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Explanation for:
Matthew
26
:
25
And Judas that betrayed him, answering, said: Is it I, Rabbi? He saith to him: Thou hast said it.
11
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Oh, how insensible he was, even as he was fully aware of his actions! The evangelist, astonished by his audacity, remarks on this. What did the humble and gentle Jesus respond? “Thou hast said.” He could have exclaimed, “Oh, wretched and profane, vile and impure man! After preparing so long to commit evil, making a pact with the adversary, agreeing to accept silver, and being reproached by me, do you still dare to ask?” Yet, Christ refrained from such words. Instead, He said, “Thou hast said,” providing us with a model of endurance. Some might question, “If it is foretold that Christ would suffer in this manner, why is Judas condemned? He fulfilled the prophecy.” However, he acted not with this intention, but out of malice. Ignoring intentions would absolve evil itself of guilt—no, no! Both are deserving of endless torment, despite the fact that the universe was redeemed. It was not Judas's betrayal that brought us salvation, but the wisdom of Christ, who brilliantly turned the wrongs of others into our benefit. You might wonder, “If Judas hadn’t betrayed Him, wouldn’t another have done so?” What relevance does this have to our discussion? The implication is that if Christ was to be crucified, it was necessary for one to perform the act; and if someone must, then surely it could be no other than someone like him. If everyone were virtuous, our salvation could not have been fulfilled. It truly would not be! The All-Wise One arranged our salvation, even through these means, because His wisdom is profound and unfathomable. Thus, lest anyone assume Judas played a commendable role, Christ calls him the most miserable of men. \\n\\nBut some might argue: “If it would have been better for him not to have been born, why did God permit him and the wicked to exist?” You should criticize the wicked for choosing evil when they had the chance to do otherwise; but rather than focusing on this, you scrutinize God's plans excessively, forgetting that no one becomes wicked by necessity. You may claim, “If only the righteous were born, there would be no need for Gehenna, punishment, torment, or even evil; and the wicked should either not be born or should die immediately if they were.” First, I will remind you of the apostolic assertion: “And who are you, man, that you argue with God? Will the product say to him that made it, ‘Why hast thou made me so?’” (Rom. 9:20). If you seek rational proof, I assert that the righteous deserve more admiration when surrounded by the wicked, as their patience and wisdom become especially evident. But by uttering those words, you diminish the opportunity for struggle and brave acts. Are you suggesting that some must be punished for others to be virtuous? No—punishment is for their own wickedness. They became evil not due to their birth, but because of their negligence; thus, they face punishment. How can those who ignore virtuous teachers and gain no benefit from them be exempt from judgment? Just as the good dualistically deserve honor for both their righteousness and their rejection of evil, so the wicked merit double punishment—for being evil and for squandering the opportunity to be good, as evidenced by the good themselves. Consider the reply of this unfortunate disciple after being rebuked by the Master. He asks, “Am I not, Rabbi?” Why did he not inquire sooner? He thought he was unrecognized when it was stated, “one of you”; but when Christ disclosed this, he dared to ask again, hoping that the Master’s gentleness would shield him from rebuke. That is why he named Him Rabbi.\\n\\nOh, the depths of blindness! Where did it lead Judas? Such is the allure of greed! It drives men to madness and recklessness, turning them shameless, and even worse than beasts, transforming them into malevolent beings. When Judas conspired with the devil and slandered his benefactor by betraying Jesus, he became a devil by his very choice. This is the degradation that insatiable greed brings, rendering individuals insane and completely consumed by the love of money, just as Judas was. How then do Matthew and the other evangelists declare that the devil took hold of Judas when he agreed to betray Christ? John writes, “after this morsel Satan entered into him” (John 13:27). Judas knew it, as it is stated, “During supper, when the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray Him” (John 13:2). How can we reconcile this with the assertion, “after this morsel Satan entered into him”? The devil does not instantaneously seize someone, nor does he act all at once; he tests first, as happened here. Initially, he approached Judas incrementally; but when he perceived Judas's willingness, he took full control of him.