SEV Biblia, Chapter 26:48
Y el que le entregaba les había dado seal, diciendo: Al que yo besare, aquel es; prendedle.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 26:48
Verse 48. 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! Judas had a pattern in Joab, who, while he pretends to inquire tenderly for the health of Amasa, thrust him through with his sword; but the disciple here vastly outdoes his master, and through a motive, if possible, still more base. Let all those who use unmeaning or insidious compliments rank for ever with Joab and Judas. And kissed him.] And tenderly kissed him-this is the proper meaning of the original word katefilhsen, he kissed him again and again-still pretending the most affectionate attachment to him, though our Lord had before unmasked him.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 48. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign , etc.] By which it might be known who he was; for it being night, though they had lanterns and torches, as John says, ( John 18:3), yet Judas himself might not be able to discern, him, so as to point him out, until he came very near him: moreover, Christ and his apostles might be clothed alike, so that a mistake might be easily made, and one of them be took for him: and so the Jews say f1580 , that the two thousand men, they pretend were with him, were clothed with the same apparel; which story may take its rise from hence: add to this, that James, the son of Alphaeus, called the brother of our Lord, is reported to be very like unto him. Besides, it is very likely that the Roman soldiers, who were to be the principal persons in apprehending, binding, and carrying him away, might never have seen him, and so could not know him without some sign was given them; and which Judas gave them before he came out with them: and is as follows: saying, whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he, hold him fast . Judas might the rather pitch upon this to be the sign, partly because it might be what had been usual with the disciples, when they had been at any time absent from Christ, and which he admitted of; and partly because he might think this would best cover his treacherous designs, who, with all his wickedness, had not effrontery enough to come sword in hand and seize him in a violent manner, and besides, might not judge such a method advisable, had he impudence enough to prosecute it, lest this should put Jesus upon taking some measures to make his escape. The reason of his advice, hold him fast, was, because he knew that once and again, when attempts were made to seize him, he easily disengaged himself, passed through the midst, and went his way; (see Luke 4:30 John 8:59) ( John 10:39); and therefore gave them this caution, and strict charge, lest, should he slip from them, he should lose his money he had agreed with the chief priests for; or to let them know, that when he was in their hands, he had made good his agreement, and should expect his money: and that it lay upon them then to take care of him, and bring him before the sanhedrim. The account the Jews themselves give of the directions of Judas, is not very much unlike this; who represent him advising in this manner, only as on the day before: gird yourselves ready about this time tomorrow, and the man whom shall worship and bow to, the same is he; behave yourselves like men of war, fight against his company, and lay hold on him f1581 .
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 47-56 - No enemies are so much to be abhorred as those professed disciples tha betray Christ with a kiss. God has no need of our services, much les of our sins, to bring about his purposes. Though Christ was crucifie through weakness, it was voluntary weakness; he submitted to death. I he had not been willing to suffer, they could not conquer him. It was great sin for those who had left all to follow Jesus; now to leave his for they knew not what. What folly, for fear of death to flee from Him whom they knew and acknowledged to be the Fountain of life!
Greek Textus Receptus
ο 3588 T-NSM δε 1161 CONJ παραδιδους 3860 5723 V-PAP-NSM αυτον 846 P-ASM εδωκεν 1325 5656 V-AAI-3S αυτοις 846 P-DPM σημειον 4592 N-ASN λεγων 3004 5723 V-PAP-NSM ον 3739 R-ASM αν 302 PRT φιλησω 5368 5661 V-AAS-1S αυτος 846 P-NSM εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S κρατησατε 2902 5657 V-AAM-2P αυτον 846 P-ASM
Robertson's NT Word Studies
26:48 {Gave them a sign} (edwken autois semeion). Probably just before he reached the place, though Mark (#Mr 14:44) has "had given" (dedwkei) which certainly means before arrival at Gethsemane. At any rate Judas had given the leaders to understand that he would kiss (phils") Jesus in order to identify him for certain. The kiss was a common mode of greeting and Judas chose that sign and actually "kissed him fervently" (katephilsen, verse #49), though the compound verb sometimes in the papyri has lost its intensive force. Bruce thinks that Judas was prompted by the inconsistent motives of smouldering love and cowardice. At any rate this revolting ostentatious kiss is "the most terrible instance of the hekousia philmata echthrou (#Pr 27:6)," the profuse kisses of an enemy (McNeile). this same compound verb occurs in #Lu 7:38 of the sinful woman, in #Lu 15:20 of the Father's embrace of the Prodigal Son, and in #Ac 20:37 of the Ephesian elders and Paul.
