John 13:28Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

But even then He did not make the betrayer known. It might have happened that he would be torn apart and killed. Therefore “none of those reclining understood.” Not even John? Yes, not even John, because he did not suppose that a disciple could come to such great lawlessness. Since the apostles themselves were far from such wickedness, they could not suspect anything like it in others. Therefore, just as He had said earlier, “I do not speak of all of you,” and had nowhere revealed the betrayer, so now they thought He was speaking about some outsider.

And "no one of those reclining at table understood." It is worth examining why no one recognized this, when the Lord, in answer to the question about the betrayer, said that it was the one to whom He would give the morsel. Evidently the Lord said this quietly to John alone, so that none of the others heard. Moreover, John, leaning on His breast, asked almost into His ear, so that the betrayer was not made known. Otherwise Peter might perhaps have drawn his sword and killed him. Did John not recognize this either? Yes, even he did not, for he did not expect that a disciple could be capable of such lawlessness. In his holy soul, being far from such malice, he did not suppose it easy for another either.

The disciples do not understand the meaning of these words, and Christ, it seems, prudently did not reveal it to them. So also in other cases He appears foretelling that He will be delivered into the hands of sinners, and that He will undergo crucifixion, be put to death, and rise on the third day (Mt 17:22-23; Mt 20:18-19; Lk 9:21). Yet at the same time He permits no one at all to speak of this. His purpose was to hide from the ruler of this age who He was by His true nature. Thus, when He came, He would undergo crucifixion, and by suffering crucifixion would destroy death and bring salvation to those who believe in Him. Therefore He prudently conceals much of what He said, for, as God, He knew all that was profitable.

Thus the Lord also had a treasury, in which the offerings of the faithful were kept, and which He could spend for the needs of His followers or of the poor. From this point the custom was introduced of having monetary funds in the Church. The Lord shows that His commandment not to be anxious about tomorrow (Mt 6:34) does not mean that the saints may not collect money. Rather, the service of God must not pursue such an aim, and fear of falling into need must not turn us away from righteousness. Thus the Lord had a money box, in which the offerings of the faithful were kept. He distributed them for the needs of His disciples and of other people. Then the custom of having church funds was first established.

The Evangelist also indicated the time, to show that even the night did not restrain Judas. See the explanation of all these verses in the same twenty-sixth chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 26).

After this they had to expect that Judas's conscience would awaken and restrain him from carrying out his infernal intention. Otherwise he had to leave this company quickly and take the final step toward the crime. He rose from his place, and the Lord said to him only as a parting word: "What you do, do quickly." These words were not a command. On the contrary, they could have brought about a saving change in a soul capable of receiving better impressions. But since Judas had once resolved on the deed, and since this deed constantly occupied him and was already almost accomplished in his intention, the Lord thereby revealed only this: He Himself was already ready, on His part, for everything that had to be.

In the account of Judas being revealed as the betrayer, there is the following difference among the Evangelists. Luke, who relates this history very briefly, says that after Jesus Christ's prediction of the betrayer, the disciples "began to question one another, which of them it could be who would do this." John also points to this circumstance, saying that "the disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom He spoke" (22). Matthew and Mark, without indicating this circumstance, state that the disciples were greatly sorrowful and began to say to Him, each of them, "Is it I.

No one except John understood why Jesus told Judas to fulfill his plan quickly. Since Judas was the treasurer and always carried out all commissions connected with monetary expenses, some of the Apostles thought that Jesus had now commanded him to buy what was needed for the feast, or to give something to the poor.

Since Judas’s presence at the supper had become impossible after all this, Christ made His last appeal to his conscience and said to him: “What you are doing, do quickly.” And Judas, as though burned by this remark, hastily rose from the table. Hiding in the darkness of night, he went to carry out his vile deed. Many of the simple-hearted disciples still did not understand what this deed was. Some even thought that the Teacher had sent him to buy things for the feast, or to distribute alms to the poor.

“No one understood,” therefore not even John himself, who narrates this. He understood it only afterward. At that time the disciples gave another explanation to these words of the Teacher; cf. Chrysostom.

But even this attention from the Savior did not soften Judas's heart. As the Evangelist John observes, together with the morsel received by Judas from Christ's hands, Satan entered into him. That is, the satanically malicious decision to betray Christ was finally strengthened in him. "What you do, do quickly," Jesus said to him. Judas departed, but not all the disciples understood the meaning of the words Christ had spoken to him. They thought that Christ, regarding him as treasurer, had given him pre-festal errands and was urging him to carry them out quickly.

None of the disciples understood what was said to Judas, with the exception, of course, of John. The betrayer had been indicated to him, and therefore the words to the betrayer that followed the indication could not have been unclear to him. The other disciples, who had not heard what was said to the one reclining on the Savior’s breast, thought that the Lord had commanded Judas, who kept the money offerings, either to buy something for the feast or to give something to the poor. It would no longer have been possible to buy anything the next morning. On a feast, especially one such as Pascha, nothing was sold.

Again we notice the words of an eyewitness, a participant in the events. Only such a man could indicate with such precision the thoughts of his companions, thoughts which he himself apparently shared, saying, "no one understood." We have said above that St. John, even after being warned by the Lord's words spoken quietly, did not understand the sign by which the Lord indicated the betrayer. Only after all the great events he had seen were his eyes opened, and he understood all that had taken place before him. Apparently, on the night of the Mystical Supper, the disciples even thought that Judas enjoyed the Lord's special trust. He carried the money box and received instructions on how these funds were to be used. St.