Scripture: Matthew 26:24 "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."
PROPOSITION: to use this text and others to discover what Christ meant by this statement about Judas, what he was, what he did, where he is, and also to show that the statement made about Judas does not have to be made about anyone who embraces Christ with a repentant heart.
1.) Why is this statement that Jesus made about Judas so unusual?
A. Because the statement is somewhat different than any other statement made in the entire Bible about an individual, you might expect this statement to be made about someone who spent all their life under cruel slavery or torture, but it was made about someone who had a healthy body and a healthy mind and was blessed to be a part of the inner circle with Jesus Christ. John 6:70 "Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?"
B. Because Christ is the one that formed Judas in the womb and brought him forth from the womb this statement implies that the gift of physical life Christ gave to Judas was in vain. Jesus told us that he that "saveth his life shall lose it" and Judas attempted to save his life, he was all about himself. 1 Corinthians 16:22 "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha."
C. Because only Christ could have made such a statement about someone. none of us could have made this statement because we don't know what the future holds for any individual, I'm sure many people thought that Manasseh the evil king of Israel would never be born again but he found salvation in a prison after he was taken into captivity by the Babylons, only Jesus knew that Judas was "a devil" and "a thief" he knew the dastardly deed he would perform by betraying him.
2. Why would Jesus make a statement like this about Judas?
A. The greatness of Judas' sin caused his life to be all the more vile and heinous, when Judas betrayed Christ it was premeditated and against great amounts of light and conviction. And this caused the aggravation of his sin to be all the more "worthy of stripes" and all the more heinous, and because of this he will receive a "greater damnation". John 19:11 "...he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin." Also he compounded his sin by betraying the son of man with a token of love that he might "add sin to sin". Luke 22:48 "But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?"
B. Because the life of Judas was hypocrisy. he pretended to love Christ but in his heart of hearts he hated Christ, there are many in the church that are just like Judas, they are the tares growing among the wheat, they can deceive everyone until the harvest at the great white throne judgement and then their deceiving is over, Matthew 13:30 "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."
Judas was an extremely covetous man, the scripture says that "This he (Judas) said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein." when Judas betrayed Christ it was for money. Jesus taught us that a thief always has murder in his heart. John 10:10 "The thief cometh not, but for to STEAL, and to KILL, and to DESTROY..." 1 Timothy 6:10 "For the love of money is the root of all evil:..." Matthew 26:15 "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."
C. Because Judas was a lost man, it would have been better for him not to have been born than die outside of Christ. Judas' life was a self centered failure and Jesus knew he would die in his sins unforgiven.
John 17:12 "...none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled."
John 6:64 "But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him."
D. Because Jesus knew Judas would be in hell for all eternity. if death ended everything for a wicked man like some would have us believe, this statement from Jesus makes absolutely no sense. Judas lived exactly the way he wanted to live and he even chose the exact way he wanted to die. Jesus made the statement: he did this because those who die impenitent "shall go into everlasting punishment". Acts 1:25 "...Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place."
Revelation 14:10-11 "The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night..."
CONCLUSION: Jesus made a stunning statement about Judas, but Jesus could make the same statement about anyone who lives for themselves and receives not "the love of the truth that they might be saved", Judas kissed the door of heaven but never entered heaven, what a shame! John 10:9 "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.". Christs death was sufficient for all of Judas' sins and all of our sins and anyone who will come to Christ in repentance and faith will receive forgiveness, everlasting life, and have the assurance of salvation. If you come to Christ it will never be said about you that "it been good for that man if he had not been born".
