Mark 14:21

14:21 must die, as the Scriptures declared: See, e.g., Isa 52:13–53:12. Jesus foreknew this betrayal as part of the divine plan (cp. 8:31-33), but his betrayer was condemned. Jesus and the Gospel writers do not explain how God’s sovereignty and Judas’s human responsibility can coexist, but both are stated without compromise (see John 19:11).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Mar 14:21 . ὅτι , assigns a reason for the fact just stated. To fulfil Scripture (Psa 41:9 ) the Son of Man must go from the earth through betrayal by an intimate. This verse contains an instance in Mk. of the construction μὲν δὲ (again in Mar 14:38 and in Mar 16:19-20 ). καλὸν αὐτῷ , good for him, without the ἦν as in Mt. For the construction vide on Mt. and Burton, M. and T. in N. T., § 248. ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος : this repetition ( vide τῷ ἀ . ἐκ . above) gives a tragic solemnity to the utterance = good for aim, if he had not been born, that man! Cf. Mar 2:20 , “days will come, etc., and then shall they fast, in that day”.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 21. Goeth] That is, to die. See Clarke on Mt 26:24.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(21) Good were it for that man.—St. Mark, it will be noted, omits the fact recorded by St. Matthew, that the last “Is it I?” was uttered by the Traitor.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. woe to that man] The intimation just given was uttered privately for the ear of St John alone, and through him was possibly made known to St Peter; but the incident was of so ordinary a character, that it would fail to attract any notice whatever, and could only be a sign to the Apostle of Love. Then aloud, as we may believe, the Holy One uttered His final warning to the Traitor, and pronounced words of immeasurable woe on him by whom He was about to be betrayed, “It were good for that man if he had never been born.” But the last appeal had no effect upon him. “Rabbi, is it I?” he inquired, steeling himself to utter the shameless question. “Thou hast said,” replied the Saviour, in words probably heard only by those close by, and gave him “the sop,” and Satan entered into him, as St John tells us (Mar_13:27) with awful impressiveness. “That thou doest, do quickly,” the Saviour continued; and the traitor arose and went forth, and it was night (Joh_13:27-30), but the night was not darker than the darkness of his soul.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And as they did eat,.... The paschal lamb, and the unleavened bread, just at the conclusion of that feast:

Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it; beginning and instituting a new feast, to be kept in aftertimes, in commemoration of his sufferings and death, now near at hand;

and gave to them, the disciples,

and said, take, eat: the word eat is not in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions, and is wanting in some copies:

this is body; a figure and representation of it; See Gill on Mat 26:26.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

21 The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

Ver. 21. Good were it for that man] For his own particular: for otherwise, in respect of the glory of God’s justice, in that man’s righteous condemnation, good it was that he was born.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For the Son of man goeth (upagei)goeth, departeth from this mortal scene: the reference is, of course, to his death even as it is written of him; as, for example, in Ps 22 and Isa 41. It was foreordained by God that he was to suffer as a victim for the sins of the whole world. But this predestined purpose of God did not make the guilt any the less of those who brought the Savior to his cross. Good were it for that man if he had not been born . The Greek is kaloyh o anyrwpov ekeinov : literally, good were it for him, if that man had not been born. Better not to have lived at all than to have lived and died ill. Existence is no blessing, but a curse, to him who consciously and wilfully defeats the purpose of his existence. St. Matthew (Mat_26:25) here introduces Judas as asking the question, "Is it I, Rabbi?" And our Lord answers him affirmatively, "Thou hast said." This was probably said in a low voice. Had it been said so as to be heard by others, such as Peter and John, they might have risen at once to inflict summary vengeance upon the apostate traitor.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. ὁ μὲν υἱὸς … παραδίδοται. Here again all three have almost exactly the same words, and they are doubtless original. Oba 1:7 or Mic 7:6 might have been quoted with effect; but Christ’s words have no parallel in O.T. For μὲν … δὲ …, which is rare in Mk, cf. Mar 14:38 and Mar 12:5.

