Jesus Holds the Cup at the Passover MealBible World
26:23Matthew 26:23
And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
Jesus spoke these words at the Passover supper He ate with His disciples. After that supper He went with them to the garden of Gethsemane, where He often went to pray, talking with them and teaching them as they walked but becoming strangely silent as they neared the garden.
The betrayer is identified as a favored fellow guest eating with Jesus at the table in close fellowship, one dipping his hand with Him in the dish. It was spoken as the answer to John's distressed question, Lord, is it I, after Jesus announced that one of the twelve would betray Him, and was spoken in the tone and manner of one weighed down. That announcement left all except Judas spellbound with amazement, and the sorrowful disciples searched one another's faces for guilt and their own hearts in fear, questioning one after another whether they were the one.
In the confusion the other disciples did not at first hear or understand the answer given to John, just as they did not hear the later Thou hast said to Judas and did not interpret the giving of the dipped sop to Judas Iscariot the son of Simon. Amid that confusion of questions Judas himself did not hear it at first, remaining silent while the others asked until his silence drew all eyes to him, when he nerved himself to ask in order to escape scrutiny. The words showed that all of Judas's secret purpose, thoughts and plans were fully known to Jesus.
The identification was touching forbearance and infinite mercy, giving Judas one more chance and one final convincing proof of divinity before the consummation of his treachery, with the joined woe meant to warn him to save himself from the betrayer's doom. It was joined to the warning that the Son of Man goes as it is written, but woe to the man who betrays Him, for whom it would have been good never to have been born. By revealing His foreknowledge, Jesus gave the faithful disciples evidence of His divine foreknowledge and Messiahship, a crowning evidence to strengthen their faith and help them believe that He is He when the betrayal and His humiliation followed.
Judas was surprised and alarmed but did not repent; he persisted in his purpose, became more determined, and went on to carry out the betrayal. Judas was present at that supper though deceived by Satan and thinking himself a true disciple; his heart was carnal, and his covetousness had been exposed when he complained about Mary's costly gift to Jesus. Jesus knew Judas would betray Him yet still treated him with patience and mercy, washing his feet and allowing him to share in the sacrament, which teaches not to abandon or isolate someone in error but to offer help that may lead the person to repent and be cleansed from sin.
Jesus spoke these words at the Passover supper He ate with His disciples. After that supper He went with them to the garden of Gethsemane, where He often went to pray, talking with them and teaching them as they walked but becoming strangely silent as they neared the garden.
The betrayer is identified as a favored fellow guest eating with Jesus at the table in close fellowship, one dipping his hand with Him in the dish. It was spoken as the answer to John's distressed question, Lord, is it I, after Jesus announced that one of the twelve would betray Him, and was spoken in the tone and manner of one weighed down. That announcement left all except Judas spellbound with amazement, and the sorrowful disciples searched one another's faces for guilt and their own hearts in fear, questioning one after another whether they were the one.
In the confusion the other disciples did not at first hear or understand the answer given to John, just as they did not hear the later Thou hast said to Judas and did not interpret the giving of the dipped sop to Judas Iscariot the son of Simon. Amid that confusion of questions Judas himself did not hear it at first, remaining silent while the others asked until his silence drew all eyes to him, when he nerved himself to ask in order to escape scrutiny. The words showed that all of Judas's secret purpose, thoughts and plans were fully known to Jesus.
The identification was touching forbearance and infinite mercy, giving Judas one more chance and one final convincing proof of divinity before the consummation of his treachery, with the joined woe meant to warn him to save himself from the betrayer's doom. It was joined to the warning that the Son of Man goes as it is written, but woe to the man who betrays Him, for whom it would have been good never to have been born. By revealing His foreknowledge, Jesus gave the faithful disciples evidence of His divine foreknowledge and Messiahship, a crowning evidence to strengthen their faith and help them believe that He is He when the betrayal and His humiliation followed.
Judas was surprised and alarmed but did not repent; he persisted in his purpose, became more determined, and went on to carry out the betrayal. Judas was present at that supper though deceived by Satan and thinking himself a true disciple; his heart was carnal, and his covetousness had been exposed when he complained about Mary's costly gift to Jesus. Jesus knew Judas would betray Him yet still treated him with patience and mercy, washing his feet and allowing him to share in the sacrament, which teaches not to abandon or isolate someone in error but to offer help that may lead the person to repent and be cleansed from sin.