Woe to the betrayer! (Mk 14:21-14:21)

“The Son of Man

Goes

As it is written

Of him.

But woe

To that one

By whom

The Son of man

Is betrayed!

It would have been better

For that man

Not to have been born.”

 

ὅτι ὁ μὲν Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὑπάγει καθὼς γέγραπται περὶ αὐτοῦ· οὐαὶ δὲ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκείνῳ δι’ οὗ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται· καλὸν αὐτῷ εἰ οὐκ ἐγεννήθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος.

 

This is similar, exactly word for word, to Matthew, chapter 26:24, but more summarized in Luke, chapter 22:22.  Mark, like Matthew, indicated that Jesus said that the Son of Man would go to death (ὅτι ὁ μὲν Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὑπάγει), as it was written about him (καθὼς γέγραπται περὶ αὐτοῦ).  Was this a reference to the Suffering Servant in Isaiah, chapters 52-53, and Psalm 22?  However, then Jesus cursed the man who would betray the Son of Man (οὐαὶ δὲ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκείνῳ δι’ οὗ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται).  He said that it would have been better if that man had never been born (καλὸν αὐτῷ εἰ οὐκ ἐγεννήθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος).  This was a very strong curse, but without an exact identification for whom it was meant.

The curse to the betrayer (Mt 26:23-26:24)

“Jesus answered.

‘The one who has dipped

His hand

Into the bowl

With me,

Will betray me.

The Son of Man

Goes to death,

As it is written of him.

But woe to that man

By whom

The Son of Man

Is betrayed!

It would have been better

For that man

Not to have been born.’”

 

ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν Ὁ ἐμβάψας μετ’ ἐμοῦ τὴν χεῖρα ἐν τῷ τρυβλίῳ, οὗτός με παραδώσει.

ὁ μὲν Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὑπάγει καθὼς γέγραπται περὶ αὐτοῦ, οὐαὶ δὲ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκείνῳ δι’ οὗ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται· καλὸν ἦν αὐτῷ εἰ οὐκ ἐγεννήθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος.

 

This is similar to Mark, chapter 14:21, and Luke, chapter 22:21-22, but there is no mention of him not being born there.  John, chapter 13:26-27, has the dipping of the hand in the bowl for bread in a conversation between Jesus and Peter.  Here, Jesus answered and said (ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν) that the one who dipped his hand into the bowl or the deep platter with him (Ὁ ἐμβάψας μετ’ ἐμοῦ τὴν χεῖρα ἐν τῷ τρυβλίῳ) would betray him (οὗτός με παραδώσει).  He said that the Son of Man would go to death (ὁ μὲν Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὑπάγει), as it was written about him (καθὼς γέγραπται περὶ αὐτοῦ).  But then Jesus cursed the man who would betray the Son of Man (οὐαὶ δὲ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκείνῳ δι’ οὗ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται).  He said that it would have been better if that man had never been born (καλὸν ἦν αὐτῷ εἰ οὐκ ἐγεννήθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος).  This was a very strong curse, but without an exact identification for whom it was meant.