“But there appears no sufficient reason for supposing that any of the expressions hitherto quoted was calculated, or was intended, to identify the traitor, at least in the eyes of his fellow-Apostles.[93] Thus, then, there is no difficulty in supposing that they may have been spoken by our Lord at even an early period of the supper.”
“The incident recorded by St. John (xiii. 21, 30) is of an essentially different character. There our Lord, after announcing in general terms, ‘Unus ex vobis tradet me,’ is appealed to by St. John, at the instance of St. Peter, to declare who the traitor may be. The request of the beloved disciple is promptly met by the response, ‘Ille est, cui ego intinctum panem porrexero;’ and the traitor is immediately pointed out by the signal thus selected by our Lord: ‘Et [pg 241] quum intinxisset panem, dedit Judae Simonis Iscariotae.’ ”[94]
| 22. Aspiciebant ergo ad invicem discipuli, haesitantes de quo diceret. | 22. The disciples therefore looked one upon another, doubting of whom he spoke. |
22. The disciples therefore looked (rather, were looking, as in the original and Vulgate) one upon another, doubting of whom he spoke. The words vividly recall the actual scene. Strange as the prediction was, no one doubted its fulfilment; they merely doubted of whom He spoke. We say of whom He spoke, for though the original might mean, of what He spoke, Peter's question immediately afterwards: “Who is it of whom he speaketh?” (v. 24), shows that their doubt regarded merely which of them was to betray Him. Earlier in the night, when He first referred to the betrayal, they may perhaps have doubted even what He meant; but that stage was now passed, and the only doubt remaining was as to which of their number was to play the part of traitor.
| 23. Erat ergo recumbens unus ex discipulis eius in sinu Iesu, quem diligebat Iesus. | 23. Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples whom Jesus loved. |
23. Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom. Rather: “Now there was reclining at the table in (ἀνακείμενος ... ἐν) Jesus' bosom.” Instead of sitting at table, as we do now, the Jews of our Lord's time, and for some time before and after, reclined. The guests lay resting on their left arm, stretched obliquely, their feet being behind them, instead of under the table, as with us. In this way a guest was reclining close to the bosom of the guest behind him, and such was the position that St. John occupied in reference to Christ on this occasion. When three reclined on the same couch, the centre was the place of honour.
One of his disciples whom Jesus loved. This, according to all antiquity, was our Evangelist himself. The title, which occurs here for the first time, is perhaps suggested by the recollection of the privileged position he occupied at the Last Supper. It occurs again, [xix. 26]; xxi. [7], [20]. Comp. also [xx. 2].
| 24. Innuit ergo huic Simon Petrus, et dixit ei: Quis est, de quo dicit? | 24. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, and said to him: Who is it of whom he speaketh? |
24. The best-supported Greek reading agrees substantially with the Vulgate: “Simon Peter therefore beckoneth to him, and saith unto him, Tell who it is of [pg 242] whom he speaketh.” According to this reading, St. John was not asked to inquire of Jesus who the traitor was, but St. Peter takes for granted that St. John had already learned from Jesus, and simply asks the beloved disciple to make it known to them all. In the other and less probable reading, St. John is asked to inquire (πυθέσθαι) who the traitor is. It might seem more in accordance with St. Peter's character, that he should directly ask our Lord to point out the traitor, but it is possible that Christ's threat, recorded in verse 8, may have made him less confident than usual.
| 25. Itaque cum recubuisset ille supra pectus Iesu, dicit ei: Domine quis est! | 25. He therefore leaning on the breast of Jesus saith to him: Lord, who is it? |