About the betrayal of Judas and the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I see the church gloomy, gloomily expressing betrayal on the part of its own son. A terrible thing: a murder is prepared, and the sufferer is the heavenly Judge of the living and the dead. But the most terrible thing is: suddenly the enemy and attacker is a recent disciple and follower, at once a sheep (becomes) a beast, an apostle - an apostate from the light, a dissenting slave - a seller of the Lord; it is (considered) the twelfth after the eleven disciples. And why not tell me the name, so as not to bring dishonor on all the apostles by concealing the culprit? “Then one of the twelve... went” (“Shed is one of the two”). Who? "Called Judas" ("Verbal Judas") (Matthew 26:14). And also, so that the innocent does not hide the guilty (since we find among the apostles another, called by the same name): “Judas Iscariot,” they say, “one of the twelve ... went” (“one went from two ten”). And not alone: ​​he had the devil with him as an assistant. Going to the bishops, he said: “What will you give me, and I will betray Him to you?” (“Give me whatever you want, and I will deliver it to you”) (Matthew 26:15). Tell me now, Judas, who offers to sell the Lord of the world and his teacher, what do you value the dignity of a student at? What compels you to betray your king? Why did you see the preference of the other fellow practitioners for you, that you conceived this lawless deed? After all, you know the voice of the Master that came to you and the eleven apostles: “Whoever wants to be first in you, be the last of all and the servant of all.” illness, did not carry out your deceit. If you were not greedy for money when you gave betrayal to the Jews, then one would think that you, having suffered something wrong, left to take revenge for injustice. But your words: “What will you give me, and I will betray Him to you?” (“Give me whatever you want, and I will betray it to you”), they clearly reveal you in your cunning. “They offered him thirty pieces of silver; and from that time he looked for an opportunity to betray Him" ​​("They set him thirty pieces of silver: and from then on he sought a convenient time, so that he would betray him") (Matthew 26:15-16). What are you doing, Judas: did you agree to pay thirty pieces of silver for a pearl of great price? First number the stars that He created only with a word, and then think about betraying the Word with a word. “I was looking for an opportunity to betray Him” (“If the time was convenient, let him be betrayed”). He created times and centuries, and against Him he sought a time convenient for his betrayal! “When evening came, He lay down with the twelve disciples; and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” “He went against Me and you, and what he learned he could not keep.” “They were greatly saddened, and began to say to Him, every one of them: Is it not I, Lord?” (“And sorrowfully began to say to him... each of them: I am food, Lord”) (Matthew 26:22). By saying this, He prompted everyone to an accurate examination of their conscience, whoever had what was hidden in their hearts was pure. Jesus responded by saying: “Why should you all slander yourselves with the enterprise of a traitor? “He who dips his hand in the dish with me will betray me” (“He who dips his hand in salt with me will betray me”) (Matthew 26:23). Involuntarily he points to himself, speaks ahead of action, although he does not want to; His name will be preserved by Me until he tells you his plan against Me.” “At this Judas, who betrayed Him, said: Isn’t it I, Rabbi? Jesus said to him: “You said” (“And Judas answered and betrayed him, saying: “I am food, rabbi?” The verb to him: “Thou art”) (Matthew 26:25). “You justified the eleven, showing them innocent of what you did. Accept other condemnation for what you think to do out of love of money.” “And while they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat: this is My body. And taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them and said: Take, drink from it all, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." not all: for this is my blood of the new testament, which was shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:26–28). “Take, drink everything from it” (“drink everything from it”). “And you,” he says, “are a traitor, be a participant in eternal life; and if you remain in it, then your agreement with the Jews is forgiven you; and if you do not destroy your desires in yourself, then always realize how kind of a humane Master you are selling.” But he, without taking advantage of the Lord’s mercy, went to to the Jews, he was in a hurry to carry out his intention. “And while He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a multitude of people with swords and staves, from the high priests and elders of the people. And He who betrayed Him gave a sign to them, saying: Whomever I kiss, he is the one, take Him.” from the bishops and the elders of men. Betray him, give them a sign, saying: If I despise him, take him.” (Matthew 26:47–48) “Pay attention to my lips; otherwise the Word cannot be betrayed.” “And immediately coming up to Jesus, he said: Rejoice, Rabbi! And he kissed Him." Oh, kiss! The destruction of peace in the universe, or, in truth, rather, the end of the world war, although you, Judas, dared to betray without striving for this goal! “Jesus said to him, Friend, why have you come?” ("Jesus said to him: Friend, have you come for this?") (Matthew 26:50). - You gave me a kiss; fulfill your agreement with those who are coming." “Then they came and laid their hands on Jesus, and took Him” (“Then they came close and laid their hands on Jesus, and ate him”) (Matthew 26:50). The traitor departed as a stranger from the apostles, and the ruler of life was brought to the Jews to die; the cross is prepared, and the tomb is built for life; the dead rise, and Judas goes to hell; The Savior crucifies himself with the thieves and calls everyone to paradise. To him be glory and power forever and ever. Creations attributed to St. John Chrysostom and in the Patrology of Min, classified as Spuria. You might be interested in: