In the letter of Luke 22:47-48 “And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?” I know Judas had conspired with members of the Sanhedrin to deliver Jesus into their hands. I also know the agreement involved a kiss of betrayal. My question is this, “Why a kiss?” Judas could have stood in the shadows and pointed out the Lord. He could have given a detailed description. Mark tells us Jesus confronted those who would arrest him. Mark 14:49 “I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.” They knew who the Lord was and could easily recognize him. Inspite of all this Judas said, “Whomsoever I shall kiss,” (Mark 14:44) With all of this said, “Why a kiss?”
Joe
A. Luke 22:47 And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. 22:48 But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? The Hebrew people have been and are today folks who use symbolism in their daily activities Joe. Take for instance, the Jewish table and the etiquette used there. When you’re a guest at a feast or dinner at a Jewish home and you leave the supper table when you are finished with a meal, you wad up your napkin and throw it over your dish. This action tells the server that you are finished and won’t be returning. If you leave the table, but are going to return for more, you fold your napkin back up and then put it off to itself in the table setting. This tells the server you are returning and to not disturb/clean your place. Isn’t that a wonderful sign of the Lords return sir? John 20:3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. 20:4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. 20:5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 20:6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 20:7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 20:8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
The actions of the Lord Jesus at the Last Supper was full of this kind of symbolism. It has been suggested by some that because the Lord offered Judas the “sop” at the supper as a sign of love and an opportunity for him to repent, (John 13:26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 13:27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.) Judas in like manner used the sign (kiss) of love and friendship to condemn Jesus to death like the devil himself would do. Doesn’t the devil act like our friend and then stick a knife in our back if we let him close enough to us? In the same act Judas showed his true nature, being spiteful. He could of simply just pointed Jesus out from the crowd of soldiers, but instead it was sort of like he was rubbing it in with his kisses.