Matthew 26:14

Matthew 26:14 says, Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,  Judas, one of the twelve disciples who had been the closest to Jesus went to the chief priests.  We may find that some of those today who claim to be closest to Jesus never really were.  Verse fifteen adds, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.  Judas asked the chief priests what they would give him to deliver Jesus to them.  Today, we sometimes hear that Judas was simply attempting to get Jesus to show the world Who He really was, but he Bible never even hints at this.  Had Judas been doing this, he would have not been negotiating for a price to betray Him.  Too many times material things become more important than to someone than a real relationship with Jesus Christ.  Verse sixteen continues, And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.  After getting the money to betray Jesus, Judas began to look for an opportunity to do so.  Again, I believe that had Judas simply been trying to force Jesus' hand, he would have simply done so immediately without looking to do so without being found out.  Verse seventeen says, Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?  On the first day of the feast, the disciples came to Jesus asking Him where they should prepare for the Passover meal.  If we have questions about anything, especially about worship services, we need to go to God for the answers.  Verse eighteen declares, And he said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.  Jesus told the disciples to go into the city to a certain man and tell him that Jesus' time was at hand and that He and His disciples would keep the Passover at his house.  We are not even told what the man's name was, but he played an important part in the life of Jesus.  The world may never know our name and what we have done for Jesus, but still we must simply be obedient to His plan for our life.  Verse nineteen adds, And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.  The disciples did as Jesus instructed them, and so did the man whose house they went to.  Verse twenty states, Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.  That evening, Jesus sat down for the Passover meal with the disciples.  This would have seemed like any other Passover meal.  Verse twenty-one declares, And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.  During the meal, Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray Him.  This is something that we as professed followers of Christ never want to hear, and if we have a real relationship with Him, we never should have to worry about it happening.  Verse twenty-two adds, And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?  The disciples were very sorry, and all began to ask if he was the one.  Verse twenty-three declares, And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.  It would seem that this somehow set Judas apart from the others, but I believe that Jesus was saying that it was one of the disciples.  If they had a common pot, all would have been dipping in with Jesus it would seem to me.  Verse twenty-four adds, The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.  People today may not physically betray Jesus, but the warning is still just as real.  Woe to him by whom the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, is betrayed.  Verse twenty-five declares, Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.  Judas asked Jesus if it was him, not because he didn't know this, but to see if Jesus did I believe.  We know if we have betrayed Jesus, and we don't need to ask Him if we have.  Jesus replied to Judas, "Thou hast said."  Jesus did not state outright that it was Judas, but let him know that He knew it was.