But he answering said: He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, he shall betray me.
ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν ο εμβαψας μετ εμου εν τω τρυβλιω την χειρα ουτος με παραδωσει
12 Church Fathers comment on this verse
There are those who assert that Judas displayed such arrogance that he failed to give proper respect to the Master, even dipping his hand with Him. However, I believe that Christ permitted this act to deepen Judas' humiliation and to inspire him towards a better mindset; this serves a purpose as well.
Clearly identifies the betrayer since Judas was not admonished when he was publicly accused. Consequently, the statement “he that dipped with Me” indicates that he had at least received some form of correction. Nevertheless, in his boldness, Judas dipped a morsel in the same dish.
The patience of the Lord is truly remarkable! Initially, He declared, ‘One of you will betray Me,’ yet He refrained from naming Himself. Meanwhile, Judas—while the others were filled with sorrow and hesitated to eat—boldly reached out his hand to the plate alongside the Master. In doing so, he sought to assuage his guilty conscience with his audacity, embodying a blatant disregard for the gravity of his betrayal.
Mark states that one of those who dines with Him in salt is a traitor. This statement is meant to deepen the shame of Judas, who, in his arrogance, failed to show respect to the Lord and shared in the dipping of his hand. A soliloquy can be likened to a kind of dish.
Without profound respect, neither authentic honor for God nor adherence to His commandments can exist. There was a moment when the most heinous intentions and commitments of the heart were openly revealed. When Judas Iscariot had plotted with the Sanhedrin to betray the Lord, he boldly reclined at the Last Supper alongside the other Apostles. In that moment, he reached out to the bowl of salt, taking it alongside his Master and Lord. What may seem like a trivial gesture was identified by the Lord as a symbol of betrayal.
"‘The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with Me,’ or as St. Mark more explicitly states (Mark 14:20), ‘one of the twelve who dipped his hand into the bowl with Me,’ conveys a similar meaning as before: he who dines with Me (Mark 14:18), but specifically refers to a private moment. During the Passover meal, among various items, bitter herbs were consumed by being dipped in vinegar. The Lord highlights this aspect of the supper when addressing the betrayer. Once again, the identity of the traitor is not directly revealed; rather, it is reaffirmed that the betrayer partakes in the feast of love alongside the Master. The heavenly Teacher chooses not to disclose the sinner’s identity to others; He states only that the sinner is known to Him.
Through His grace, He engages in a struggle against the malice of the sinner, wishing to triumph over it through His goodness. He indicates that He is aware of the betrayer's conscience, yet He refrains from humiliating the wicked individual with harsh or public rebuke, opting instead to gently persuade him through silent encouragement."
The Lord provides a clearer sign regarding the traitor: He stated in reply, "One of the twelve who dips his hand into the same bowl with Me"—thus, one of the few who were seated nearby—"this will be the one." St. John Chrysostom observes that some believe Judas was so brazen that he failed to honor the Lord, sharing the dish with Him. However, I contend that Christ permitted this to deepen his shame and inspire a change of heart within him. Who, upon reflecting on this meal, considering the betrayer reclined next to the Savior and the gentle nature of His dialogue—who could observe this and not reject all bitterness and rage? Witness how graciously Christ addresses Judas.
In the account concerning the identification of the traitor Judas, there are notable variations among the Gospel narratives. The Hebrew version of Luke, which presents a more concise depiction, mentions that after Christ foretold the betrayal, the disciples began to question one another about who would commit the act. This is echoed by the Gospel of John, which states that the disciples looked at one another, confused about whom Jesus meant.
In contrast, Matthew and Mark do not mention this aspect and instead convey that the disciples were deeply saddened and each individually asked, “Is it I, Lord?” Jesus answered them, “He that puts his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.” Only in Matthew’s account does Judas later question Jesus, asking, “Is it I, Rabbi?” to which he received an affirmative response. John’s Gospel uniquely recounts how, at Peter’s prompting, he leaned on Jesus’ chest and asked who the betrayer was, receiving the answer, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” This part of the narrative is exclusive to John.
