5. THE Mark 14:17-21 (Matthew 26:20-25; Luke 22:21-23; John 13:21-30) 17 And when it was evening--When the sun was set, some-time after six o'clock. he cometh with the twelve.--[It says here "with the twelve." As Peter and John already are here, he likely means the remainder of the twelve--ten disciples. Luke says, "He sat down" with the twelve, and it only means that after the others had come he, with the twelve, sat down at the table.] 18 And as they sat and were eating,--The Passover feast. Luke quotes Jesus as saying, "With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer." Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you shall betray me, even he that eateth with me.--An announcement that none could possibly be prepared for but Judas. [They really reclined at the table, after the manner of the Jews. John leaned on the bosom of Jesus, which shows they were so reclining. (John 13:23.) While eating, Jesus told them, "One of you shall betray me, even he that eateth with me." This came as an astounding revelation to the great number. It is thought Judas had, the day before, covenanted to betray him. Jesus, in telling this, showed his knowledge of that transaction. John (John 13:21-29) gives a circumstantial account of his telling this, and of his pointing out who should betray him.] 19 They began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I?--Never was a more fateful question asked, for its answer would point out "the son of perdition," and send him "to his own place." The question seems to have gone the round, even Judas with solemn hypocrisy said: "Is it I, Rabbi?" In reply, Jesus said: "Thou hast said." (Matt. 26 25.) Yes, Judas, you are the man. This was a dagger thrust into his heart, though it did not change his evil course. 20 And he said unto them, It is one of the twelve,--This makes it certain that it is one of the apostles. We do not wonder at their anxiety to know which would be so corrupt as to betray the Master. he that dippeth with me in the dish.--[Matthew (Matthew 26:23) records it: "He that dipped his hand with me in the dish."] God has in all ages selected men who are in heart and character prepared to do the work to be done. If it is a clean work, he selects a clean man to do it. If an unclean work, he selects an unclean man to accomplish it. He wills that all men do the clean work. But if they refuse and will not, then God has decreed they shall do the unclean work. Judas was selected for the clean work--he was numbered with the apostles. He was a lump of clay which marred in the Potter's hand. God then took the same lump and used it as an unclean vessel to do the unclean work--betraying the Son of God. By and through him, together with the aid of the wicked hands that crucified the Savior, came the greatest of all blessings to the human family--salvation. Good clean men could not have done the work. Judas fitted and prepared himself for the dirty work when he opened his heart and let the devil in. He was then selected to do the work. 21 For the Son of man goeth, even as it is written of him --[Jesus says he goes, or dies as it is written in the prophets. It is for the good of the world that he should die. He came into the world to die.] but woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had not been born.--[Here is work rendered necessary to be done by the sins of the world. Nobody save a vile sinner can do it, because it is the blackest of crimes. Yet God overrules the treason of Judas' heart to lead him to do work needful for the salvation of man. God overrules the wickedness of man frequently to do work made necessary by sin for man's good. John (13:30) says "He then having received the sop went out straightway: and it was night."]