³⁰ So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night.

No time to waste, the betrayer exited the intimate circle of fellowship—and fast was the fall thereof. Sometimes when the tares among the wheat have participated for so long in the close interaction of the family of believers, we are surprised at their seemingly quick rejection of Christ and abandonment to the world. But the inner workings of the heart are seldom obvious. So what looks like a quick desertion from the faith is nothing more than the climax of a long simmering unbelief. Such was the case with Judas.

The die was now cast and Jesus encouraged its timely dispatch. The Sabbath was well entered, the calm before the storm. Behind the scenes, the crescendo builds toward the climax. This is the last we see of Judas until after this last dinner of our Lord was completed and the company retreated to the garden for the fateful kiss.

Judas would miss everything else in the Upper Room. Fellowship was irreparably broken, things would never be the same. Indeed his life span on this earth was going to be cut short by suicide. What bad timing—his demise came just hours before the Savior’s death on the cross for the sins of the world. Unlike Peter the denier, Judas the betrayer removed all possibility for repentance and restoration. Even Thomas the doubter was not rejected by the Lord (John 20:28-29). All the others disciples, the “abandoners” (Matt 26:56), found forgiveness and ultimately carried on as Jesus’ appointed eye-witnesses (Acts 1:8) and messengers of His teachings (Acts 2:42). But not Judas!

Matthew alone records the turncoat’s obituary (Matt 27:1-10); John the beloved, having the closest relationship with our Lord, does not even mention the treacherous kiss (Luke 22:47-48). Yet it was not that Judas’ sin was, in its essence, worse than denying Christ or doubting Christ or abandoning Christ. Judas’ door slamming unforgiveable sin was that he prevented any opportunity for forgiveness. He would never hear Christ’s restoring words, “I will be with you to the end of the ages.” His suicide erected an eternal roadblock to repentance. “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment …” (Heb 9:27).

The betrayer was not unforgiveable. The Sovereign of the Universe can forgive whom He will. He took a Christian-killing kicker of the goads (Saul of Tarsus) and not only saved him but used him to reach the lost Gentiles (as Paul the apostle). God could have done that with Judas. The difference? Repentance!

Lord, help me to never have a hardened heart, to never wallow in my grief, and resist Your kindness of forgiveness. Your forgiveness is greater than all my sin.