It is clear that the Hebrew accounts highlight varying aspects of this event: Hebrew Luke condenses the story to focus on the prediction of the betrayer and Christ's warning to him, as well as the disciples’ initial confusion and their discussions with one another. Hebrew Matthew and Mark address the later questioning of Jesus by the disciples, the murky indication of the betrayer, and Christ’s warning to Judas. It is reasonable to conclude that the revelation to John coincided with this moment. Judas attempted to present himself as brave by asking, “Is it I, Rabbi?” and received the quiet acknowledgment, “You have said it.” The other disciples likely did not hear this last reply, yet they understood the reference Jesus made when He mentioned, “he who dips with me in the dish,” in the broad sense of “one of the twelve” or “the one who betrays me.” Peter then gestures to John, prompting him to inquire of Jesus about the identity of the betrayer. Should this occur during that part of the Last Supper when Jesus was breaking bread and distributing it, it might be inferred that Jesus identified Judas with the response to John: “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread after dipping it.” This was the moment when Jesus intended to serve Judas the bread. Judas, in his disturbed state and attempt to mask it, prematurely moved his hand toward the dish just as Jesus was placing His hand into the dish with the piece of bread meant for him.
The apostles were so preoccupied with the shocking news that they failed to comprehend Jesus’ response to Judas’ inquiry; however, their eagerness to identify the traitor was palpable. Peter gestured to John, who was reclining next to Jesus, urging him to question the Master about who would betray Him. Leaning against Jesus’ chest, John quietly asked, “Lord, who is it?” (John 13:25). In a hushed tone, Jesus replied, “The one to whom I give this piece of bread after I have dipped it” (John 13:26).
The Evangelist Matthew recounts that when the apostles asked, “Is it I, Lord?” Jesus responded, “The one who dips his hand with me in the dish, he will betray me.” To reconcile the differing accounts from the Evangelists, it is clear that Jesus initially addressed all present, stating that the one who shared the dish with Him would be His betrayer. It seems the distressed apostles were so absorbed in the alarming revelation that they did not notice who had reached for the dish alongside Jesus. Thus, Jesus tailored His response to John’s inquiry: during the Passover meal, in addition to the roasted lamb, unleavened bread and bitter herbs, a sweet and thick sauce made from dates, figs, and other fruits was served. Rather than utilizing utensils, participants ate with their hands, dipping the bread into the sauce. Jesus responded to John by dipping a piece of bread and giving it to Judas. As Judas accepted it and began to eat, John observed an abrupt change in his demeanor; the false calm he had shown faded, replaced by a sinister and malevolent expression: after consuming the bread, Satan entered into him. Recognizing that the son of perdition was beyond redemption, Jesus instructed him, “What you are about to do, do quickly” (John 13:27).
"You have spoken." Yet, the apostles failed to grasp this clear revelation, and Peter, in his characteristic eagerness, pressed for clarification about the identity of the traitor. He prompted John, who was resting against the heart of the Savior, to inquire about who it was that would betray Him. Jesus responded, "He to whom I shall give a piece of bread after I have dipped it." Subsequently, He took a piece of bread, dipped it, and handed it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. This revelation left John speechless with dread, and he chose not to share this knowledge with anyone.
"He who has shared his hand with me in the bowl": this refers to a dish of fruit served in a thick sauce (refer to the commentary on Matthew 26:1); it was common in Eastern cultures to refrain from using forks and spoons, opting instead to eat directly with the hand. Some suggest that Judas was so brazen as to disregard the honor due to his teacher and dipped his hand with Him. However, I believe Christ was also acting to bring about greater shame for Judas and to provoke him towards repentance (Chrysostom).
The Lord spoke to them, stating that one of the twelve, the one who shares this dish with Me, is the one who will betray Me. This dish, which was served in a semi-liquid form, acted as a condiment, and the custom was to dip bread into it by hand, reflecting the simplicity of Eastern hospitality. While the Lord's words subtly alluded to the traitor, they did not make the identification clear to everyone present.
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 16 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS