The Meaning of Matthew 26:24 Explained

Matthew 26:24

KJV: The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

YLT: the Son of Man doth indeed go, as it hath been written concerning him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is delivered up! good it were for him if that man had not been born.'

Darby: The Son of man goes indeed, according as it is written concerning him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is delivered up; it were good for that man if he had not been born.

ASV: The Son of man goeth, even as it is written of him: but woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had not been born.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

<3303> The Son  of man  goeth  as  it is written  of  him:  but  woe  unto that  man  by  whom  the Son  of man  is betrayed!  it had been  good  for that  man  if  he  had  not  been born. 

What does Matthew 26:24 Mean?

Verse Meaning

The Son of Man title here combines Jesus" messianic and Suffering Servant roles almost equally, as is clear from the context. Likewise Jesus" "woe" here expressed a combination of compassion and condemnation (cf. Matthew 18:17). Jesus did not identify the Old Testament prophecy that He had in mind. It may have been Isaiah 53:7-9, Daniel 9:26, or a combination of passages such as those dealing with the Passover lamb. The fact that God sovereignly planned for Messiah to die does not mitigate Judas" human responsibility in betraying Him. Jesus" death resulted in salvation for many, but it meant personal and eternal ruin for Judas.

Context Summary

Matthew 26:14-25 - A False Friend Exposed
While Mary sacrificed a large sum of money to show her love to Jesus, Judas sold Him for the hire of a slave. See Zechariah 11:12.
The Lord had a great desire to eat this last meal with His own; and it was a proof of His loving anticipation of the strain to which they were to be exposed in soul and body, that He had made arrangements for it with some secret disciple. How glad this loving soul must have been to make the loan of that guest chamber!-but have you placed your heart at His disposal? See 1 Corinthians 5:7.
It was a time of testing as well as of fellowship. None of us should sit at the table of the Lord without careful self-examination and confession. We all need to say, Lord, is it I? and to ask that we may be clad in the white robes through His precious blood. Remember, also, that they who in all humility and self-distrust fear lest they should commit the deed of treachery, are always the ones to whom it will be impossible. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 26

1  Jesus foretells his own death
3  The rulers conspire against him
6  The woman anoints his feet
14  Judas bargains to betray him
17  Jesus eats the Passover;
26  institutes his holy supper;
30  foretells the desertion of his disciples, and Peter's denial;
36  prays in the garden;
47  and being betrayed by a kiss,
57  is carried to Caiaphas,
69  and denied by Peter

Greek Commentary for Matthew 26:24

Good were it for that man [καλον ην αυτωι]
Conclusion of second-class condition even though αν — an is not expressed. It is not needed with verbs of obligation and necessity. There are some today who seek to palliate the crime of Judas. But Jesus here pronounces his terrible doom. And Judas heard it and went on with his hellish bargain with the Sanhedrin. Apparently Judas went out at this stage (John 13:31). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 26:24

Matthew 26:2 Is betrayed [παραδίδοται]
The present tense expresses here something which, though future, is as good as present, because already determined, or because it must ensue in virtue of an unalterable law. Thus the passover is ( γίνεται ): it must come round at the fixed season. The Son of Man is betrayed according to the divine decree. Compare Matthew 26:24. [source]
Matthew 26:2 After two days [μετα δυο ημερας]
Another instance of the futuristic present passive indicative. The same form occurs in Matthew 26:24. Thus Jesus sets a definite date for the coming crucifixion which he has been predicting for six months. [source]
Matthew 26:2 Is delivered up [παραδιδοται]
Another instance of the futuristic present passive indicative. The same form occurs in Matthew 26:24. Thus Jesus sets a definite date for the coming crucifixion which he has been predicting for six months. [source]
2 Peter 2:21 It were better [κρειττον ην]
Apodosis of a condition of second class without αν — an as is usual with clauses of possibility, propriety, obligation (Matthew 26:24; 1 Corinthians 5:10; Romans 7:7; Hebrews 9:26). [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 26:24 mean?

- Indeed the Son - of Man goes as it has been written about Him woe however - the man to that by whom the Son is betrayed Better would it be for him if not had been born man that
μὲν Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὑπάγει καθὼς γέγραπται περὶ αὐτοῦ οὐαὶ δὲ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκείνῳ δι’ οὗ Υἱὸς παραδίδοται καλὸν ἦν αὐτῷ εἰ οὐκ ἐγεννήθη ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος

  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
μὲν  Indeed 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: μέν  
Sense: truly, certainly, surely, indeed.
Υἱὸς  the  Son 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: υἱός  
Sense: a son.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀνθρώπου  of  Man 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
ὑπάγει  goes 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ὑπάγω  
Sense: to lead under, bring under.
γέγραπται  it  has  been  written 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γράφω 
Sense: to write, with reference to the form of the letters.
περὶ  about 
Parse: Preposition
Root: περί 
Sense: about, concerning, on account of, because of, around, near.
οὐαὶ  woe 
Parse: Interjection
Root: οὐαί  
Sense: alas, woe.
δὲ  however 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀνθρώπῳ  the  man 
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
ἐκείνῳ  to  that 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Dative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐκεῖνος  
Sense: he, she it, etc.
οὗ  whom 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
Υἱὸς  Son 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: υἱός  
Sense: a son.
παραδίδοται  is  betrayed 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: παραδίδωμι  
Sense: to give into the hands (of another).
καλὸν  Better 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: καλός  
Sense: beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable.
ἦν  would  it  be 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰμί  
Sense: to be, to exist, to happen, to be present.
αὐτῷ  for  him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ἐγεννήθη  had  been  born 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γεννάω  
Sense: of men who fathered children.
ἄνθρωπος  man 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
ἐκεῖνος  that 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐκεῖνος  
Sense: he, she it, etc.