This, Judas was not willing to do, having given room for Satan's snare of his heart.

Jesus is left now with no choice; Judas must be exposed, and like Hametz, removed before observing His New Ordinance. The others have been cleansed, and this leaven, persistent in Judas alone, must not be allowed to remain among them to contaminate this seed core of first-fruit from which Christ's (new) Church will emerge, pure and powerful to feed the world! They must come into "one accord," and with Judas present in an unchanged condition, this would be almost impossible. The Church will prevail against the gates of Hell. Therefore, to remove Satan, Judas must unfortunately be purged from them. Study and know the lesson of I Co.5, key vs.5-8.

Judas was the Leaven of the Pharisee which must be removed before the New Meal was introduced. The old "church" (called out, or chosen ones -- Israel) had become so contaminated it had failed in its purpose in bringing the world to God, and now no particle of its contaminate must be permitted a part in the origin of the New. The Sanhedrin must not have its paid puppet planted among them! (Study the rebuilding of Zerubbabel's Temple in Ezra and Nehemiah, particularly its opposition and the desire of the Jew to remain pure. It is rich in comparisons.)

When Jesus raised this problem before, there was no recorded reaction among the twelve. Then (one year earlier), there was not the imminent promise of power and position in a worldly kingdom. It did not seem at hand to them. It was only a dream, a faint hope in their hearts. However, Jesus has now been heralded by the masses as King of Israel, and that dream was fast becoming a reality. They would rule with Him, so they thought.

Therefore, the now very real and soon expected ushering in of that kingdom, and its accompanying positions, are in jeopardy with an announced traitor among them.
He must be found out and stopped at all cost, so the question, "WHO IS IT?"

It must be noted that if John was to the right of Jesus and Peter was not close enough to ask himself, and Judas was close enough for Jesus to address without the others hearing their conversation, close enough to exchange the "SOP," then one may assume that Judas was on Jesus' immediate left, a place of highest honor, and allowed an act of high honor (the customary sop). If this is the case, then as John had opportunity (being on Jesus' immediate right) to lean his head upon His breast, then Christ was in position to lean His upon Judas' as well. Think on this!

"SATAN" Mentioned only here by name in John's gospel.

"THAT THOU DOEST, DO QUICKLY" in the Greek to mean, "DO MORE QUICKLY THAT WHICH YOU ARE ALREADY DOING," thus, indicating to Judas that Jesus knew what was already in his heart. It was no longer his dirty little secret, and being Jesus, Judas had to know that Jesus had to have known this all along.

And so Judas, now failing to submit his heart to his Master for a thorough cleansing, came under total dominion of the evil one. He is no longer captain of his own destiny, but a mere pawn in the evil hand of the Destroyer. Jesus will lament this unfortunate loss to the Father in a few hours. Judas will go out into his darkness, and how great that darkness will become to him, unable to see his way back to that life-giving Light he has previously so enjoyed. It is imperative that one see the danger shown here of pride in one's heart. Do not ignore this lesson.

Yes, John called him a thief and a traitor some years later, but who among us has not been also? Who has not, at one time or another, been given from God a treasure, a gift, or talent, only to withhold it for self? How often do we betray Him in our witness, wealth, worship, and world, and when He comes to us for our cleansing, as with Judas, so close as to feel that precious anointed Head upon our breast, we have to fall at His feet in repentant sorrow. Hear His words today, friend, if He has called you Friend, and you be His friend indeed: "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisee." (Compare this scene with 12:4-8.)