Lecture 1
Lectio 1
Betrayal of Jesus
Traditio Jesu
18:1 When Jesus had said these things, he went out with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where there was a garden, into which he entered with his disciples. [n. 2272]
18:1 Haec cum dixisset Iesus, egressus est cum discipulis suis trans torrentem Cedron, ubi erat hortus, in quem introivit ipse et discipuli eius. [n. 2272]
18:2 And Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place; because Jesus had often gone there, together with his disciples. [n. 2276]
18:2 Sciebat autem et Iudas, qui tradebat eum, locum: quia frequenter Iesus convenerat illuc cum discipulis suis. [n. 2276]
18:3 Judas therefore having received a band of soldiers and servants from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. [n. 2278]
18:3 Iudas ergo cum accepisset cohortem, et a Pontificibus et Pharisaeis ministros, venit illuc cum lanternis, et facibus, et armis. [n. 2278]
18:4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would befall him, came forward and said to them: whom do you seek? [n. 2280]
18:4 Iesus itaque sciens omnia quae ventura erant super eum, processit, et dixit eis: quem quaeritis? [n. 2280]
18:5 They answered him: Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them: I am he. And Judas, who betrayed him, also stood with them. [n. 2280]
18:5 Responderunt ei, Iesum Nazarenum. Dixit eis Iesus: ego sum. Stabat autem et Iudas, qui tradebat eum, cum ipsis. [n. 2280]
18:6 As soon therefore as he had said to them: I am he; they went backward, and fell to the ground. [n. 2282]
18:6 Ut ergo dixit eis, ego sum, abierunt retrorsum, et ceciderunt in terram. [n. 2282]
18:7 Again therefore he asked them: whom do you seek? And they said: Jesus of Nazareth. [n. 2283]
18:7 Iterum ergo interrogavit eos, quem quaeritis? Illi autem dixerunt: Iesum Nazarenum. [n. 2283]
18:8 Jesus answered: I have told you that I am he. If therefore you seek me, let these ones go. [n. 2283]
18:8 Respondit Iesus: dixi vobis, quia ego sum. Si ergo me quaeritis, sinite hos abire: [n. 2283]
18:9 That the word might be fulfilled which he said: of those whom you have given me, I have not lost one. [n. 2284]
18:9 ut impleretur sermo quem dixit: quia quos dedisti mihi, non perdidi ex eis quemquam. [n. 2284]
2271. Before his passion, as we saw above, our Lord prepared his disciples in many ways: teaching them by his example, comforting them with his words, and aiding them by his prayers. Now the Evangelist begins the history of the passion:
2271. Supra, ante passionem, Dominus praeparavit discipulos suos, multipliciter informando exemplis, confortando verbis, et promovendo suffragiis; hic Evangelista accedit ad narrandum eius passionem, et
first, he sets forth the mystery of the passion;
primo proponit mysterium passionis;
second, the glory of the resurrection: and on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalen came early (John 20:1).
secundo gloriam resurrectionis, XX cap. ibi una autem sabbati etc.
Christ’s passion was effected partly by the Jews, and partly by the gentiles.
Passio autem Christi partim completa est per Iudaeos, partim per gentiles.
Thus, he first describes what Christ suffered from the Jews;
Primo ergo describit passionem Christi quantum ad ea quae passus est per Iudaeos;
second, what he suffered from the gentiles: then therefore, Pilate took Jesus, and scourged him (John 19:1).
secundo quantum ad ea quae passus est per gentiles, XIX cap., ibi tunc apprehendit Pilatus etc.
He does three things regarding the first:
Circa primum tria facit.
he shows how our Lord was betrayed by a disciple;
Primo ostendit quomodo a discipulo Dominus traditur;
second, how he was brought before the high priests: then the band and the tribune, and the servants of the Jews, took Jesus, and bound him (John 18:12);
secundo quomodo a ministris principibus praesentatur, ibi cohors ergo, et tribunus, et ministri Iudaeorum comprehenderunt Iesum;
and third, how he was accused before Pilate: then they led Jesus from Caiphas to the governor’s hall (John 18:28).
tertio quomodo a principibus apud praesidem accusatur, ibi adducunt ergo Iesum etc.
