Matthew 26:48
in Matthew 26Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he: take him.
KJV
Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
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This verse in Matthew 26
Commentary
14 notes on this verse(Verse 48.) But he who betrayed him gave them a sign, saying: Whomever I shall kiss, that is he, hold him fast. Miserable Judas, and yet not pitiable, with the same unfaithfulness with which he betrayed his master and Lord, he believed that the signs which he had seen the Savior performing were not done by divine majesty, but by magical skills. And because he had heard that he was transfigured on the mountain, he feared that he might slip away from the hands of the attendants through a similar transformation.
This site's exposition
a great multitude with swords and staves
on Matthew 26:47-49
And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people shows the arresting party armed as if expecting resistance from a man who has just told his own disciple to put up his sword. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast, an ordinary greeting between a disciple and his rabbi turned into the very mechanism of betrayal. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him carries out the sign exactly as arranged, and the commentators read the ordinary warmth of the greeting against the coldness of its purpose as the scene's own indictment of Judas.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
Even now do many fight against Jesus with spiritual weapons, to wit, with divers and shifting dogmas concerning God. It deserves enquiry why, when He was known by face to all who dwelt in Judæa, he should have given them a sign, as though they were unacquainted with His person. But a tradition to this effect has come down to us, that not only had He two different forms, one under which He appeared to men, the other into which He was transfigured before His disciples in the mount, but also that He appeared to each man in such degree as the beholder was worthy; in like manner as we read of the manna, that it had a flavour adapted to every variety of use, and as the word of God shows not alike to all. They required therefore a sign by reason of this His transfiguration.
There is a certain order to the different facets of Christ's suffering. But the reason for Judas's kiss was that we might discern all our enemies and those who we know would delight in raging against us. The Lord does not resist his kiss.
A commentator
John ChrysostomHomily on the Gospel of Matthew 83 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
At any rate, "While He yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people." Seemly surely are the instruments of the priests! "with swords and staves" do they come against Him! And Judas, it is said, with them, one of the twelve. Again he calleth him "of the twelve," and is not ashamed. Now he that betrayed Him gave them a sign, saying, "Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He, hold Him fast." Oh! what depravity had the traitor's soul received. For with what kind of eyes did he then look at his Master? with what mouth did he kiss Him? Oh! accursed purpose; what did he devise? What did he dare? What sort of sign of betrayal did he give? Whomsoever I shall kiss, he saith. He was emboldened by his Master's gentleness, which more than all was sufficient to shame him, and to deprive him of all excuse for that he was betraying one so meek.
Or, because whenever they had hitherto attempted to seize Him, He had escaped them they knew not how; as also He might then have done had He been so minded.
The Medieval Church1 voice
(non occ.) Having said above that the Lord offered Himself of His own accord to His pursuers, the Evangelist proceeds to relate how He was seized by them.
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
(Serm. de Symb. ad Catech. 6.) Exult, Christian, you have gained by this bargain of your enemies; what Judas sold, and what the Jews bought, belongs to you.
Next he treats of the sign of betrayal: and he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying etc. But here there is a question. Since he was well known in Judea, why did they seek a sign? A twofold reason can be given. One …
Judas gave a sign because it was night and they were not able to identify Jesus. For those who came to arrest Him were not from the multitude, but were servants of the high priest, who perhaps did not know Jesus at all. But the …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Gave them a sign - How coolly deliberate is this dire apostate! The man whom I shall kiss - how deeply hypocritical! That is he, hold him fast, seize him - how diabolically malicious! Hail, Master - A usual compliment among the Jews. Judas pretends to wish our Lord continued health while he is meditating his destruction! How many compliments of this kind are there in the world!
We see in these verses the cup of our Lord Jesus Christ’s sufferings beginning to be filled. We see him betrayed by one of his disciples, forsaken by the rest, and taken prisoner by his deadly enemies. Never surely was there sorrow like his sorrow. Never may we forget, as we read this part of the Bible, that our sins were the cause of these sorrows! Jesus was “delivered was delivered for our offences.” ( Romans 4:25 ). Let us notice for one thing in these verses what gracious condescension marked our Lord’s intercourse with his disciples.
