Luke 22:23Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Yet though partaking of the mystery, he was not converted. Nay, his wickedness is made only the more awful, as well because under the pollution of such a design, he came to the mystery, as that coming he was not made better, either by fear, gratitude, or respect.

And this He said not only to shew that He knew all things, but also to declare unto us His own especial goodness, in that He left nothing undone of those things which belonged to Him to do; (for He gives us an example, that even unto the end we should be employed in reclaiming sinners;) and moreover to point out the baseness of the traitor who blushed not to be His guest.

When our Lord had given the cup to His disciples, He again spoke of His betrayer, saying, But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me, &c.

For as in bodily diseases there are many of which the affected are not sensible, but they rather put faith in the opinion of their physicians, than trust their own insensibility; so also in the diseases of the soul, though a man is not conscious of sin in himself, yet ought he to trust to those who are able to have more knowledge of their own sins.

In the accounts of Matthew and Mark, the disciples expressed confusion regarding the bread and cup prior to their sharing (Matt. 26:22; Mark 14:19), while in Luke and John, their perplexity is noted afterward (John 13:22). This clearly indicates that their uncertainty occurred at both times.

And yet our Lord does not especially point him out, lest being so plainly detected, he might only become the more shameless. But He throws the charge on the whole twelve, that the guilty one might be turned to repentance. He also proclaims his punishment, that the man whom shame had not prevailed upon, might by the sentence denounced against him be brought to amendment. Hence it follows, And truly the Son of man goeth, &c.

The disciples began to introspect, questioning among themselves, "Who among us would commit such an act?" It is evident that their endeavor to identify the traitor as depicted in the Gospel of Luke differs from the accounts found in Matthew and Mark. In those Gospels, upon hearing the Lord's declaration that one of them would betray Him, each disciple, concerned for himself, asked, "Is it I, Lord?" However, in Luke's account, they inquire as to who among them would be willing to undertake such a betrayal. This reflects an appeal to their moral consciousness, contrasting with the societal concern in Matthew and Mark. The query posed by the disciples in Luke parallels that found in the Gospel of John, where they looked at one another in confusion about whom He referred to. John later narrates how the betrayer was disclosed to his beloved disciple (John 13:23-30). This further affirms the notion that Heaven’s Love, even after the Last Supper, sought to guide the troubled disciple toward repentance.

When the Son of Man contemplated the reality that one of His beloved disciples would turn against Him and act as an agent for His adversaries, He felt a deep anguish within His spirit. He spoke plainly, declaring that one among them would betray Him (John 13:21). This disclosure astonished all present: how could there be a traitor among them? Who could this betrayer be? The Lord went on to say, "But the Son of Man is going as it has been written of Him. Yet, woe to that man through whom the Son of Man is betrayed: it would have been better for him if he had not been born" (Matthew 26:21-24). The disciples grew troubled, glancing at one another, each wondering, "Is it I?" The Lord remained silent.

In the account of identifying the traitor, Judas, there is a notable distinction in the Hebrew versions. In his brief recounting, Luke mentions that after Christ foretold the betrayal, the disciples began to question amongst themselves about who would betray Him. This is also referenced by John, who states that the disciples looked at one another in confusion regarding whom He meant. Meanwhile, Matthew and Mark recount the disciples' sorrow without mentioning this initial exchange, noting that each one asked Jesus, “Is it I, Lord?” to which He replied, “He that putteth his hand in the dish with me, this one shall betray me.” Matthew uniquely adds that Judas later questioned the Lord, “Is it I, Rabbi?” receiving confirmation in return.

The words of Jesus cast a shadow of despair over the remaining apostles: A traitor within the chosen twelve! How dreadful! None of them would have accepted such a notion if Christ hadn't revealed it. They exchanged glances in shock, hoping to provoke the traitor into a confession, yet Judas remained silent. They began to ponder aloud, questioning which among them could commit such an act of betrayal. However, their discussions led to no resolution. Deeply troubled, they each asked Jesus, "Is it I, Lord? Is it I?" but their inquiries went unanswered. The apostles were so preoccupied with the stunning revelation that they failed to comprehend Jesus's response to Judas's question.

The disciples initially overlooked Christ's earlier teaching, and after the washing of feet had concluded, they seated themselves at the table for the Passover meal. The focal position was held by the Lord, while John reclined on His right side, and Judas Iscariot occupied the spot on His left, seemingly asserting his role as the steward of the cup, thus gaining a measure of prestige over the others. Peter was seated close to the next recliner, to the left of Judas. As the meal commenced, the Lord began to convey the meaning behind His actions, using this moment to impart a lesson on the humility with which they ought to regard one another. However, His gaze fell upon Judas, and He was filled with sorrow.