1Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came from God and was going to God, 4arose from supper, and laid aside his outer garments. He took a towel and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”
7Jesus answered him, “You don’t know what I am doing now, but you will understand later.”
8Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”
9Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”
10Jesus said to him, “Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11For he knew him who would betray him; therefore he said, “You are not all clean.” 12So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13You call me, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You say so correctly, for so I am. 14If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have given you an example, that you should also do as I have done to you. 16Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither is one who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18I don’t speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me.’ 19From now on, I tell you before it happens, that when it happens, you may believe that I am he. 20Most certainly I tell you, he who receives whomever I send, receives me; and he who receives me, receives him who sent me.”
21When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, “Most certainly I tell you that one of you will betray me.”
22The disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom he spoke. 23One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was at the table, leaning against Jesus’ breast. 24Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, and said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom he speaks.”
25He, leaning back, as he was, on Jesus’ breast, asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
26Jesus 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. 27After the piece of bread, then Satan entered into him.
Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”
28Now nobody at the table knew why he said this to him. 29For 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. 30Therefore having received that morsel, he went out immediately. It was night.
31When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him immediately. 33Little children, I will be with you a little while longer. You will seek me, and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you can’t come,’ so now I tell you. 34A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
36Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?”
Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you can’t follow now, but you will follow afterwards.”
37Peter said to him, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
38Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for me? Most certainly I tell you, the rooster won’t crow until you have denied me three times.
Perhaps one of the most infamous figures in the Bible, Judas Iscariot, is known as a thief and deceiver (John 12:6), betrayer (Luke 22:48), and someone possessed by Satan (John 13:2,27). There are two theories concerning his surname. The first is that it comes from the word “sicarii”, who were a group of Jewish assassins, who were bent on overthrowing Roman rule. Since scholars believe the sicarii arose in the 40’s or 50’s A.D., it is unlikely Judas was associated with them. The more likely explanation is that Judas was from Kerioth, the name of two towns in Judea.
Why Judas betrayed Jesus is not entirely clear, but it appears that he never fully understood, or accepted the mission of Christ. In fact, Jesus knew Judas would betray Him when He chose him, and seems to have intentionally chosen him to fulfill the prophecy that a close companion of Jesus would betray Him (John 13:18, c.f. Ps 41:9). The Bible also says that “the devil put in into the heart” of Judas to betray Jesus, and that “Satan entered” him. Judas’ one redeeming point may be that he had regret after he betrayed Jesus, so that he returned to the chief priests and said “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood” (Matt 27:1). His grief over the betrayal seems to have led him to commit suicide by hanging.
Some see a discrepancy in the money that Judas was paid to betray Jesus. Matthew records that it was thrown into the temple and the chief priests used it to buy a potter’s field where foreigners could be buried (27:6-8). However, Acts 1:18-19 says that Judas bought the land. This is explained in that the law forbade using ‘blood money’ to purchase sacred things. The money still belonged to Judas, but the priests spent it for him.[1]
The means of death also confuse some. Matthew 27:5 records that Judas hung himself. Acts 1:18 says “falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out.” The place of the potter’s field is a hillside, marked by small cliffs with tombs cut into them. It is likely Judas hung himself on a tree near one of these cliffs, and that the rope or branch broke, either at the time of the hanging or after his death.
Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus, 575.