And It Was Night
21 When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, “Most certainly I tell you that one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was at the table, leaning against Jesus’ chest. 24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, and said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom he speaks.” 25 He, leaning back, as he was, on Jesus’ chest, asked him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus therefore answered, “It is he to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 After the piece of bread, then Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 28 Now nobody at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus said to him, “Buy what things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 Therefore having received that morsel, he went out immediately. It was night.
He names the betrayer by handing him the best piece of food at the table, and nobody notices.
When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, “Most certainly I tell you that one of you will betray me.”
The distress is recorded, which this book does at every approach to the cross John 11:33 John 12:27. He is not numb to it.
The disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom he spoke.
The most telling detail in the scene. Judas has been managing the money, has already been to the priests, and is sitting there — and nobody suspects him. Whatever he had been for three years, it was convincing.
One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was at the table, leaning against Jesus’ chest.
The unnamed disciple appears here for the first time. Guests reclined on their left side, so the man to his right would have his head near his chest — the place of the honored guest.
And the phrase is the prologue's. The only Son is described as in the bosom of the Father John 1:18, and now the writer puts himself in the same posture toward the Son. It is the most personal thing he ever says about himself, and he does it without giving his name.
Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, and said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom he speaks.”
Peter cannot reach and signals across the table, which is the sort of thing only somebody in the room would remember.
Jesus therefore answered, “It is he to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
The sign given is not an accusation. Dipping a morsel and handing it to a guest was a gesture of particular favor, the host singling somebody out for honor — and it was very likely the reason nobody at the table understood what had just been said.
So the last thing Judas receives before he goes is a mark of friendship, offered in front of everyone, by the man he has already sold.
After the piece of bread, then Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”
The account has already said the devil had put the idea into his heart John 13:2, and this is a further stage. Nothing here makes him a victim; the book gives him thirty years of ordinary agency and a stolen money box John 12:6. What it describes is a door opened repeatedly and finally walked through.
"What you do, do quickly" John 13:27. The only instruction, and it is a release. The hour is his to choose, and he chooses now.
Now nobody at the table knew why he said this to him.
Still nobody. They assume he has been sent shopping or to give something to the poor — which tells you what Judas's ordinary errands looked like.
Therefore having received that morsel, he went out immediately. It was night.
Three words end the paragraph, and this Gospel has not used light and dark carelessly since its first page. It was factually night; the meal was after dark. And a man walks out of a lit room where his feet had just been washed, into it.
It is the last the book sees of him.
settled What this mark means