voice: “Is it I, Lord?” He answered and said: “One of the twelve[1], who dippeth[2] his hand with Me in the dish.” Then He added: “The Son of Man goeth, indeed, as it is written of Him[3], but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man shall be betrayed. It were better[4] for that man if he had not been born!”
Then Judas, who betrayed Him, said: “Is it I[5], Rabbi?” But Jesus replied[6]: “Thou hast said it.”[7] Then Judas rose from the table and went out[8], and, going immediately to the High Priest, sold His Master for thirty pieces of silver, and promised to betray Him into the hands of the High Priest’s servants. When he was gone Jesus said to His disciples: “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him.”
- ↑ One of the twelve. It grieved them to think that anyone of their number could act so wickedly and ungratefully towards their beloved Master: in fact they could not conceive such wickedness possible. Then Jesus indicated the traitor more directly, saying: “One of the twelve &c.”
- ↑ Who dippeth. On the table at the pasch there stood dishes containing a mess of cooked fruit, such as dates, figs &c. In this mess each person dipped his bread before eating it. Among those who were dipping their bread into the same dish with Jesus, was Judas; but as several of the other apostles were also dipping into the same dish, our Lord did not make it plain that He meant Judas. To obtain certainty in the matter, St. Peter beckoned to St. John, who was next to Jesus, and whom our Lord especially loved on account of his virginal purity, bidding him ask who it was of whom our Lord spoke. John, “leaning on the breast of Jesus”, saith to Him: “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered: “He it is to whom I shall give bread dipped.” And when He had dipped the bread He gave it to Judas. And after the morsel Satan entered into Judas.
- ↑ Written of Him. In the prophecies relating to His sufferings and death (Old Test. LV and LXXII).
- ↑ It were better. Rather than suffer the everlasting punishment which will be his on account of his wickedness.
- ↑ Is it I. He saw that he was unmasked, but instead of repenting and giving up his evil project, he became more wicked and mote obstinate, and fell completely under the dominion of Satan.
- ↑ Replied. In a low tone so that the other apostles could not hear what He said.
- ↑ Thou hast said it. i. e. “it is thou”, and He added: “That which thou dost, do quickly”, i. e. if you still persist in doing this wicked deed, do not put it off.
- ↑ Went out. “And it was night”, says St.John (13, 30) — night, dark night in the street outside, dark night in the soul of Judas, from which the grace of God had departed.
