Matthew 26:23-24: He answered and said, He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.

Jesus followed the basic pattern of the passover. The disciples had made it ready with the roasted lamb, the bitter herbs, and unleavened bread, following the directions in Exodus 12 (and following). Judas had been allowed the permission to enjoy the tenderest expressions of the love of Jesus, even sharing with Him in the dish of bitter herbs. Judas would take his bread and dip in that bitter herb with Jesus. The bitter herbs were to remind Israel of their time in bondage in Egypt. Egypt is a picture in the Old Testament of hell just as crossing the Jordan is a picture of entering heaven. How appropriate that Judas, who would betray the One who came to bring Israel out of the bondage of sin, would be reminded of the suffering of the past with the very One who would lead the way to eternal life.

Jesus says it would be better if the betrayer had never been born. What does that signify? Basically, Jesus is pointing out to the disciples that the betrayer has never been a believer, and in fact, there is no hope at all that he will believe. Judas went to eternal torment soon after he betrayed Jesus. Theologically, here is the best proof text against the concept that we all end up in heaven eventually. That is called "Universalism" and is practiced especially by the "science of mind" cults like Unity School of Christianity, Religious Science, and Christian Science (Mary Baker Eddy). Liberals in Protestant denominations also would be in somewhat agreement that in the end everybody gets to heaven. That is a very nice idea, but it is never found in Scripture. Judas, like all who reject Jesus as Savior, would have been better off to have never been born. That also signifies that Judas will be tormented endlessly, a horrific fate. Accordingly, since indeed God permitted the birth of Judas, we have an exact demonstration that God has elected some to everlasting punishment (a doctrine rejected by all cults).