Correspondence

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14. C. Îœ. Η, Tottenham. In reference to the remark on page 181 of July last, as to Judas, it may throw some light on this question to remember that the closing act as to eating the passover was this—the Jews took a piece of unleavened bread, with bitter herbs, and dipped them in the thick sauce, and ate them. In Matt. 26 Jesus announced His betrayal as they were eating the passover. It would seem to be at the moment of dipping the morsel with Him in the dish. In verse 25, Judas asks the question, Master, is it I? “He said unto him, Thou hast said.” We then hear no more of Judas until he comes with the armed band, in dark Gethsemane. The institution of the Lord’s supper begins with the words, “And as they were eating,” &c. (Ver. 26.) In John 13:20-3020Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 21When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 22Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. 23Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. 25He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? 26Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. 28Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. 29For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night. (John 13:20‑30) we learn that it was at this moment Judas went immediately out. (Ver. 30.) It is, however, remarkable that the Lord’s supper is not named in John. Well did the Holy Ghost know that that supper would become an object of idolatrous worship, like the brazen serpent of old. It is, however, evident (verses 10, 11) that Jesus washed the feet of Judas. Judas was not clean, he was not born again. “For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.” And this seems to have filled Him with grief of heart. He “said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.”
Mark is very similar to Matthew as to Judas, 14:18-21: “It is one of the twelve that dippeth with me in the dish,” and verse 21 closes as to Judas, until he appears in the garden; and verse 22 gives the institution of the supper of the Lord. Thus in Matthew, Mark, and John we find Judas at the passover, but we do not find him at the Lord’s supper. In Luke there seems to be some difficulty— 22:15-23. But is not there quite a difference in Luke? There is very little as to the distinction betwixt the passover and the institution of the Lord’s supper. It is Jesus Himself taking the place of the passover. It seems to be the moral instruction He gave during the passover rather than the distinctive order of the events that took place. Thus I see no reason why verse 21 may not refer to the passover table, From a study of the four Gospels, I conclude that Jesus washed the feet of Judas, and that Judas was present at the passover, and that he went out immediately before the institution of the Lord’s supper. How solemn the warning!