What is the meaning of Matthew 26:24? The Son of Man will go • Jesus repeatedly calls Himself “the Son of Man” (e.g., Matthew 20:28), a title that echoes Daniel 7:13–14 and identifies Him as the long-promised Messiah who will reign forever. • “Will go” signals movement toward the cross—an intentional, unstoppable journey. John 10:18 reminds us that He lays down His life of His own accord; no one takes it from Him. • Philippians 2:8 pictures this voluntary descent: “He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.” • The verse assures us that the coming sacrifice is not a tragic accident but the deliberate fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan. just as it is written about Him • Scripture foretold every major detail of Messiah’s suffering: Isaiah 53:5–12; Psalm 22:1, 16-18; Zechariah 11:12-13. • Acts 2:23 affirms that Jesus was “delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge,” proving that every prophecy stands firm. • Because the written Word cannot fail (John 10:35), we can trust its reliability today for doctrine, comfort, and guidance. but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed • Though the crucifixion was foreseen, Judas remains fully responsible for his treachery. Luke 22:22 echoes the same warning: “The Son of Man will go as it has been determined, but woe to that man who betrays Him.” • Judas’s actions fulfill Psalm 41:9—“Even my close friend...has lifted up his heel against me”—yet his choice was neither coerced nor excused. • Acts 1:16-20 shows Peter applying Old-Testament prophecy to Judas’s fall, underscoring personal accountability even within God’s sovereign plan. • Hebrews 10:29 underscores the seriousness of trampling the Son of God underfoot. It would be better for him if he had not been born • Jesus measures Judas’s fate against existence itself: enduring divine judgment is worse than never living. Mark 14:21 repeats the same solemn verdict. • This language implies eternal loss. Matthew 25:46 speaks of “eternal punishment,” and Revelation 20:15 describes the lake of fire for those not in the Book of Life. • John 17:12 labels Judas “the son of destruction,” highlighting the irrevocable outcome of rejecting Christ. • The warning underscores the gravity of sin against Christ and calls every hearer to examine the state of his or her own soul. summary Matthew 26:24 holds together two truths: God’s sovereign plan moves forward exactly “as it is written,” and human beings remain responsible for their choices. Jesus willingly walks the scripted path to the cross, fulfilling every prophecy. Yet Judas’s betrayal, though foreknown, brings him personal doom—so severe that non-existence would have been preferable. The verse therefore magnifies both the reliability of Scripture and the moral seriousness of responding rightly to the Son of Man. |
    |