ACC ~ John 13 v26

JUDAS PARTAKES OF THE BREAD, BUT NOT OF THE BLESSINGS

EPHREM THE SYRIAN: All approached and drank from the cup, that is, only eleven of them. For when Jesus had given his bread indiscriminately to the eleven, Judas also approached to receive, just as his comrades who had approached and received. But Jesus dipped the bread in water and thus gave it to Judas. He washed the blessing from it and thereby marked off the offender. This is how the apostles recognized that it was he who would betray him. Jesus had dipped the bread and thus gave it to him so that its blessing might be removed from the bread. Thus Judas did not eat the blessed bread, nor did he drink from the cup of life. He grew angry that his bread had been dipped, for he knew that he was, then, not worthy of life. And the rage about this removed him from drinking from the cup of the blood of Jesus. He went out to the crucifiers and no longer saw the hallowed cup. Satan rushed to drive the Iscariot away from his comrades, so that he would not be a sharer with them of the living and life-giving sacrament. MEMRA FOR THE FIFTH DAY OF GREAT WEEK (HOLY THURSDAY), SERMON 4. [1]

[1] MFC 7:140-41.

JUDAS HAD ALREADY RECEIVED THE SACRAMENT EARLIER

AUGUSTINE: But it was not then, as some thoughtless readers suppose, that Judas received the body of Christ. For our Lord had already distributed the sacraments of his body and blood to all of them, while Judas was there, as Luke relates. [1] And it was after this that he dipped the bread, as John relates, and gave it to the traitor—the dipping of the bread perhaps intimating the false pretensions of the other. For the dipping of a thing does not always imply its washing. Some things are dipped in order to be dyed. If, however, this dipping meant anything good, he was as ungrateful for it and deserved the damnation that followed him. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 62.3. [2]

[1] Lk 22:19-21.

[2] NPNF 1 7:313**.

A REBUKE CALCULATED TO RESTORE

CHRYSOSTOM: Even the way he rebuked Judas was calculated to put him to shame. Judas did not respect the table, though he shared the bread. Be that as it may, who would not have been won over, however, by receiving the bread from Christ’s own hand? Yet it did not win Judas over. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 72.2. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:264**.