Conversation about the betrayal of Judas

The conversation was delivered on the outskirts of Antioch by Daphne, and due to some features of the syllable, some researchers attribute it to dubia. – It briefly outlines the story of Judas’ betrayal, about which see more detailed conversations above. Now Daphne 1 is pleasant and God-loving, not only because she exudes the most transparent streams and nourishes the most beautiful tree branches, but also because she contains within herself an extraordinary plant - the cross; Now here is truly a source of chastity, terrible for the Pythian demon. She no longer spreads out her plain for the feet of wicked people, but for you, the pious, she offers her grove, a semblance of that desired place, that garden in which the daring betrayal of the Savior took place and the work of our salvation was planted. But I don’t know what to talk about at this triumph: triumph raises my tongue to accuse Judas, and the Savior’s love for mankind turns my lips to itself. And I am embraced by both: both hatred of the traitor and love for the Lord; but love, being greater and stronger, overcomes hatred. Therefore, leaving the traitor, I will glorify the Benefactor, I will glorify not as much as He deserves, but as much as I can. How did He bow down to heaven and come down to earth? How did He who fills the whole world come to me, becoming like me for my sake? How did He choose as His disciple one whom He knew would be His traitor, and commanded the enemy to follow Him as a friend? How was He not embarrassed by betrayal, but cared about saving the traitor? “When evening came,” says the evangelist, “Jesus lay down with the twelve disciples; and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I say to you, one of you will betray Me” (Matthew 26:20–21). He predicted betrayal to prevent this lawlessness; but in the prediction he did not point out the face of the traitor, so as not to publicize the iniquity of the disciple, which was not yet known to those around him. Has anyone seen the Lord's love for mankind? He betrays and loves the traitor. Who, feeling contempt, has mercy on the despiser? Who, being sold, makes the evil seller part of his meal? Who spares the plotter? “And to those who eat he said, Amen, I say to you, for only one of you will betray me” (Matthew 26:21). As a man, He ate food, and as God, He announced the future; He does what is inherent in my nature for my sake. When all the disciples were amazed at these words, and severely examined their consciences, and the time of supper turned around for them during the time of tribulation, when each of them said: “Is it not I, Lord?” (Matthew 26:22), wanting to remove bad suspicion from himself with such a question, then the Savior, healing the souls of those untimely struck, reveals with His answer the one who was hitherto unknown. “He who puts his hand into the dish with Me,” He says, “will betray Me; However, the Son of Man comes, as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed: it would have been better for this man not to have been born” (Matthew 26:23-24). He pities the one who did not want to pity himself; spares the one who did not spare his own soul; I did not want to expose the one who had already exposed himself long ago, in order to give him time for repentance and to save the other disciples from grief; but all this did not make the traitor any better. He should have immediately gotten up from the table after these terrible words, he should have asked his fellow disciples to intercede for himself, he should have embraced the knees of the Savior and propitiated Him with these words: I have sinned, O lover of mankind, I have sinned, I have committed iniquity by selling an invaluable pearl to people for a small price, I have committed iniquity by exchanging inexhaustible wealth for small money; forgive me, who bought myself harm and destruction; forgive me, from whom gold stole my mind; forgive me, I was maliciously deceived by the Pharisees. But he didn’t say or think anything like that, but with a bold question he revealed the shamelessness of his soul, saying: “Isn’t it me, Rabbi?” (Matthew 26:25). O shameless tongue! O unfeeling soul! As if not knowing, he asks about what he himself is up to, and thinks about hiding from the watchful eye. In his soul he carried deceit, and with his tongue he uttered the word of ignorance; in his mind he committed betrayal, and with his lips, as he thought, he covered up his sin; he used the same expressions as other students, but did not have the same character as them; being a wolf at heart, he spoke with the voice of sheep. What does a Savior mean to him? “You said,” He answered. With a magnanimous answer He completely exposed the hypocrisy of the wicked. Christ could have said to him: what are you saying, shameless and crafty? What are you saying, slave of money and true accomplice of the devil? Do you dare feign ignorance? Do you dare to hide something that cannot be hidden? Was I not present as a Divine at your crime? Did I not see with the eye of the Divine how you came to the high priests? Didn’t I, even when I was absent, hear you say: “Whatever you give me, I will deliver Him to you” (Matthew 26:15)? Don't I know how much you sold Me for? So what? And after reproof you remain so shameless? Why are you trying to hide what you intend to do? Everything is open before Me. This is how Christ could have answered, but He did not answer like that, but simply, kindly and meekly said: You are advertising, teaching us to do the same with our enemies. However, even after such treatment, Judas remained sick, not due to the negligence of the doctor, but due to the negligence of the patient himself. The first brought all the means for salvation, and the last did not want to accept them, but, giving himself over to the love of money, he loved gold more than Christ; and remained betrayed and faithful to those who bribed him. Judas approached and said to Christ: “Rejoice, Rabbi! And he kissed Him” (Matthew 26:49). This method of betrayal, performed through kissing and greeting, is unusual. “Jesus said to him, Friend, why have you come?” (Matthew 26:50). Why do you command Me to rejoice, intending to upset Me? Why do you flatter with words and wound with deeds? Why do you call Me teacher, having ceased to be a student? Why do you abuse the rights of love? Why are you making a sign of peace as a sign of betrayal? Who do you imitate in this matter? Have you seen a harlot kiss my feet like that recently? Did you ever see the centurion kneel before Me like that? Have you seen demons prostrate themselves before Me like this? I know who showed you the path of an insidious kiss: the devil inspired such embraces in you, and you, obeying the evil adviser, fulfill his will; “friend, why have you come?” Fulfill the vile terms you made with the Pharisees; staple the sales document; sign what is written in your words; betray the One who himself desires to be betrayed; In addition to the reliquary, acquire also a purse of untruth; give way to a robber who, for his confession, will receive the title that you deprived yourself of by betrayal. “Then they came and laid their hands on Jesus and took Him” (Matthew 26:50). And the prophetic saying was fulfilled: “They surrounded me like bees on a honeycomb, they burned up 2 like fire among thorns” (Ps. 117:12); and again: “many... dogs surrounded me, fat bulls surrounded me” (Ps. 21:17, 13). Oh, kindness, characteristic only of the Lord! In heaven, the cherubim and seraphim, not daring to look at His excessive glory, cover their faces with wings, as if with hands; and on earth, when the hands of the wicked held His flesh, He endured. Do you see how long-suffering and philanthropic the Lord you have become slaves? Be to your enemies, to servants like you, just as you see the Lord was to His enemies. And you will be called to a spiritual supper; and you will recline together with the Master: let no one among you turn out to be like Judas; Let us all approach in silence and in peace; Let us all resort to the Savior with a clear conscience. He is the fasting and feast of the faithful, He is the nourisher and food, He is the shepherd and the lamb. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen. Transl. Prof. Yungerova. To the synod. lane “faded away” – I.I. The conversation is attributed to Chrysostom. There is no information about the time of utterance. You might be interested in: