Cheryl Schatz

Regarding Matthew 26:24 the words that Jesus said about Judas. Jesus said “The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!…” Here the term “is betrayed” is present indicative. Present tense means that it is happening right then. The indicative means that the action is described by the writer as real. It is the mood of assertion where the writer portrays something as actual as opposed to possible or contingent on intention. Because of the grammar that Jesus used, and which Matthew faithfully preserved in the written Word, Judas was already betraying Jesus and the act was already begun. Judas was committed. Satan had already entered Judas once and he would do so again after Judas left the meal. I see nothing in the text that allows for an “out” for Judas once he made the step to go this far. Jesus confirms this by His statement that the act was in motion in the present tense and that there was already a “woe” for Judas. I believe that any turning back from the betrayal would have had to happen before this point. At this point it was too late. Secondly Jesus’ words that it would be “good” or “better” for that man (Judas) if he had not been born. Consider the Greek term. It means an advantage, yes a greater advantage to the person.