Why Jesus Was Identified by a Kiss in the Garden
Judas Iscariot identified Jesus to the arresting crowd with a kiss in the Garden of Gethsemane because the location was dark, and Jesus was not widely known by sight to those sent to seize him [3]. This act is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke [2, 3].
The setting for this identification was the Garden of Gethsemane, a place Jesus frequently visited with his disciples [4, 6]. Judas, having been one of Jesus's inner circle, was intimately familiar with this location [5, 6]. This knowledge allowed Judas to lead the arresting party directly to Jesus, even though Jesus had just supped in the city and might have been expected to lodge in Bethany [4]. The fact that Jesus went to this familiar spot, rather than avoiding it, suggests his willingness to lay down his life, as no one could take it from him unless he allowed it [6]. Jesus, being omniscient, was aware of all the events that were to transpire, including his betrayal by Judas [8].
The kiss itself was a common form of greeting in that culture [3]. Examples of a kiss as a greeting can be found in the Old Testament, such as when Jacob kissed Isaac [1], and in other New Testament passages [3]. By using a kiss, Judas employed a gesture of affection and respect to single out Jesus from his disciples [3]. Matthew Henry notes that Jesus's response to Judas, "friend, wherefore art thou come?" (Matthew 26:49), carried a cutting implication, as Judas was pretending to be a friend while acting as a betrayer [7].
The need for such a sign arose because Gethsemane was dark, and many in the crowd sent to apprehend Jesus would not have recognized him personally [3]. John's Gospel indicates that Jesus was personally unknown to most of the crowd [3]. Therefore, Judas's prearranged signal—a kiss—served as a clear identifier for the arresting party [3].
Sources
- Genesis “He came near, and kissed him. He smelled the smell of his clothing, and blessed him, and said, “Behold, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which Yahweh has blessed. -- Genesis 27:27”
- Luke “While he was still speaking, behold, a multitude, and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He came near to Jesus to kiss him. -- Luke 22:47”
- Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 14:44: 14:44-45 Gethsemane was dark, and Jesus was personally unknown to most of the crowd sent to seize him (see John 18:7-8), so Judas had given a sign by which he would identify Jesus. Judas addressed Jesus as Rabbi and greeted him with a kiss, a common form of greeting (1 Sam 10:1; 2 Sam 19:39; Luke 7:45).”
- John (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on John 18:2: Judas - knew the place - As many had come from different quarters to celebrate the passover at Jerusalem, it could not be an easy matter to find lodging in the city: Jesus therefore chose to pass the night in the garden with his disciples which, from this verse, and from Luk 22:39, we find was his frequent custom, though he often lodged in Bethany. But, as he had supped in the city this evening, Judas took it for granted that he had not gone to Bethany, and therefore was to be met with in the garden; and, having given this information to the priests, they gave him som”
- John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 18:2: And Judas also which betrayed him, knew the place,.... This character is given of Judas, to distinguish him from another disciple of the same name; and though as yet he had not betrayed him, yet it was determined he should, and Christ knew it, and he was now about to do it: and it is observed, that Judas was as well acquainted with the place of Christ's resort, and knew the garden he frequently retired to, as the rest of the disciples; to show that Christ did not go there to hide and secure himself from him, but to meet him, and that he might have an opportunity of find”
- John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 18:2: Judas . . . knew the place, for Jesus ofttimes--see Joh 8:1; Luk 21:37. resorted thither with his disciples--The baseness of this abuse of knowledge in Judas, derived from admission to the closest privacies of his Master, is most touchingly conveyed here, though nothing beyond bare narrative is expressed. Jesus, however, knowing that in this spot Judas would expect to find Him, instead of avoiding it, hies Him thither, as a Lamb to the slaughter. "No man taketh My life from Me, but I lay it down of Myself" (Joh 10:18). Besides, the scene which was to f”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 26:49: And Jesus said unto him, friend,.... Not in an ironical and sarcastic way, but because he pretended to be his friend, by saluting and kissing him, in the manner he had done; or rather, because Christ had always used him as his friend, his familiar friend, who had been of his councils, and had ate at his table; and therefore this carried in it something very cutting, had Judas had any conscience, or sense of gratitude: wherefore art thou come? The Ethiopic version reads, "my friend, art thou not come?" that is, art thou come as my friend? is thy coming as a friend,”
- John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 18:4: Jesus therefore knowing all things,.... As being the omniscient God, so his knowledge reaches to all persons and things, without any limitation, and restriction; though here it has a regard to all the things, that should come upon him; even all the sufferings he should endure, which were all determined by God; agreed to by him, in the covenant of grace; predicted in the Old Testament, and foretold by himself: he knew all the circumstances that would attend his sufferings, as that he should be betrayed by Judas; be forsaken by the rest of his disciples; that the Jews w”