Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 26:20-25

"Now when even was come, he was sitting at meat with the twelve disciples; and as they were eating, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began to say unto him every one, Is it I, Lord? And he answered and said, He that dipped his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The Son of man goeth, even as it is written of him: but woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had not been born. And Judas, who betrayed him, answered and said, Is it I, Rabbi? He saith unto him, Thou hast said." — Matthew 26:20-25 (ASV)

St. Jerome: The Lord had previously foretold His Passion; He now foretells who was to be the traitor, thus giving him an opportunity for repentance when he would see that his thoughts and the secret designs of his heart were known.

Remigius of Auxerre: "With the twelve," it is said, for Judas was personally among them, though he had ceased to be one in merit.

St. Jerome: Judas acts in every way to remove all suspicion of his treachery.

Remigius of Auxerre: And it is beautifully said, "When evening had come," because it was in the evening that the Lamb was accustomed to be slain.

Rabanus Maurus: This is also for this reason: because in Christ's Passion, in which the true sun hurried to its setting, eternal refreshment was prepared for all believers.

St. John Chrysostom: The Evangelist relates how, as they sat at the meal, Jesus declares Judas's treachery, so that the wickedness of the betrayer might be more apparent from the timing and the circumstances.

St. Leo the Great: He shows that the conscience of His betrayer was known to Him, not meeting his wickedness with a harsh and open rebuke, so that repentance might be more accessible to one who had not been disgraced by public dismissal.¹

Origen of Alexandria: Or, He spoke generally to test the nature of each of their hearts and to reveal the wickedness of Judas, who would not believe in One who knew his heart. I suppose that at first he assumed the matter was hidden from Him, thinking Him merely a man, which stemmed from unbelief. But when he saw that his heart was known, he embraced the concealment offered by this general way of speaking, which was an act of shamelessness.

This also shows the goodness of the disciples, that they believed Christ's words more than their own consciences, for they each began to say, "Lord, is it I?" For they knew from what Jesus had taught them that human nature is easily turned to evil and is in a continual struggle with the rulers of the darkness of this world (Ephesians 6:12). This is why they ask in fear, for because of our weakness, the future is an object of dread to us.

When the Lord saw the disciples so alarmed for themselves, He pointed out the traitor by the sign of the prophetic declaration, He that hath eaten bread with me hath wantonly overthrown me (Psalm 41:9).

St. Jerome: O wonderful endurance of the Lord! He had said before, "One of you shall betray me." The traitor persists in his wickedness. He designates him more specifically, yet not by name. For Judas, while the others were sorrowful, withdrew their hands, and pushed the food away from their mouths, with the same audacity and recklessness which led him to betray Him, reached his hand into the dish with his Master, passing off his audacity as a clear conscience.

St. John Chrysostom: I rather think that Christ did this out of concern for him, and to bring him to a better state of mind.

Rabanus Maurus: What Matthew calls "paropsis," Mark calls "catinus." The "paropsis" is a square dish for meat, while the "catinus" is an earthen vessel for containing fluids; this, then, might have been a square earthen vessel.

Origen of Alexandria: Such is the custom of exceedingly wicked men: to plot against those with whom they have shared bread and salt, and especially those who have no hostility toward them. But if we understand this in terms of the spiritual table and the spiritual food, we will see the more abundant and overflowing measure of this man's wickedness, who remembered neither his Master's love in providing physical goods, nor His teaching in spiritual matters. Such are all those in the Church who lay snares for their brothers and sisters whom they continually meet at the same table of Christ's Body.

St. Jerome: Judas, not held back by either the first or second warning, persists in his treachery. The Lord's patience feeds his audacity. Now his punishment is foretold, so that declarations of wrath may correct where good will has no power.

Remigius of Auxerre: It is part of human nature to come and go, while the divine nature remains ever the same. So, because His human nature could suffer and die, it is well said of the Son of Man that He "goes." He says plainly, As it is written of him, for all that He suffered had been foretold by the Prophets.

St. John Chrysostom: He said this to comfort His disciples, so that they would not think He suffered out of weakness, and at the same time for the correction of His betrayer. And even though His Passion had been foretold, Judas is still guilty; and it was not his betrayal that brought about our salvation, but God's providence, which used the sins of others for our benefit.

Origen of Alexandria: He did not say, "By whom the Son of Man is betrayed," but through whom (John 13:2), pointing to another—namely, the Devil—as the author of His betrayal, and Judas as the agent. But woe also to all betrayers of Christ! And such is everyone who betrays a disciple of Christ.

Remigius of Auxerre: Woe also to all who draw near to Christ's table with an evil and defiled conscience! Who, though they do not deliver Christ to the Jews to be crucified, deliver Him to their own sinful members to be taken. He adds, to give more emphasis, Good were it for that man if he had never been born.

St. Jerome: We are not to infer from this that a person has existence before birth, for it cannot be well with anyone until he exists; it simply implies that it is better not to exist than to exist in evil.

St. Augustine of Hippo: And if it is argued that there is a life before this life, that will prove that for no one—not only for Judas—is it good to have been born. Can it mean that it would have been better for him not to have been born to the Devil—that is, for sin? Or does it mean that it would have been good for him not to have been born to Christ at his calling, only to now become an apostate?²

Origen of Alexandria: After all the Apostles had asked, and after Christ had spoken about him, Judas at last inquired himself, with the crafty design of concealing his treacherous purpose by asking the same question as the others; for real sorrow cannot bear suspense.

St. Jerome: His question feigns either great respect or a hypocritical disbelief. The others who were not going to betray Him said only, "Lord;" the actual traitor addresses Him as "Master," as though it were some excuse that he denied Him as Lord and betrayed only a Master.

Origen of Alexandria: Or, out of sycophancy he calls Him Master, while he holds Him unworthy of the title.

St. John Chrysostom: Though the Lord could have said, "Have you covenanted to receive silver, and yet you dare to ask Me this?" But Jesus, most merciful, said nothing of all this, thereby laying down for us rules and models for enduring evil.

He says to him, "You have said it."

Remigius of Auxerre: This may be understood in this way: You say it, and you say what is true; or, "You have said this, not I," leaving him room for repentance as long as his villainy was not publicly exposed.

Rabanus Maurus: This might have been said by Judas and answered by the Lord in such a way as not to be overheard by the others.

1. Serm. 58, 3
2. Quaest. Ev., i, 40