\\n\\nOh, how profound the traitor's blindness! Even exposed to divine mysteries, he remained unchanged, and despite partaking in the dreadful meal, he did not transform. Luke reveals this (John 13:27) when he notes that afterward Satan entered into him—not due to neglecting the Lord’s body, but to underscore the folly of the traitor’s shamelessness. His sin was profound for two reasons: for approaching the mysteries with such a heart, and for remaining unrepentant when granted access. Christ did not prevent him, fully aware of everything, so that we might understand that He does not leave anything uncorrected. Therefore, He persistently cautioned and restrained the traitor through words, actions, fear, warnings, and kindness. Yet none of this shielded him from his dire fate."},{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Similar to the other apostles, who were deeply distressed and inquired, \\"Is it I, Lord?\\" to ensure their silence did not betray them, Judas posed a similar question—Judas, who was plagued by guilt, yet boldly reached out to the dish. \\"Am I not, Rabbi?\\" he asked. Jesus replied, \\"You have spoken.\\" The traitor added an element of flattery to his inquiry, revealing his disbelief. Indeed, those who had no desire to betray used the address, \\"Did I not, Lord?\\" However, he, intending to commit treachery, referred to Jesus not as Lord but as Master, as if by denying the Lord while betraying the Master, he might find justification. Jesus responded to him, \\"Thou hast said.\\" The betrayer was confronted by the same response that was later given to Pilate."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"Ah, the audacity! He attempts to conceal himself, at least from the disciples. Initially, when Jesus said, ‘I am one of you,’ he did not inquire further, believing he was still hidden from the Master. However, upon receiving the signal, Judas recognized that he had already been exposed. When the others questioned him, he too asked, clinging to the hope of the Master’s compassion, yearning that He would not chastise him publicly. Thus, he addressed Him as Rabbi, meaning Teacher. Observe the intensity of Jesus’ rebuke, which presents us with an illustration and principles of forbearance. He states: You are the one bearing witness that it is you. If we disregard the food, what remains is: I am, Rabbi, signifying both confession and denial. Consequently, Jesus Christ left nothing unaddressed in his attempts to guide Judas; He reminded him through countless means, employing actions, words, fear, care, and other approaches. Yet, since none of these remedies healed him and he remained completely ailing, Christ departed to proceed with what was to come."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"\\"Is it I, Rabbi?\\" Despite having been condemned by the Lord, Judas has the audacity to inquire if he is the one who will betray Him. Why did he not ask this earlier? He believed he was undetected when it was mentioned, \\"one of you.\\" However, once Christ exposed him, Judas ventured to question again, perhaps hoping for the gentleness of the Master to spare him from rebuke. Observe the profound gentleness in this admonishment. Even at this moment, Christ engages the traitor not with threats but with great grace. \\"You have said so.\\" Although He could have characterized Judas as wicked, deceitful, and unclean, Christ chose not to do so. Instead, He simply affirmed, \\"You have said so,\\" illustrating for us the essence of patience."},{"author-name":"Philaret (Gumilevski)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c896f4b6fd32caa244b5d7_Philaret%20(Gumilevski).png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"How then did the other disciples address Him, saying, “Eat, dear Lord”? While Judas referred to Him as “Rabbi.” The former clearly reflects deep respect; the latter does not convey the same reverence: “Rabbi” is a term of honor given to every teacher, but Judas employs it merely from a sense of propriety. Moreover, while the other disciples were anxiously inquiring about the Lord’s identity, Judas remained silent, even as the Lord acknowledged that the betrayer partook of the sacred meal alongside Him. Yet when the Lord proclaimed the grave misfortune awaiting the traitor, it stirred something within him, although it did not lead to true repentance. Soon, he composed himself, wanting to avoid arousing suspicion regarding his betrayal. Mimicking his fellow disciples, he asked, “Is it I?” Judas presented himself among the disciples as a traitor. But what weight did this carry in his own soul? How deeply painful it must have been for the Compassionate One to hear this brazen inquiry! How could He respond to such a wretched heart without righteous indignation? Yet in His divine goodness, O Lord, He replied gently to Judas, “You have spoken,” meaning you are aware of your own actions. In this, the Lord reveals to us the example and principles of enduring offenses. Glory to Your patience, O Lord!"},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Ultimately, already marked as a traitor, ‘and to avoid being among those who questioned one another without thought,’ Innocent, Archbishop of Kherson, observes that ‘this unfortunate individual had the audacity to speak up and was not ashamed to inquire, “Am I not I, Rabbi?”’ To this, St. Chrysostom reacts with astonishment, exclaiming, \\"He inquires when he already knows the answer. Why did he not ask earlier?” Judas believed he was not seen when it was mentioned, “one of you”; however, once Christ disclosed the truth, he then felt emboldened to question, trusting in the Master’s gentleness, hoping for compassion and not rebuke.’ It is noteworthy that when the other disciples asked, \\"Is it not I, Lord?\\" Judas instead poses, “Am I not, Rabbi?” The former shows profound reverence, while the latter lacks spiritual depth; the title he uses is merely respectful courtesy owed to any teacher, demonstrating that Judas speaks only out of superficial propriety,’ notes Philaret, Archbishop of Chernigov. Judas questions: ‘Am I not?’ He plays the hypocrite in front of his fellow disciples. Yet, what was he confronting within his own conscience? How difficult it must have been for the Heartbreaker to endure such a brazen inquiry! How could one respond to such a dreadful heart without righteous indignation? Yet, Thy divine grace, O Lord, responds to Judas with gentleness: “JESUS SAYS TO HIM: YOU SAY,” meaning he acknowledges within himself that he is indeed a traitor. Though one might have exclaimed, “O wicked and covert, vile and defiled one!”—having prepared yourself for evil for so long, rejecting Me, entering into dark dealings, agreeing for the pieces of silver, and having faced reproach from your wife—how dare you still inquire? Yet Christ spoke no such words. What did He declare? \\"Thou hast said,\\" thereby exemplifying patience and restraint,’ according to St. John Chrysostom. The Lord’s response to Judas was given so quietly and gently that it seems none heard Him, or comprehended except for Judas, as evidenced in the ensuing events, remarks Innocent, Archbishop of Kherson. The traitor bore the weight of reproach in silence, fearing greater disgrace if his betrayal were unveiled. The other disciples ceased their curiosity, having perceived that the Master was not inclined to expose the traitor outright. Only Peter remained unsettled, tormented by the possibility that the traitor whom the Master had mentioned might sit alongside him, or by the darker thought that perhaps he himself could be the one under suspicion or that he could soon face some grave temptation (he had already been called Satan once). This unsettling contemplation disturbed him. To unveil the truth, he signaled to John, who reclined close to the Savior, urging him to ask quietly, “Who is this man about whom He speaks?” John, bending toward Jesus' breast, immediately asked, “Who is the betrayer?” No one heard or took notice of his question, except Peter and likely Judas himself, who, feeling guilty, was wary of everyone. “The one,” Jesus replied softly, “to whom I will give a piece of bread after I have dipped it” (John 13:26). He dipped a piece into the dish and offered it to Judas Iscariot. This act of sharing food was the last opportunity for repentance for the doomed apostle. Yet within Iscariot's heart, the opposite unfolded. Following the bread, as John noted, Satan promptly entered him. The façade of gentleness and friendship was consumed by the fire of rebuke blazing within him, and the traitor's demeanor darkened grievously. Holy companionship became intolerable for a person possessing a heart filled with evil; an unseen force began to draw him away. He perceived all that transpired within the soul of the son of perdition and chose not to endure longer in the futile presence of the traitor: “What you must do, do it quickly” (John 13:27), He instructed, providing a justifiable reason for Judas to depart without raising the suspicion of the others. In the meantime, this gentle rebuke to one abandoned by grace must have struck him as profound censure. “I will not delay in my deeds,” he resolved, and thus departed. “And it was night,” St. John notes, indicating it was not before nine in the evening by our reckoning. The disciples believed Judas had been dispatched to acquire provisions for the feast or perhaps to give to the poor in observance of the feast. While shopping late at night posed challenges, believing he was in search of trim people during such a sacred time was easier than confronting the horrific reality that Judas of Iscariot had gone directly to Caiaphas from the Passover supper, after the washing of the Master’s feet, to collect the silver pieces. Reflecting on Judas’ betrayal, St. John Chrysostom remarks, “‘Some may argue: if it was foretold that Christ would suffer, why is Judas condemned? He merely fulfilled what was prophesied.’ However, he did not act with the intent of realization, but from malice. If one were to disregard the broader context, they would absolve the adversary of culpability. But that cannot be the case. Both are deserving of endless torment, even if all else were redeemed. It is not Judas’ treachery that achieved our salvation, but rather the wisdom of Christ and His profound providence, turning the ill intentions of others to our benefit. You may wonder: if Judas had not betrayed Him, would not someone else have done so? If all had acted righteously, wouldn’t the fulfillment of our salvation come to pass? Let it not be! For the Wise One knew precisely how to orchestrate our redemption, even without betrayal. His wisdom is immeasurable and unfathomable. For this reason, lest anyone believe that Judas played a role in the architecture of our salvation, Jesus refers to him as the most wretched man…’”"},{"author-name":"Gladkow B.I.