In regard to Christ’s betrayal, the Evangelist mentions three things:
Circa proditionem discipuli tria tangit Evangelista.
first, the place;
Primo quidem locum;
second, the procedure, at Judas therefore having received a band of soldiers and servants . . . went there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
secundo apparatum, ibi Iudas ergo cum accepisset cohortem . . . venit illuc cum lanternis etc.;
and third, the willingness of Christ to submit to the betrayal, Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would befall him, went forth, and said to them: whom do you seek?
tertio promptum Christi affectum ad proditionem sustinendam, ibi Iesus itaque sciens omnia quae ventura erant super eum, processit etc.
The place of the betrayal was shown to be appropriate in three ways: because it was outside the city, it was private and enclosed, and it was known to the traitor.
Locus autem ostenditur proditioni congruus ex tribus: quia a civitate remotus, in se occultus et conclusus, et proditori notus.
2272. The place of the betrayal was some distance from the city, and so Judas could more easily do what he intended. The Evangelist says, when Jesus had said these things, the words we have read above.
2272. Remotus quidem erat a civitate, unde facilius Iudas poterat facere quod intendebat: unde dicit haec cum dixisset, scilicet quae supra dicta sunt.
But since what Christ said belonged to his prayer, it would seem more appropriate for the Evangelist to say, when Jesus had prayed. The Evangelist put it the way he did to show that Christ did not pray because of any need of his own, since he was the one who, as man, prayed, and who, as God, heard the prayer. Rather, Christ prayed in order to teach us. Thus this prayer is described as spoken words.
Sed cum ea quae dixit, pertinerent ad Christi orationem, convenientius dixisset Evangelista: haec cum orasset. Sed hoc fecit Evangelista ut ostendat hanc orationem non propter sui necessitatem fecisse, quia ipse erat qui orabat ut homo, et exaudiebat ut Deus: sed hoc propter nostram instructionem. Unde erat quasi quaedam dictio.
2273. He went out with his disciples, but not immediately after this prayer, as Augustine notes. Other things happened, omitted by this Evangelist, but mentioned by the others. For example, there was an argument among the disciples about who was to be regarded as the greatest (Luke 22:24); before setting out he said to Peter: Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail (Luke 22:31); again, the disciples recited a hymn with the Lord, as Matthew (Matt 26:30) and Mark (Mark 14:26) report. And so we should not think that they went out immediately after the words of the previous chapter, but that Christ said these things before they went out.
2273. Egressus est cum discipulis suis, non quidem continuo, secundum Augustinum, post eius orationem, cum alia quaedam intervenerint narrata ab aliis Evangelistis, ab isto autem praetermissa, scilicet quod facta fuit contentio inter discipulos quis eorum videretur esse maior, Lc. XXII, 24. Interim etiam dixit Iesus Petro: ecce Satanas expetivit vos ut cribraret sicut triticum. Ego autem rogavi pro te, ut non deficiat fides tua: ut Lucas narrat ibid. 31. Dixerunt etiam discipuli hymnum cum Domino, ut narrant Matthaeus et Marcus. Si ergo non est intelligendum, quod cum hoc dixisset, statim egrederetur: sed quia non ante egressus est quam dixisset.
2274. It is said, he went out . . . over the brook Cedron.
2274. Egressus est, inquam, trans torrentem Cedron.
Matthew and Mark say that they went to the Mount of Olives, and then to a garden called Gethsemane. There is no conflict here, because all of them are referring to the same place, for the Cedron brook is at the foot of the Mount of Olives, where there was a garden called Gethsemane. In Greek, Kidron is genitive plural; and so in effect he is saying a brook of cedars. Perhaps there were many cedar trees planted there.