ὑπάγει. This expresses better than πορεύεται (Lk.) that the going is a going away (Joh 6:67), and such is departure from this life (Joh 7:33; Joh 13:3; Joh 16:5; Joh 16:10; Joh 16:17). Moreover, the verb implies the voluntariness of His departure; τὸ ἑκούσιον ἡ λέξις ἑρμηνεύει (Victor). Hence καθὼς γέγραπται expresses the exact agreement between His voluntary action and the Father’s revealed will.

οὐαὶ δὲ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ. But alas for the man; see on Mar 13:17. The οὐαί expresses lamentation over a condition so awful. God’s decrees respecting the Son of Man did not require the treachery of Judas. Of his own free will he committed a sin which brought about the fulfilment of the decrees in a particular way, and for that he is condemned. Again and again Christ had tried to win him back; Mar 4:19, Mar 9:50, Mar 10:23, Mar 11:17, Mar 12:43, Mar 14:7 record words which might have influenced Judas, and which in some cases may have been meant for him. This statement of the lamentable condition of ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος (Mar 12:7), and this proof that he is still treated with consideration (for he sees that Christ knows of his guilt and yet does not name him), are his Master’s last efforts to waken his conscience.

διʼ οὗ. In all three; Judas is Satan’s instrument (Luk 22:3; Joh 13:2; Joh 13:27) in causing the death of the Messiah.

καλὸν αὐτῷ … ἐκεῖνος. Not in Lk. It is possible to interpret thus; “It were good for the Son of Man if Judas had not been born.” But the interpretation is inadmissible. Christ is not speaking of His own fears, but of the fearful condition of Judas. A man may so misuse his life as to make it a curse instead of a blessing. As Jerome (on Mt.) says; simpliciter dictum est, multo melius est non subsistere quam male subsistere. Cf. Mar 9:42 and Enoch xxxviii. 2. The repetition of ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος closes the utterance with a mournful cadence; “good were it for him if he had not been born—that man.” Cf. Mar 2:20. Syr-Sin. omits the cadence. The departure of Judas may perhaps be placed here. It is impossible to determine whether he partook of the Eucharist or not.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. ὅτι ὁ μὲν υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὑπάγει—because the Son of Man goes. This confirms the statement of the betrayal by that of his departure from this world, doubt of which would render the other doubtful. It is the general fact, the admission of which opens the way for belief in the betrayal.

Insert ὅτι, because, Tisch. (Treg.) WH. RV. א BL Egyptt.

καθὼς γέγραπται περὶ αὐτοῦ—As it is written of him. Lk. says, κατὰ τὸ ὡρισμένον—according to the decree. The O.T. prophecy to this effect is Isa_53. The primary reference of the passage is to the suffering servant of Yahweh, who is defined in the prophecy itself to be the righteous Israel. But, as in the case of many of these prophecies, the principle involved makes it applicable to the fate of our Lord. This principle, that it is the fate of righteousness to suffer in this evil world, makes Jesus predict also the persecution of his followers as well as of himself. The O.T. prophets, himself, and his followers are involved in a like fate. οὐαὶ δὲ—but woe. This is not a malediction, in the sense of a wish or prayer that this vengeance may follow the traitor, but a solemn announcement of the Divine judgment. It differs in this respect from the comminatory Psalms.

ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὑπάγει—ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται—οὐαὶ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκείνῳ—εἰ οὐκ ἐγεννήθη ὅ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος—The Son of Man goes—The Son of Man is delivered up—woe to that man—if that man had not been born. The repetition of the title ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου is emphatic, and serves to bring it into tragic conjunction with παραδίδοται. ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος is repeated on the same principle, and with the same effect. Καλὸν αὐτῷ, εἰ οὐκ ἐγεννήθη—well for him, if … had not been born. This puts the condition in the past, and the conclusion in the present. The expression is evidently rhetorical, rather than exact.

Omit ἦν, it would be, after καλὸν, Tisch. (Treg. marg.) WH. RV. BL, mss. Lat. Vet. Memph.

THE INSTITUTION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.