Decisions

Judas made the wrong decision. No one forced him to do so. He had opportunity to change his mind. If there were any niggling doubts in the back of his mind he simply ignored them. He carried on regardless.

“Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.” (Matthew 26 v 23-25)

There are many people who have made such a mess of their life, the decisions they have made have been momentously destructive and have sentenced them to a life in prison (whether they are there literally or not). They have wasted their life. It would seem to them that it would be better if they had not been born. That is the powerful woe on whatever is left of their life.

Why did Jesus say this? Even this is harsh isn’t it?

It is harsh, without the help of Matthew, “Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.” (26:25)

Matthew shows us that the conversation between him and Judas must have been whispered because if the others had heard they would have set upon Judas there and then that is for sure.

Therefore, Jesus in a last hour effort gives Judas the opportunity to repent and stop doing what he had planned to do.

Jesus purposely says to Judas “what you are about to do will bring such sorrow and distress you will wish you had never been born.”

There is no depth a man can plummet but it will only bring great sorrow into his life but today is the day to opt out of that destructive path. There is a way that seems right to man but in the end it leads to death (Proverbs 14:12). It is only a life with Jesus that brings the true purpose for our existence. He makes sense of it all. If only Judas had checked the decision he was making with someone else. Perhaps that’s the lesson.