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88bf0ceef8c96e09a6521_Gladkow%20B.I..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"When Judas, unwilling to conform to the others, audaciously inquired, “Teacher, am I the one?” - Jesus responded softly, ensuring that the other disciples did not overhear his reply: “You have said so.” This phrase typically represented an affirmative response, akin to stating, “Yes, it is indeed you.”"},{"author-name":"Lopuchin A.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c891400ee1341634d2276d_Lopuchin%20A.P..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"To avoid exposing his own wrongdoing among the other disciples, Iscariot hesitantly inquired, “Am I not the Master?” to which he was told, “You have said so.” However, the apostles overlooked this explicit response, and Peter, ever the impulsive one, pressed for clarification on the identity of the betrayer (refer to the explanation of Mt. 26:23)."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Judas, maintaining his façade in hopes of diverting any suspicion from the other disciples, approached Jesus with audacity typical of a hardened criminal, asking, “Is this what I am, Rabbi?” St. John Chrysostom observes that one could just as easily respond, “Oh, wicked and depraved man, who has long plotted evil, conspired in secret meetings, agreed to betray for silver, and even faced reproach from his wife, you still have the audacity to inquire?” Yet Christ refrained from uttering such words. Instead, with gentle humility and in a manner discernible only to the betrayer, the Lord replied, “You have spoken.”"},{"author-name":"Bogolepow D.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"In the account of identifying the traitor Judas, there is a distinction between the Hebrew version of Luke, who presents the story very concisely, noting that after Christ foretold the betrayal, the disciples began to ask one another which among them would be the traitor. This moment of inquiry is also highlighted by the Evangelist John, who describes how “the disciples looked at one another, puzzled about whom He was speaking” (John 13:22). Meanwhile, both Matthew and Mark report that the disciples were deeply saddened and began to respond to the Lord individually, asking, “Is it I, Lord?” to which they received the reply, “He that putteth his hand in the dish with me, this one shall betray me.” Only Matthew adds that Judas later posed the question, “Rabbi, is it I?” and received an affirmative answer. John, however, does not recount the questions from each disciple but shares that John, leaning against Jesus, asked Him who the traitor was, and received the answer, “The one to whom I will dip a piece of bread and give it” (John 13:26). This aspect of the story is told solely by John. \\n\\nThe Hebrew accounts portray different details of this occurrence: Luke offers a brief version, mentioning only the prophecy of the betrayer and Christ’s warning, alongside the disciples' initial confusion and discussions among themselves. Matthew and Mark, on the other hand, recount the subsequent questioning by each disciple and the initial general reference to the traitor, including the warning directed towards Judas. It is reasonable to assume that the fulfillment of the Lord’s instruction to identify the traitor concurrently occurred with John’s inquiry. In an attempt to appear bold, Judas inquires, “Is it not I, Rabbi?” receiving a quiet confirmation, “Yes, you are.” Likely, the other disciples did not hear this last exchange, but they understood the Lord’s words—that the one who dipped his hand in the dish alongside Him was someone among the twelve, thus making a broader implication (Luke 22:21). Peter then gestures to John to ask Jesus who the betrayer is. If this inquiry arose during the part of the Supper when the host was breaking bread and serving it to the attendees, the revelation of Judas as the traitor may have unfolded as follows: Jesus indicated to John, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread after I have dipped it.” This would have occurred at the moment He was serving Judas. Judas, in his state of agitation and his effort to conceal it, prematurely moved his hand toward the dish while the Lord was just placing His hand into it with the bread destined for him."},{"author-name":"Alexander Gorsky","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8884037c1e1c51e1332e2_Alexander%20Gorsky.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Feeling uncomfortable about Jesus' private discussion with John, Judas boldly questioned, “Is it I?” The Lord responded, “You have said so.”"}]}
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