We see in these verses the cup of our Lord Jesus Christ’s sufferings beginning to be filled. We see him betrayed by one of his disciples, forsaken by the rest, and taken prisoner by his deadly enemies. Never surely was there sorrow like his sorrow. Never may we forget, as we read this part of the Bible, that our sins were the cause of these sorrows! Jesus was “delivered was delivered for our offences.” ( Romans 4:25 ). Let us notice for one thing in these verses what gracious condescension marked our Lord’s intercourse with his disciples. We have this point proved by a deeply touching circumstance at the moment of our Lord’s betrayal. When Judas Iscariot undertook to guide the multitude to the place where his Master was, he gave them a sign by which they might distinguish Jesus in the dim moonlight from his disciples: he said, “Whomsoever I shall kiss that same is he.” And so, when he came to Jesus, he said, “Hail master, and kissed him!” That simple fact reveals the affectionate terms on which the disciples associated with our Lord. It is a universal custom in eastern countries, when friend meets friend, to salute one another with a kiss ( ). It would seem therefore, that when Judas kissed our Lord, he only did what all the apostles were accustomed to do when they met their Master after an absence. Let us draw comfort from this little circumstance for our own souls. Our Lord Jesus Christ is a most gracious and condescending Saviour. He is not an “austere man,” repelling sinners and keeping them at a distance; he is not a being so different from us in nature that we must regard him with awe rather than affection: he would have us rather regard him as an elder brother, and a beloved friend. His heart in heaven is still the same that it was on earth: he is ever meek merciful and condescending to men of low estate. Let us trust him, and not be afraid.
The words behind it
15 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ | ho | The [one] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δὲ | de | then | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| παραδιδοὺς | paradidous | betraying | G3860 → | 119 times |
| αὐτὸν | auton | Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἔδωκεν | edoken | gave | G1325 → | 412 times |
| αὐτοῖς | autois | to them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| σημεῖον | semeion | a sign | G4592 → | 75 times |
| λέγων· | legon | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| ὃν | hon | Whomever | G3739 → | 1405 times |
| ἂν | an | maybe | G302 → | 165 times |
| φιλήσω, | phileso | I may kiss, | G5368 → | 25 times |
| αὐτός | autos | He himself | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἐστιν· | estin | it is; | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| κρατήσατε | kratesate | do seize | G2902 → | 47 times |
| αὐτόν. | auton | Him. | G846 → | 5565 times |
ὁThe [one]
hoG3588 →19766 times
δὲthen
deG1161 →2765 times
παραδιδοὺςbetraying
paradidousG3860 →119 times
αὐτὸνHim
autonG846 →5565 times
ἔδωκενgave
edokenG1325 →412 times
αὐτοῖςto them
autoisG846 →5565 times
σημεῖονa sign
semeionG4592 →75 times
λέγων·saying;
legonG3004 →1325 times
ὃνWhomever
honG3739 →1405 times
ἂνmaybe
anG302 →165 times
φιλήσω,I may kiss,
philesoG5368 →25 times
αὐτόςHe himself
autosG846 →5565 times
ἐστιν·it is;
estinG1510 →2333 times
κρατήσατεdo seize
kratesateG2902 →47 times
αὐτόν.Him.
autonG846 →5565 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 28:3Do not drag me away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors while malice is in their hearts.
it leads to
- Psalms 55:21
His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.
- Psalms 12:2
They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.
- Jeremiah 9:8–9
Their tongues are deadly arrows; they speak deception. With his mouth a man speaks peace to his neighbor, but in his heart he sets a trap for him.
- Psalms 26:9
Do not take my soul away with sinners, or my life with men of bloodshed,
- Micah 3:5
This is what the LORD says: “As for the prophets who lead My people astray, who proclaim peace while they chew with their teeth, but declare war against one who puts nothing in their…
- Psalms 55:21
Through
2 Samuel 3:27When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the…
it leads to
- 1 Kings 2:5
Moreover, you know what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me—what he did to Abner son of Ner and Amasa son of Jether, the two commanders of the armies of Israel. He killed them…
- 2 Samuel 20:9–10
“Are you well, my brother?” Joab asked Amasa. And with his right hand Joab grabbed Amasa by the beard to kiss him.
- 1 Kings 2:5
Through
Mark 14:44Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him and lead Him away securely.”
it leads to
- Matthew 26:48–50
Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The One I kiss is the man; arrest Him.”
- Matthew 26:48–50
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies15
- Angelology
- Archaeology and the Bible (the Evidence Ledger)
- Gethsemane (The Garden Called the Oil Press)
- Peter's Denial: Matthew 26 · Mark 14 · Luke 22 · John 18
- The Son of Man: Daniel 7:13-14
- The Blood
- The Bride & the Jewish Wedding
- The Cleansing of the Temple: John 2 · Matthew 21
- The Father's Will
- The Lord's Supper
- The Right Hand
- The Shepherd
- The Sword
- The Tree
- The Vine & the Vineyard
About Matthew
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Glossa Ordinaria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew 32.2; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew; Jerome, Commentary on Matthew; John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of Matthew 83; John Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Origen of Alexandria, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Pseudo-Augustine, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Matthew and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Matthew.