Daily Devotions

Mark

Mark 
Day 
Day 302

But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you "Acts 3:14"

Day 302 – Mark 14

“But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you” Acts 3:14

SELF-EXAMINATION

The words of Jesus sank in deeply, penetrating the most self-confident of the disciples. The band of Twelve had seen their own lack of faith and strength too often to deny the possibility of betraying the Lord Jesus.

“And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him
one by one, ‘Is it I?’ And another said, ‘Is it I?'”
MARK 14:19

IT IS ONE OF THE TWELVE

Jesus had His own reasons why He did not disclose the identity of the betrayer. His answer to all the questions was purposely opaque, except to the guilty party.

“He answered and said to them,
‘It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish.'”
MARK 14:20

How the disciples must have looked at each other at this remark! Who could this person be? Perhaps they tried to figure out who it was who could do this dastard deed of betraying their Master. But they could not come up to an obvious conclusion!

WOE TO THAT MAN

Jesus went on to solemnly warn the would-be betrayer of the deadly consequences of betraying Him.

“The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him,
but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!
It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.”
MARK 14:21

1. As it is written of Him

The death of Jesus was written in the prophetic books. He, the Son of Man had no fear of death. He would submit to His Father’s will that He should taste death for all mankind.

2. Woe indeed

a) It was betrayal by “one of the twelve”
How could one who had been so specially selected out of thousands end up betraying the Master? How could one who had the privilege of being taught by the Master, and being in His company even contemplate betrayal?

b) It was betrayal of the Son of Man Himself
The would-be betrayer must think deeply as to what he was contemplating. He was going to betray the Son of Man! Would the following severe words cause him to rethink? “It would have been good for that man if he had never been born!”