For whom would it be better not to have been born (Matthew 26:24)?

Question

Matthew 26:24

Woe unto the man by whom the son of man is betrayed it would have been better for him if he were not born.

The question is better for whom: The son of man or the one who betrayed the son of man?

Answer 1

While you didn't ask for this specific question I will add it free of charge (I'm being facetious). The next verse identifies who the man was -- Judas.

Matthew 26:24-25 (KJV) 24 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. 25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

To answer the specific question, the answer is given in both the King James and in the original Greek text. In the KJV it is "that man" who it would have been better if he had never been born. In the original Greek it is just a little more complicated, the answer is through a series of pronouns that can't refer to Jesus.

• First Clause has οὐαὶ δὲ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκείνῳ (but woe unto that man). Here it is a demonstrative pronoun "that".
• Second clause has διʼ οὗ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται (by whom the son is handed over). Here it is a relative pronoun (whom) that goes back to the previous clause -- that man.
• finally in the next clause there is the phrase that you are interested in -- καλὸν ἦν αὐτῷ εἰ οὐκ ἐγεννήθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνο (was good for him if that man had not been born)--this links back to the original "that man" of the first clause.

Granted, this is actually not a simple answer when one looks at the original language. It is a series of pronouns in different clauses. On a theological basis it is clear that it does not refer to Jesus because the Godhead had planned before the foundation of the earth that God would take on human flesh and God would die as the perfect sacrifice to wash away our sins.

Answer 2

2 Samuel 17:23 KJVS And when Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his ass, and arose, and gat him home to his house, to his city, and put his household in order, and hanged himself, and died, and was buried in the sepulchre of his father.

I believe, Ahithophel betrayed David and led to this Psalm being written which was a foreshadowing of Christ betrayal. Ahithophel was too ashamed to face David so he hung himself or he knew he would be put to death no clear explanation is given. He is the only other person in the word who betrayed a friend and hung himself.

Psalm 41:9 KJVS Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

Acts 1:15-16,20 KJVS And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) [16] Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. [20] For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.

According to Peter Judas fulfilled this scripture where the psalmist states let there be none to extend mercy to him let him be condemned when he is judged.

Psalm 109:6-16 KJVS Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand. [7] When he shall be judged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin. [8] Let his days be few; and let another take his office. [9] Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. [10] Let his children be continually vagabonds, and beg: let them seek their bread also out of their desolate places. [11] Let the extortioner catch all that he hath; and let the strangers spoil his labour. [12] Let there be none to extend mercy unto him: neither let there be any to favour his fatherless children. [13] Let his posterity be cut off; and in the generation following let their name be blotted out. [14] Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered with the Lord ; and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out. [15] Let them be before the Lord continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth. [16] Because that he remembered not to shew mercy, but persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart.

And here we see it fulfilled. So to answer the question Jesus was speaking about Judas not himself... who would want to be this guy! It would be better not to be born!!!

Matthew 27:3-5 KJVS Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, [4] Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that . [5] And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.