ACC ~ Luke 22 v21 - 23

THE UNHOLY COMMUNION OF JUDAS

AUGUSTINE: Some who read carelessly ask if Judas received Christ’s body. Understand that the Lord had already distributed the sacrament of his body and blood to all of them when Judas himself also was there, as holy Luke most clearly tells us. After that came this event where, according to John’s narrative, the Lord most openly exposes his traitor through the morsel dipped and offered, perhaps signifying through the dipping of the bread that man’s pretense. Not everything that is dipped is washed, but some are dipped to be dyed. If the dipping here signifies something good, then damnation rightly followed the one ungrateful for this good.

When the bread entered the stomach, the enemy entered the mind of the ungrateful man. Judas was not possessed by the Lord but by the devil. The full effect of so great an evil already conceived in the heart still awaited completion; the damnable intention to do it had already been effected. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 62.3-4. [1]

[1] FC 90:38-39**.

JUDAS SEPARATED FROM THE APOSTLES

EPHREM THE SYRIAN: It is certain that when the Lord gave the bread to his disciples, he gave them the mystery of his body. One must also then believe that when he gave the bread to his murderer, he gave it to him as the mystery of his murdered body. He dipped it to reveal the total participation of Judas in his death, [1] for his body was destined to be dipped in his blood. He may also have dipped it to give the testament with him. He moistened it and then gave it to him. He moistened it first because it had been prepared for the testament that was to follow.

Judas’ greed judged and separated him from the perfect members of the Lord, as the Life-giver showed in his gentle teaching. [2] Judas was not a member of the body of his church. He was only the dust that stuck to the feet of the disciples. [3] On the night when the Lord judged and separated him from the others, he washed the mud from their feet to teach them. He taught them that he washed Judas from the feet of the disciples with water, like manure suitable for burning. Judas was considered as the feet of the body, since he was the last of the twelve apostles. Likewise, the Lord separated Judas from the apostles by means of the water when he dipped the bread in the water and gave it to him. Judas was not worthy of the bread which, together with the wine, was given to the Twelve. It would not have been permissible for the very one who was going to hand the Lord over to death to receive that which would save him from death. COMMENTARY ON TATIAN’S DIATESSARON 19.3. [4]

[1] Jn 13:26.

[2] See Jn 6:70; 13:18-19, 21-30.

[3] See Mt 10:14.

[4] ECTD 284**.