Mark 14:43-52
Let’s continue to pray for Jim and Marty.
“Notice what you notice.” I’ve always felt sorry for Judas and wondered if his hanging himself was his ultimate repentance and that he might not be assigned to Hell for all eternity. Today’s reading strengthens that argument for me: Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man. Seize him and lead him away under guard.” (v. 44) The ESV and NASB both end that sentence with “under guard”. What struck me, however, was the NKJV translation that ended with “safely”. Did Judas want Jesus taken away “safely”? Did he have some other expectation of what the Jewish leaders would do with Jesus? Was he then shocked to see Him beaten and crucified? And did Jesus’ death on the cross drive Judas to his own suicide? What was Judas’ actual bargain with the Jewish leaders? When he threw their thirty pieces of silver back into the temple sanctuary (Matthew 27:5), was he livid with anger that they had deceived him? I often wonder about Judas…
Slava Bohu!