Bibelkommentare

What are ye willing to give me? (τ θελετε μο δουναι?) This "brings out the chaffering aspect of the transaction" (Vincent). "Mary and Judas extreme opposites: she freely spending in love, he willing to sell his Master for money" (Bruce). And her act of love provoked Judas to his despicable deed, this rebuke of Jesus added to all the rest. And I will deliver him unto you (καγω υμιν παραδωσω αυτον). The use of κα with a co-ordinate clause is a colloquialism (common in the Koine as in the Hebrew use of wav. "A colloquialism or a Hebraism, the traitor mean in style as in spirit" (Bruce). The use of εγω seems to mean "I though one of his disciples will hand him over to you if you give me enough." They weighed unto him (ο δε εστησαν αυτο). They placed the money in the balances or scales. "Coined money was in use, but the shekels may have been weighed out in antique fashion by men careful to do an iniquitous thing in the most orthodox way" (Bruce). It is not known whether the Sanhedrin had offered a reward for the arrest of Jesus or not. Thirty pieces of silver (τριακοντα αργυρια). A reference to Zechariah 11:12. If a man's ox gored a servant, he had to pay this amount (Exodus 21:32). Some manuscripts have στατηρας (staters). These thirty silver shekels were equal to 120 δεναρι, less than five English pounds, less than twenty-five dollars, the current price of a slave. There was no doubt contempt for Jesus in the minds of both the Sanhedrin and Judas in this bargain.

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Sought opportunity (εζητε ευκαριαν). A good chance. Note imperfect tense. Judas went at his business and stuck to it.

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To eat the passover (φαγειν το πασχα). There were two feasts rolled into one, the passover feast and the feast of unleavened bread. Either name was employed. Here the passover meal is meant, though in John 18:28 it is probable that the passover feast is referred to as the passover meal (the last supper) had already been observed. There is a famous controversy on the apparent disagreement between the Synoptic Gospels and the Fourth Gospel on the date of this last passover meal. My view is that the five passages in John (John 13:1; John 13:27; John 18:28; John 19:14; John 19:31) rightly interpreted agree with the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 26:17; Matthew 26:20; Mark 14:12; Mark 14:17; Luke 22:7; Luke 22:14) that Jesus ate the passover meal at the regular time about 6 P.M. beginning of 15 Nisan. The passover lamb was slain on the afternoon of 14 Nisan and the meal eaten at sunset the beginning of 15 Nisan. According to this view Jesus ate the passover meal at the regular time and died on the cross the afternoon of 15 Nisan. See my Harmony of the Gospels for Students of the Life of Christ, pp.279-284. The question of the disciples here assumes that they are to observe the regular passover meal. Note the deliberative subjunctive (ετοιμασωμεν) after θελεις with ινα. For the asyndeton see Robertson, Grammar, p. 935.

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To such a man (προς τον δεινα). The only instance in the N.T. of this old Attic idiom. The papyri show it for "Mr. X" and the modern Greek keeps it. Jesus may have indicated the man's name. Mark (Mark 14:13) and Luke (Luke 22:10) describe him as a man bearing a pitcher of water. It may have been the home of Mary the mother of John Mark. I keep the passover at thy house (προς σε ποιω το πασχα). Futuristic present indicative. The use of προς σε for "at thy house" is neat Greek of the classic period. Evidently there was no surprise in this home at the command of Jesus. It was a gracious privilege to serve him thus.

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He was sitting at meat (ανεκειτο). He was reclining, lying back on the left side on the couch with the right hand free. Jesus and the Twelve all reclined. The paschal lamb had to be eaten up entirely (Exodus 12:4; Exodus 12:43).

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One of you (εις εξ υμων). This was a bolt from the blue for all except Judas and he was startled to know that Jesus understood his treacherous bargain.

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Is it I, Lord? (μητ εγω ειμι, Κυριε;). The negative expects the answer No and was natural for all save Judas. But he had to bluff it out by the same form of question (verse Matthew 26:25). The answer of Jesus, Thou hast said (συ ειπας), means Yes.

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He that dipped (ο εμβαψας). They all dipped their hands, having no knives, forks, or spoons. The aorist participle with the article simply means that the betrayer is the one who dips his hand in the dish (εν τω τρυβλιω) or platter with the broth of nuts and raisins and figs into which the bread was dipped before eating. It is plain that Judas was not recognized by the rest as indicated by what Jesus has said. This language means that one of those who had eaten bread with him had violated the rights of hospitality by betraying him. The Arabs today are punctilious on this point. Eating one's bread ties your hands and compels friendship. But Judas knew full well as is shown in verse Matthew 26:25 though the rest apparently did not grasp it.

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