Punctuation Comparison:

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1611 AV

20 Now when the euen was come, he sate downe with the twelue. 21 And as they did eate, he said, Uerely I say vnto you, that one of you shal betray me. 22 And they were exceeding sorowfull, and began euery one of them to say vnto him, Lord, Is it I? 23 And he answered and said, Hee that dippeth his hand with mee in the dish, the same shall betray me. 24 The sonne of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe vnto that man by whom the sonne of man is betrayed: It had bin good for that man, if hee had not bene borne. 25 Then Iudas, which betrayed him, answered, and said, Master, Is it I? He said vnto him, Thou hast said.

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1769 KJV

20 Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. 21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? 23 And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. 24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. 25 Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

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Commentaries:

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***And as they were eating, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. — Why was this warning spoken? Did our Saviour, by this means and at so late an hour, try to stay the mad progress of Judas on his way to destruction? Was it to impel the heart-searching that immediately followed on the part of them all ? Was it to call attention to another notable prophecy about to be fulfilled? Psalms 41:9 prophesied, "Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, Who did eat of my bread, Hath lifted up his heel against me." Judas was pinpointed by that prophecy. He was Jesus' friend, even an apostle; he was trusted, even carrying the bag-[(i.e. the money bag)]; he ate of his bread. Characteristically, Christ expanded and extended the prophecy in more detail, noting in the following conversation that it would be one "who dipped his hand" in the dish with Jesus (Matthew 26:23). Of the Twelve, only one man carried the bag and sat next to Jesus at the table. The argument that Judas was predestined to the tragic role he played and that he was, therefore, not to blame for his conduct, is false. It was by choice, and by transgression, that Judas fell. God's foreknowledge of it did not require him to commit such a sin. God's knowledge of man's sin (past tense) does not make guilt any less; and, in the same way, God's knowledge of man's sin (future tense) does not mitigate or extenuate it. Judas was not a devil from the beginning; at first he was a noble apostle, receiving from Christ the same commission as the others to heal the sick and cast out demons (see note on Matthew 10:8).-(Coffman Commentaries). SL

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***One of you shall betray me. — Or, will deliver me up. Judas had already betrayed him, Matthew 26:15, and he was now about to deliver him into the hands of the chief priests, according to the agreement he had made with them.-(Clarke's Commentary). SL

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***And as they did eat he said One of you shall betray me He-[(Jesus)] had before told them, namely, Matthew 17:22, that the Son of man should be betrayed; he now comes to acquaint them, that one of them would be the traitor, and to point out the guilty person. And they were exceeding sorrowful They were sorrowful that he should be betrayed by any one, but more so that one of themselves should be the instrument of so horrible a crime.-(Benson's Commentary). SL

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***One of you; εϊς ἐξ ὑμῶν. One out of your number, my chosen companions. He had before spoken vaguely of his betrayal (see Matthew 17:22; Matthew 20:18; Matthew 26:2). By thus showing his knowledge of the coming treachery, and yet declining to denounce the traitor by name, he may have given Judas a last chance of repentance before the final act.-(Pulpit Commentary). BH

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***They were exceeding sorrowful -John says John 13:22 "they looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake" - that is, they anxiously looked one at another, conscious each one, except Judas, of no such intention, and each one beginning to examine himself to find whether he was the person intended. This showed their innocence, and their attachment to Jesus. It showed how sensitive they were to the least suspicion of the kind. It showed that they were willing to know themselves, thus evincing the spirit of the true Christian. Judas only was silent, and was the last to make the inquiry, and that after he had been plainly pointed out Matthew 26:25, thus showing: 1. that guilt is slow to suspect itself; 2. that it shrinks from the light; 3. that it was his purpose to conceal his intention; and, 4. that nothing but the consciousness that his Lord knew his design could induce him to make inquiry.-(Barnes' Notes on the Bible). BH

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***He that dippeth his hand with me.—Better, he that dipped, as of an act just passed.-(Ellicott's Commentary). BH

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***He that dippeth his hand —As Judas is represented as dipping in the same dish with Christ, it shows that he was either near or opposite to him.-(Clarke's Commentary). SL

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***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. —This was possibly a last-minute effort on the part of Christ to arouse in Judas some desire of repentance. Christ had already indicated to Judas that his treachery was known; and if Judas, convicted of sin, had only confessed it and asked Jesus' forgiveness, he could have been spared participation in the actual delivery of Christ to his foes. The Son of man goeth ... "probably means `goeth his way to death.' The word sometimes has the sense of `going back' or `going home,' and that idea may well be included here."[10] Thus Plummer viewed the passage. Regarding the sin of Judas, the same author wrote: These counsels did not necessitate the sin of Judas; they would have been fulfilled if he had remained faithful. Of his own free will, he helped to carry them out in a particular manner, and for this he is responsible and stands justly condemned.[11]-(Coffman Commentaries). SL

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***It had been good ... - If it be asked how this crime of Judas could be so great, or could be a crime at all, when it was determined beforehand that the Saviour should be betrayed and die in this manner, it may be answered:

1. That the crime was what it was “in itself,” apart from any determination of God. It was a violation of all the duties he-

[(Judas)] owed to God and to the Lord Jesus - awful ingratitude, detestable covetousness, and most base treachery. As such it deserved to be punished.

2. The previous purpose of God-[(i.e. God's determinate counsel)] did not force Judas to do this. In it he-[(Judas)] acted freely. He did just what his wicked heart prompted him to do.

3. A previous knowledge of a thing, or a previous purpose to permit a thing, does not alter its “nature,” or cause it to be a different thing from what it is.

4. God, who is the best judge of the nature of crime, holds all that was done in crucifying the Saviour, though it was by his determinate counsel and foreknowledge, “to be by wicked hands,” Acts 2:23. This punishment of Judas proves, also, that sinners cannot take shelter for their sins in the decrees of God, or plead them as an excuse. God will punish crimes for what they “are in themselves.” His own deep and inscrutable purposes in regard to human actions will not change “the nature” of those actions, or screen-[(Or, shield)] the sinner from the punishment which he deserves.-(Barnes' Notes on the Bible). BH

***And Judas who betrayed him answered and said, Is it I, Rabbi? He saith unto him, Thou hast said. To make certain that the identification was complete, Christ announced that to whomsoever he should give the sop-[( def. a fragment, bit, morsel)], the same it was who should betray him. He then gave the sop to Judas (see John 13:23-30). Judas was admonished, "That thou doest, do quickly" (John 13:27,/28). "Straightway" after receiving the sop, Judas departed from the company.-(Coffman Commentaries). SL

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***Judas - said, Master, is it I? — What excessive impudence! He knew, in his conscience, that he had already betrayed his Master, and was waiting now for the servants of the chief priests, that he might deliver him into their hands; and yet he says, (hoping that he had transacted his business so privately that it had not yet transpired,) Master, is it I? It is worthy of remark, that each of the other disciples said κυριε, LORD, is it I? But Judas dares not, or will not, use this august title, but simply says ραββι, TEACHER, is it I?-(Clarke's Commentary). SL

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***answered and said, Master, is it I? — Who though he knew what he had been doing, and what he further resolved to do, and was conscious to himself he was the man; nay, though he had been pointed out as the person, and the most dreadful woe denounced on him, that should be the betrayer, in his hearing; yet all this did not at all affect his marble heart; but in the most audacious manner, and without any concern of mind, or show of guilt, asks if he was the person; suggesting, that surely he could, not mean him....he said unto him, thou hast said: that is, it is as thou hast said; thou hast said right, thou art the man; a way of speaking used, when what is asked is assented to as truth: thus it being.-(Gill's Exposition). BH

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