Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them. 11 When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money. Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. 12 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 13 He sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. 14 Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ 15 Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.” 16 The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. 17 When it was evening, he came with the Twelve. 18 And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19 They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one, “Surely it is not I?” 20 He said to them, “One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish. 21 For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”
In the previous passage (Mk. 14:3-9) a woman anointed Jesus’ head with expensive oil and some present felt that the oil could have been sold for “more than 300 days wages (v. 5)” instead. Jesus said, “She has anticipated anointing my body for burial (v. 8).' Judas, in contrast to the woman’s devotion, left and went to the chief priests to betray Jesus. Judas’ motive was not clear, but it appears as if greed could have been part of the motivation, “You cannot serve God and mammon (Mt. 6:24).”
Matthew, Mark and Luke place the last supper on the first day of Passover. The Passover lamb was sacrificed on the afternoon of the 14th of Nissan before the first day of Passover began at sunset. The disciples were sent to make arrangements for the Passover meal. Jesus could have had foreknowledge of the event (Mk. 11:1-6; Jn. 1:48) but most likely Jesus had carefully made previous arrangements with the man carrying the jar of water. However, it was unusual for a man to be carrying a jar of water as that was normally woman’s work.
Jesus was clearly in control of the situation. He had foreknowledge of Judas’ plot to betray him (Mt. 26:14-16) but accepted it as he knew that it was his Father’s will (Lk. 22:42). Jesus told his disciples that one of the twelve who broke bread with him and dipped his unleavened bread in the same dish would betray him. Each one was concerned that it might be him. Because it was God’s plan Judas still bore responsibility for his actions. Jesus’ comment, "As it is written of him (v. 21)" could be from Isaiah, “Seized and condemned, he was taken away. Who would have thought any more of his destiny? For he was cut off from the land of the living, struck for the sins of his people. He was given a grave among the wicked, a burial place with evildoers, Though he had done no wrong, nor was deceit found in his mouth (Is. 53:8-9).”
Almighty God, You alone know our motives, you alone know what is in our hearts. Through your love for us show us everything about us that offends you and by your forgiveness and mercy help us to align our desires with your will. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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