Sed Matthaeus et Marcus dicunt, quod exierunt in Montem Oliveti, et tunc venit cum illis in villam quae dicitur Gethsemani. In quo nulla est contrarietas, quod idem locus est quem Ioannes commemorat et Matthaeus: torrens enim Cedron est ad radices Montis Oliveti, ubi etiam est villa quae dicitur Gethsemani. Cedron autem in Graeco est genitivus pluralis; quasi dicat: trans torrentem cedrorum. Forte erant ibi multae cedri plantae.
It is fitting for this mystery that he crosses a brook, because the brook indicates his passion: he will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head (Ps 110:7). Again, it is fitting that he cross the Cedron brook, for Cedron is interpreted to mean an overshadowing, and by his passion Christ removed the shadow of sin and of the law, and stretching out his arms on the cross, he protected us under the shadow of his arms: hide me in the shadow of your wings (Ps 17:8).
Convenit autem mysterio quod torrentem transivit, quia per eum eius passio designatur; Ps. CIX, 7: de torrente in via bibet, propterea exaltavit caput. Convenit etiam quod trans torrentem Cedron. Cedron enim interpretatur obumbratio, et Christus sua passione abstulit umbram peccati et legis, et expansis manibus in cruce protexit nos sub umbra manus suae; Ps. XVI, 9: sub umbra alarum tuarum protege me.
2275. The place was especially suitable for the betrayal. He says, there was a garden, into which he entered with his disciples. This was especially suitable because Christ was satisfying for the sin of our first parent which had been committed in a garden (for paradise means a garden of delights). It was also suitable because by his passion he is leading us into another garden and paradise to receive a crown: today you will be with me in Paradise (Luke 23:43).
2275. Erat autem congruus locus proditioni: unde dicit ubi erat hortus, in quem introivit ipse, et discipuli eius. Et hoc convenienter, quia ipse satisfaciebat pro peccato primi hominis in horto commisso. Paradisus enim hortus deliciarum interpretatur. Item quia per passionem nos in hortum et paradisum coronandos introducit; Lc. XXIII, 43: hodie mecum eris in Paradiso.
2276. It was also an appropriate place because it was known to the traitor, and Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place; for Jesus had often gone there, together with his disciples, including Judas, who was like a wolf among sheep: have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? (John 6:71). This wolf in sheep’s clothing, who had been tolerated among the sheep according to the profound plan of the master, learned where he could scatter the small flock when the time came.
2276. Erat etiam congruus locus, quia proditori notus; unde dicit sciebat autem Iudas, qui tradebat eum, locum; et huius ratio est, quia frequenter Iesus venerat illuc cum discipulis suis, inter quos Iudas fuerat sicut lupus inter oves; supra VI, 71: nonne ego vos duodecim elegi, et ex vobis unus diabolus est? Lupus ovina pelle contectus, et inter oves alto patrisfamilias consilio toleratus, didicit ubi ad tempus exiguum ovium dispergeret gregem.
2277. Since Judas had left the supper a while before the others, how did he know that Christ would later be in the garden?
2277. Sed cum Iudas diu ante exierit a coena ut proditionem compleret, quaeritur quomodo scivit quod Christus illa hora egrederetur illuc?
Chrysostom says that it was Christ’s custom, especially at the major feasts, to bring his disciples there after supper and teach them the deeper meaning of the feasts, things that others were not ready to hear. And so, because this was an important feast, Judas surmised that Christ would be going there after supper. It was Christ’s custom to teach his disciples these sublime matters in the mountains or in private gardens, seeking places free from disturbance so they would not be distracted: I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her (Hos 2:14).
Ad quod dicendum, secundum Chrysostomum, quod consuetudo Christi erat, et praecipue in magnis festis, post coenam discipulos seorsum ducere, et aliqua sublimia de festo docere, quae non erat fas alios audire: et ideo quia tunc erat festum praecipuum, existimavit Iudas quod post coenam illuc exisset. Fecit autem hoc ut in montibus et in hortis sublimia doceret discipulos, maxime purum a tumultibus inquirens locum, ne eorum mens impediatur; Oseae II, 14: ducam eam in solitudinem, et loquar ad cor eius.