It is a poignant reminder that Jesus’s grace extends even to those who harm Him by disloyalty and deception.
But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" (v.48). Jesus speaks these words in the Garden of Gethsemane, a secluded grove of olive trees located on the western slope of the Mount of Olives, just across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem. Jerusalem itself was a central city in first-century Judea—important as both the religious and social hub for the Jewish people, dating back to King David’s reign around 1000 BC. In this intense moment, Jesus addresses Judas—one of His twelve disciples—who had been hand-picked by the Lord several years prior, around AD 27-28, to follow Him and learn from His teachings. A once-confidant member of Jesus’s circle is now arriving under the cover of darkness, marking the Savior with a gesture of friendship while enabling the authorities to arrest Him.
But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" (v.48). The phrase “Son of Man” recalls many Messianic references in the Old Testament and in Jesus’s own words throughout the Gospels (Matthew 26:24). By asking "are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" Jesus reveals the deep irony and sorrow in the method of the betrayal: a kiss was typically associated with love or respect, yet here it is used to indicate the exact person the armed group should arrest. This act of duplicity stands in stark contrast to Jesus’s demonstration of sacrificial love, an act that would later be fully realized on the cross (John 19:17-18).
But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" (v.48). Historically, this night falls near the time of the Jewish Passover celebration, around AD 30-33, mere hours before Jesus’s crucifixion. Judas’s betrayal marks the culmination of a heart that turned away from trust and obedience to Christ. Even in this moment of great treachery, Jesus addresses Judas personally, forwarding the sense that the Lord still acknowledges him as a person, not merely a betrayer. This sorrowful interchange sets off a series of events leading to Jesus being taken into custody, tried, and ultimately crucified, fulfilling the redemption story that is central to the Bible (Luke 24:46-47).
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Luke 22:48 meaning
But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" (v.48). Jesus speaks these words in the Garden of Gethsemane, a secluded grove of olive trees located on the western slope of the Mount of Olives, just across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem. Jerusalem itself was a central city in first-century Judea—important as both the religious and social hub for the Jewish people, dating back to King David’s reign around 1000 BC. In this intense moment, Jesus addresses Judas—one of His twelve disciples—who had been hand-picked by the Lord several years prior, around AD 27-28, to follow Him and learn from His teachings. A once-confidant member of Jesus’s circle is now arriving under the cover of darkness, marking the Savior with a gesture of friendship while enabling the authorities to arrest Him.
But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" (v.48). The phrase “Son of Man” recalls many Messianic references in the Old Testament and in Jesus’s own words throughout the Gospels (Matthew 26:24). By asking "are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" Jesus reveals the deep irony and sorrow in the method of the betrayal: a kiss was typically associated with love or respect, yet here it is used to indicate the exact person the armed group should arrest. This act of duplicity stands in stark contrast to Jesus’s demonstration of sacrificial love, an act that would later be fully realized on the cross (John 19:17-18).
But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" (v.48). Historically, this night falls near the time of the Jewish Passover celebration, around AD 30-33, mere hours before Jesus’s crucifixion. Judas’s betrayal marks the culmination of a heart that turned away from trust and obedience to Christ. Even in this moment of great treachery, Jesus addresses Judas personally, forwarding the sense that the Lord still acknowledges him as a person, not merely a betrayer. This sorrowful interchange sets off a series of events leading to Jesus being taken into custody, tried, and ultimately crucified, fulfilling the redemption story that is central to the Bible (Luke 24:46-47).