Matthew 26:48

Matthew 26:48 Meaning and Explanation

Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.

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Judas has arranged a signal: the man I kiss is he; seize him.

What Does Matthew 26:48 Mean?

An arrest in a dark grove needed certainty, so Judas supplies a sign: Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he. A kiss was the greeting of disciple to teacher, of friend to friend -- warmth itself, chosen as the instrument of capture.

Of all the signals he could have chosen, Judas chose affection. Treachery borrows the language of love, and the corruption of the best thing is the worst thing. The scene asks every reader a quiet question: do my gestures of devotion match my heart?

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What does Matthew 26:48 mean?

Judas has arranged a signal: the man I kiss is he; seize him.

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