References (22)
Simon "the Zealot" (fanatic, zealot, nationalist, Selot) [literally "Simon kananaios," the Aramaic equivalent of the Greek term zealot, both words meaning "the devoted, zealous, fanatical," may also indicate that he was involved in the Jewish resistance movement against the Roman Empire before becoming a disciple of Jesus]
and Judas Iscariot, the one who would betray him.
[Matthew mentions the apostles in pairs, which is consistent with them being sent out "two by two," see . Three groups emerge when the apostles are listed. Simon, Philip, and James are always mentioned as the first names in each group, see ; ; .]
[Matthew writes thematically and highlights contrasts. The story of Mary's generous gift to Jesus in pure love (worth a year's salary) is followed by Judas' betrayal, where he was willing to sell Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. The word for silver coin (Gk. argurion) is a general term. However, it is likely that it refers to the Phoenician silver coin tetradrachm, the only currency accepted in the temple. The coin, also called a shekel, was equivalent to four denarii, where one denarius was a day's wage. Judas' price for Jesus was thus four months' wages, one-third of the value of Mary's oil. Thirty shekels was also the price of a slave, see .]
Then one of the twelve [apostles], Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests.
Judas, who was going to betray him, said, "Rabbi, it is not I, is it?" Jesus replied, "You have said so."
[In John's more detailed description, Peter gestures to John, who is sitting closest to Jesus, and asks him to ask who it is. Jesus then dips a piece of bread and gives it to Judas. Despite this, John and Peter do not seem to understand who it is, see .]
While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd [Roman soldiers, see , and temple guards, see ] armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people.
But when Judas – the traitor (one who has a habit of betraying/betraying) – saw that Jesus was condemned, he repented (felt remorse – Gk. metamelomai) and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders.
[The word for "repented" used here is not the usual word metanoia used for conversion and change of heart (). Judas felt deep sorrow and regret, but that in itself does not mean that it was a true conversion. Peter's sorrow led to restoration, Judas' sorrow to suicide.]
Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.
[Three groups emerge when the apostles are listed. Simon, Philip, and James are always mentioned as the first names in each group, see ; ; .]
[Mark often shows the contrast between those who loved Jesus and those who hated him. Immediately after the story of the woman who anointed Jesus comes Judas' betrayal. Matt. the tax collector who is careful with accounts, gives more details and is the only evangelist who specifies the sum that Judas negotiates, see . Thirty pieces of silver was the price of a slave, see . This was equivalent to four months' wages for a worker in Jesus' time, and was one-third of the value of the woman's alabaster jar of perfume, see . This shows how little both Jude and the Jewish leaders valued Jesus' life.] Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray (hand over) him [Jesus].
[Jesus probably now saw between the trees the torchlight of the large crowd approaching.]
While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd [Roman soldiers, see , and temple guards, see ] with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and the scribes and the elders of the people [these three groups were part of the Sanhedrin – the highest court of the Jews].
and Judas Iskariot, who became a traitor.
[Three groups emerge when the apostles are listed. Simon, Philip, and James are always mentioned as the first names in each group, see ; ; . Jesus now calls the twelve disciples apostles. Luke is the Gospel writer who most frequently uses this title for the twelve. A disciple is someone who follows and is taught by his teacher and becomes more and more like him, see . An apostle is a disciple who is sent out as an ambassador to represent his master. The twelve were still Jesus' disciples, but now they also became his messengers. The twelve apostles have a special status because they were called by Jesus himself to be eyewitnesses and spread his word, see ; . The general apostolic ministry still exists today as one of the five ministries, see ; .]
Then [after the meal in Bethany, see ], Satan entered Judas, who was called Iskariot and was one of the twelve. [The devil had been putting thoughts into Jude's mind for a long time, see . Instead of resisting the temptation, Jude succumbs to it, see .]
While he was still speaking, a crowd [Roman soldiers, see , and temple guards, see ] came. It was led by Judas, one of the twelve. He went up to Jesus to kiss him.
Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" [The customary greeting at that time with a kiss, which expressed respect and reverence, became here a sign of betrayal.]
He said this about Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Judas was one of the twelve, but later he would betray Jesus.
[The name Iscariot may come from the Hebrew Ish Kerioth, which means "a man from Kerioth". Kerioth was a town in southern Judea. Kirjat is Hebrew for village (as opposed to a town, which had a protective city wall), so a direct translation could be "man of the villages." Another possible connection to the name Iscariot is that he was a Sicarii. This radical branch of the Zealots used knives (Latin: sicari) in the armed struggle against their political opponents.]
But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples who was about to betray him, said:
And already during the evening meal [when Jesus and the disciples were reclining at the table and eating], the devil [the devil had repeatedly put the thought into] the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot's son, that he should betray him [Jesus].
Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I give the piece of bread I dip [in the sauce bowl]." So he dipped the piece of bread and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
Since Judas was in charge of the money box [the box with the money for Jesus and the twelve disciples], some thought that Jesus had told him, "Buy what we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor.
Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus and his disciples often met there.
Judas brought with him a Roman battalion [cohort – consisting of about 600 Roman soldiers, see ] and temple guards [Jewish men who served as security guards in the temple] from the chief priests and Pharisees. They came there with torches, lanterns, and weapons.
They answered him, "Jesus of
Nazareth." Jesus answered them, "I am
(I Am)."
Judas, who betrayed him, was also there among them.
[This is the seventh time the phrase "I Am" is used in the Gospel of John, see . There is a clear connection to how God reveals himself to Moses as the eternal one, see . The word "betrayed" is in a verb form that indicates that this was not the first time Judas betrayed Jesus, but something he was in the habit of doing.]"Men, brothers [and probably addressing mainly the apostles]: The words of Scripture must be fulfilled, what the Holy Spirit had foretold through David's mouth about Judas [Iscariot], he who led those who arrested Jesus.
to take the apostolic ministry that Judas abandoned to go to the place that was his
