{"id":769,"date":"2026-04-01T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reflectivebiblestudy.com\/gospeladventure\/?p=769&2026"},"modified":"2026-03-30T18:00:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T00:00:07","slug":"loving-a-betrayer-mark-14-17-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reflectivebiblestudy.com\/gospeladventure\/loving-a-betrayer-mark-14-17-21\/","title":{"rendered":"Loving a Betrayer: Mark 14:17-21"},"content":{"rendered":"
Focus Passage: Mark 14:17-21 (NCV)<\/div>
\r\n

17\u00a0<\/sup>In the evening, Jesus went to that house with the twelve. 18\u00a0<\/sup>While they were all eating, Jesus said, \u201cI tell you the truth, one of you will turn against me\u2014one of you eating with me now.\u201d<\/p>

19\u00a0<\/sup>The followers were very sad to hear this. Each one began to say to Jesus, \u201cI am not the one, am I?\u201d<\/p>

20\u00a0<\/sup>Jesus answered, \u201cIt is one of the twelve\u2014the one who dips his bread into the bowl with me. 21\u00a0<\/sup>The Son of Man will die, just as the Scriptures say. But how terrible it will be for the person who hands the Son of Man over to be killed. It would be better for him if he had never been born.\u201d<\/p>\r\n

Read Mark 14:17-21<\/a> in context and\/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!<\/p><\/div><\/div>\r\n

During the last supper Jesus had with His disciples before the crucifixion, Jesus shares a statement that many of us would consider very insensitive and mean. Jesus didn\u2019t have to share anything about the upcoming betrayal, but He chooses to do so, and while trying to keep the other 11 disciples from being surprised at what would happen that night, Jesus actually causes more confusion.<\/p>\r\n

Mark tells us in his gospel that, \u201cWhile they were all eating, Jesus said, \u2018I tell you the truth, one of you will turn against me\u2014one of you eating with me now.\u2019<\/strong>\u201d (v. 18)<\/p>\r\n

This surprises the disciples, and they all have doubts that it could be them. Mark describes their reaction by saying, \u201cThe followers were very sad to hear this. Each one began to say to Jesus, \u2018I am not the one, am I?\u2019<\/strong>\u201d (v. 19)<\/p>\r\n

It is only after this string of identical questions that Jesus responds, and in His response, we find something incredibly insensitive. Mark tells us that Jesus answered by saying, \u201cIt is one of the twelve\u2014the one who dips his bread into the bowl with me. The Son of Man will die, just as the Scriptures say. But how terrible it will be for the person who hands the Son of Man over to be killed. It would be better for him if he had never been born.<\/strong>\u201d (v. 20-21)<\/p>\r\n

In a subtle but direct statement, Jesus says that it would have been better had Judas Iscariot never been born. That is a pretty mean thing to say. Even though it was predicted that one of Jesus\u2019 followers would betray Him, had Judas Iscariot not been born, or if He had not been chosen as one of the twelve, one of the other disciples would have stepped in to fill that role.<\/p>\r\n

Not only that, but Jesus had been talking about His upcoming death and resurrection for weeks \u2013 maybe even months \u2013 up to this point, and this truth hadn\u2019t sunk in to the disciples minds. I wonder what would have happened if there was not a betrayer included among Jesus\u2019 followers.<\/p>\r\n

Before time began, everything was put in place to point to that specific weekend. If none of the disciples chose to betray Jesus, I wonder how Jesus\u2019 arrest would have happened. Maybe a Pharisee spy would catch sight of Jesus and His followers leaving the city and go tell the leading priests. Or maybe someone else in the garden would see them and go and turn Jesus\u2019 location in for a reward.<\/p>\r\n

But knowing that Jesus\u2019 betrayal was predicted and knowing that it would happen on that specific night, even though Jesus shares a mean statement, He still loved Judas Iscariot. Right up to the end, He gave Judas every opportunity to change his heart and mind. Jesus knew it was Judas, and instead of kicking Judas out of the disciples circle, He allowed him to stay and He chose to continue loving His betrayer.<\/p>\r\n

This is an amazing picture of God that we don\u2019t usually see. Jesus chose to love the one who betrayed Him, and while it may have been better if Judas Iscariot had never been born, God did bring him into this world, and Jesus chose to love and include Him. This emphasizes the truth that God and Jesus love sinners, including you and me, and even when we mess up, God still loves us.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus<\/strong> \u201cReflective Bible Study\u201d package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here<\/a> and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!<\/em><\/p>

Subscribe<\/a> to this blog and never miss an insight.<\/em><\/p><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"During the last supper Jesus had with His disciples before the crucifixion, Jesus shares a statement that many of us would consider very insensitive and mean. 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