Matthew 26:49Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He submitted to being captured despite having already demonstrated His might. John the Evangelist informs us that even at this moment, Christ sought to warn Judas, asking, "Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?" (Luke 22:48). Is it not shameful to betray in such a manner? Yet, because He did not prevent him from doing so, He accepted the kiss and willingly allowed Himself to be betrayed. The adversaries seized Him on the very night of the Passover celebration, filled with anger and rage. They would have been powerless had He not granted them this opportunity. However, this does not absolve Judas of a severe fate; instead, it subjects him to an even harsher judgment.

When Judas delivered the Lord to the Romans through a deceitful kiss, he also entrusted them with the responsibility of executing judgment upon Him. He withdrew the Spirit that He had breathed into Judas, as He did not wish for the voracious wolf to remain among His flock. For it is stated, ‘What he had was taken from him’ (cf. Matthew 13:12).

Wretched Judas, deserving no sympathy! By the same disbelief that led him to betray his Master and Savior, he perceived the miracles performed by the Lord not as acts of divine authority but as tricks of sorcery. Moreover, having possibly heard of His glorious transformation on the mountain, he feared that a similar transfiguration might help Him evade the grip of the authorities. This prompted him to provide a signal, so that they would recognize the one he intended to kiss.

In the Gospel of Luke, when Judas approached Jesus to greet Him with a kiss, Jesus addressed him, asking, "Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?" In this moment, Jesus graciously revealed the true intention behind the kiss, admonishing Judas for turning an act of affection into an act of treachery. Despite this, He did not resist but willingly accepted the kiss, permitting Himself to be seized. In this interaction, despite witnessing His strength, compassion, and humanity, Judas chose to remain more malevolent than any creature.

Let us seek to uncover the manifestations of Christ's suffering, for our gathering is not merely to engage in theoretical interpretations of the Scriptures, but to deepen our conviction in our faith. You are familiar with the accounts of Jesus' arrival and His walking upon the waters, as it is recorded, “Thy ways are in the sea” (Psalm 76:20). Furthermore, you have heard testimonies of His numerous healings. Thus, I commence this discussion at the point where the suffering initiated. Judas, that deceiver, approached Him, feigning friendship while plotting treachery. The Psalmist reflects on this: “My friends and my sincere ones have come near to me, and have stood by me” (Psalm 37:12).

Throughout these events, various aspects of Christ's affliction come to light. The significance of Judas’ kiss serves as a lesson for us to love our adversaries and those who may oppose us. Indeed, God does not turn away from that kiss.

Licking as an expression of camaraderie and affection has long been a customary gesture. This practice can be traced back through scripture (Gen. 29:11, 13; Gen. 33:4; Luke 7:45; Acts 20:27; Rom. 16:16). Judas and the Sanhedrin believed that Jesus Christ might vanish as He had done on previous occasions (Luke 4:30; John 8:59), unless they took steps to capture Him by surprise; the spiritually blind individuals failed to recognize His divine authority. Furthermore, they assumed the guards would not identify Jesus among His followers after dark. Thus, what was merely a conventional sign of friendship became the means by which Judas betrayed his Master to those who sought to harm Him.

As Jesus approached, the traitor greeted Him, saying, “Hail, O Lord! Hail, Master,” and he embraced Him with a kiss. What righteous figure could receive the kiss of a betrayer with such composure? Yet You, the embodiment of Heavenly Kindness, respond with sorrowful love, asking the traitor, “My friend, what brings you here...?”

From Judas’s subsequent actions and the inquiry posed to him by Jesus, we can infer that he aimed to distance himself from the group, approach Jesus with the customary greeting of a kiss, and then return to the apostles, intending to hide his treachery. However, he was not successful. As he quickly neared Jesus and exclaimed in confusion, “Rabbi, Rabbi,” Jesus gently responded, “Friend, what have you come to do?” Not knowing how to reply, Judas awkwardly said, “Rejoice, Rabbi,” and kissed Him.

When Judas identified his Master to the guards with a predetermined kiss, Jesus gently addressed him, asking, “Friend, have you come for this?” He further inquired, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” This exchange represented the final appeal of Jesus to the disloyal disciple. By referring to Judas as a friend, Jesus sought to guide him toward repentance and to highlight the gravity of his actions. Jesus asked, “Judas, if you approach me as a friend, why do you present guards armed with weapons to arrest me, someone whom you consider a friend? Conversely, if you have come as an adversary, what is the purpose of this affectionate kiss?

For the third time, Satan instilled him with diabolical boldness, and Judas, with his foul mouth, delivered the deceitful kiss.

“Rejoice” or "Greetings, Rabbi," and he kissed Him. This gesture, which typically signifies affection and camaraderie, was instead employed by Judas as an act of treachery. In Judas, this reflects either cunning—a wish to disguise his sinister intentions from Jesus until the final moment—or profound wickedness, using a benevolent act to inflict grave harm. Alternatively, it may indicate a lack of understanding regarding the true significance of his actions.