUGH I CANNOT PROVE THIS, I BELIEVE JESUS MAY HAVE BEEN SITTING NEXT TO JUDAS WHEN HE  TOLD JUDAS THAT HE WAS THE ONE THAT WOULD BETRAY IN. HE MAY HAVE WHISPERED IT TO JUDAS SO THAT THE OTHERS IN THE ROOM COULD NOT HEAR HIM. THIS WOULD KEEP THE OTHERS IN THE ROOM FROM KILLING JUDAS BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO FINISH WAS HE WAS TO DO: BETRAY JESUS!

Cora,

I was thinking today about verses 20-25 and I wanted to add this that God is a God that does thing with a purpose these scripture were included to fulfill that purpose so what we must do is to search the scriptures comparing scripture with scripture to discern that purpose and remember the answer is always in the word and never in the philosophical reasoning of men and their commentaries!

SISTER CORA,

AS MY BIBLE READING CONTINUES, I AM NOW IN ACTS. AS I READ ACTS 1, GOD HIGHLIGHTED PART OF  VERSE 16 TO ME.

¹⁶Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

THE PORTION "WHICH THE HOLY GHOST BY THE MOUTH OF DAVID SPAKE"  STOOD OUT. I IMEDIATLY SEARCHED THE BOOK OF PSALMS FOR THIS. I FOUND THE FOLLOWING IN PSALMS 41:9...

⁹Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

THIS VERSE THEN BROUGHT TO MY REMEMBERANCE SOMTHING I READ IN  JOHN 13:18...

¹⁸I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

"WOW!" I SAID TO MYSELF." PROFESY IS BEGINNING TO UNFOLD IN FROMT OF MY EYES HERE!" I EAGERLY READ ON IN JOHN 13, AND CAME TO VERSES 21-28...

 ²¹When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

 ²²Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.

 ²³Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

 ²⁴Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.

 ²⁵He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?

 ²⁶Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

 ²⁷And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

 ²⁸Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.

AFTER READING VERSE 28, I KNEW THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION WAS ANSWERED!  IT WAS DROPPED BECAUSE THE DICIPLES  WHAT JESUS WAS SAYING.  IF THEY UNDERSTOOD WHO WOULD BETRAY JESUS, THEY MAY HAVE KILLED JUDAS, AND AT THAT POINT, PROFESY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN FUFILLED.

DENNIS