Mark 14:43 And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

How quickly does Judas come after Jesus tells His disciples that His betrayer is at hand?

“Immediately” (εὐθὺς)

“while He was still speaking” -ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος [Present Active Participle]

Who is Judas?

“one of the twelve” (14:43)

Who are “the twelve”?

Matt. 10:1    And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.  2  The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon,  who is called Peter, and  Andrew his brother;  James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;  3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and  Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;  4 Simon the Zealot,  and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Who accompanies Judas?

“a crowd with swords and clubs” (14:43)

From whom does the crowd with swords and clubs come?

“From the chief priests and the scribes and the elders” (14:43)

“the chief priests” (τῶν ἀρχιερέων) – “a priest of high rank, chief priest. The plural is used in the NT and in Josephus…to denote members of the Sanhedrin who belonged to highpriestly families: ruling high priests, those who had been deposed, and adult male members of the most prominent priestly families” (BDAG, 139)

“the scribes” (τῶν γραμματέων) – “an expert in matters relating to divine revelation, specialists in the law of Moses: experts in the law, scholars versed in the law, scribes” (BDAG, 206).

“the elders” (τῶν πρεσβυτέρων) – “an official, elder, presbyter, among the Jews the congregation of a synagogue in Jerusalem used πρεσβύτεροι to denote its officers before 70 AD, for members of a group in the Sanhedrin” (BDAG, 862).

Why does Judas come?

Acts 1:16 “Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.

LORD God Almighty, Sovereign Potentate,

You are King of all the nations. By Your all-powerful righteous hand, You exalt rulers and You depose them. Your arm is never too short to save, nor to cast down. And You have exalted Your Son, Jesus the Messiah, to the highest place of honor at Your right hand. The kingdom of Jesus will never cease. And nothing can thwart Your work of bringing redemption and restoration to Your people through the Person and work of Jesus. Glory and thanks to You through the Lord Jesus for Your power to cause all things to work together for good to those who love You, to those who are called according to Your purpose. You cause even the evil that men do to accomplish Your good, eternal purposes. Glory to Your Name. Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.