The Passover celebration was a family meal, and it was in that style that Jesus ate the Last Supper. Although the traditional formality of the Passover order of service focussed their minds on being grateful to God for His goodness, it was combined with informal domestic conversation. As they were relaxing, Jesus caught them by surprise and said that His betrayer was sitting at the table with Him. It was a shock. Each one of the twelve disciples, realising something of the unreliability of his own heart, asked Him if he was the culprit.
 
By saying that the betrayer had also scooped food out of the same food bowl as Himself, Jesus may just have been reiterating His first statement (for all of them had done so), but there may have been a moment when the hands of both Jesus and Judas reached for the food together and they looked at each other (as Jesus later looked at Peter after his denial that he even knew Jesus). Jesus probably said these words when He dipped bread into the dish of herbs and handed it to Judas (John 13:26-27). Whichever it was, Judas was prompted to ask if he was to betray Jesus.
 
Judas already knew the answer because he had contracted with the chief priests to deliver Jesus into their hands. Jesus knew that too. He already knew what Judas was like and what he had arranged; He knew where the trap would be sprung and when. However, although the crucifixion was in God's plan, the evil done to Jesus would still be Judas' responsibility. Even though his wicked contribution was prophesied in Psalm 41:9 and Psalm 55:12-14, and confirmed by Jesus in these verses, the personal destiny of Judas Iscariot in hell was the result of his own sin.
 
How tragic to have all the privileges of heaven within reach but choose to hate its King and lose its reward. We hardly like to look at these verses as we consider our own load of sinful rebellion. On the one hand we should fear the wrath of God, recognise the gravity of our sinfulness and repent. On the other hand, if we are trusting in Jesus Christ as our Saviour, we should be so grateful for His mercy, thanking Him for being the Lamb of God who has taken away our sins. This passage should also stir our witness: all our family, friends and colleagues are as close to heaven or hell as those twelve disciples – either they retain responsibility for their sins or they turn to Jesus and ask Him to take their sins away. Let us live rightly, witness and pray so that they will receive Christ instead of the just punishment for their sins.