Matthew 26:47-50 47And while he was still speaking, behold, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48Now the one who betrayed him had given them a sign, saying, “Whoever I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49And immediately after coming up to Jesus he said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 50But Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came for.” Then after coming up they laid hands on Jesus and seized him.
The account shifts back to Judas who was last mentioned in verse 25 with his decision to betray Jesus. Judas had followed through with his plan and had contacted the chief priests and elders of the people. Matthew describes Judas in several ways. Judas was one of the twelve and had spent the past three years with Jesus. He had experienced and heard everything the others had. At one point, doubt began to rise and sin sprang to life because of selfishness. Matthew also labels Judas the betrayer in verse 48. Judas was already this in his heart even before his kiss. Third, Matthew records Jesus calling Judas friend in verse 50. Judas kissed Jesus as a friend but was far from it in his heart. He may have appeared as one who gave a greeting of someone close, as was culturally practiced at that time. But his kiss was not one of friendship but of an enemy. The kiss helped identify Jesus among the group of disciples in the darkness of the night.
This was not a quiet betrayal with only a kiss. Judas brought a lot of people who had swords and clubs. They represented the power of the Jewish establishment of Jerusalem with the highest authority of the Sanhedrin. Judas’ greeting echoes his earlier one in verse 25. Judas saw Jesus only as a good teacher and not as the Christ, Savior of the world. He could not make that leap of faith necessary for salvation. To treat Jesus in this manner devalued Jesus and further shows Judas’ selfishness. Jesus’ response to the kiss basically tells Judas to get this over with. It was now too late for Judas. He had dug his hole and could no longer get out. This sad story begins the suffering of Jesus. It reveals how sin can grow and control a person to the point of acting out one’s plans. What happened to Judas is a warning about the need for disciples to keep alert through prayer in order to have spiritual victory.
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