Mark 14:17-21 – A lost opportunity

The evening had come and Jesus and His 12 disciples were in the prepared room and having their Passover meal. As they were comfortably reclining around the table, Jesus had assumed the role of the head of the family. In the midst of it, He suddenly dropped the bombshell on them. He said “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me - one who is eating with Me.” This, of course was already predicted in the Messianic prophecy in Psalm 41:9. John 13:21 tells us that at this stage Jesus was troubled in Spirit. And who would not? For Him it must have been a grievous moment, but for the disciples a horrifying one. Though troubled, we must say that the Lord was very composed. The disciples were all horrorstruck, yet none of them suspected each other to be the traitor, least of all Judas.

What was the Lord’s intention? Just imagine all the time the disciples traveled in and out with the Lord, none of them suspected Judas to be the one that would do the Master in. Of all the disciples who heard that announcement, Judas probably understood the Lord perfectly. Just imagine what the rest of the disciples, especially Peter, would do to him if the Lord had made it known. But even in this horrific moment, the Lord was gracious. He refused to pull out the plug on Judas. Could it be that the Lord was sounding out a final warning to him? One wonders how Judas had felt at that moment. What was going through him while the rest were seized with a sense of grief, and were doing their soul-searching and saying “surely not I.” Where did Judas find the gall and by-passed his conscience and mouthed those same words to fool everyone? Surely he knew that He could not fool the Lord.  

We cannot help but feel the depth of the Lord’s love for Judas even at this point. And He was still reaching and stretching out His hand of love toward him. In chapter 13 of John’s Gospel, we are told that the Lord washed all His disciples’ feet, yes, even Judas. John 13:11 tells us that Jesus knew the one who was betraying Him. Here was the Lord lovingly appealing to Judas’ conscience. Even when Peter, at the beckoning of John, asked him who it was that would betray Him. Jesus’ response was, ‘It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon.” (John 13:23-26). He was still extending His hand of love toward Judas at this point.

In Mark 14:21, the Lord cannot be any clearer concerning the outcome of the person who would betray Him. Even in this, He was giving Judas a final opportunity to rethink what he was going to do. But alas! Judas was not moved. Although the Lord knew that he would soon betray Him, yet he would not just let him go without warning him, and giving him the opportunity to come clean. Judas spurned His love.

Let’s pray for ourselves to be more discerning so that when opportunities are being offered to repent and come clean, we will never be found letting the opportunity of the Lord pass us by.