Cornelius a Lapide

Judas answered ... Is it It Franc. Lucas thinks, with probability, that Judas asked this question after Christ had given him the morsel of bread. Now Judas asked this question out of impudence, to cover his wickedness ; and, as Jerome says, “ by boldness to lay a lying claim to a good conscience.” For he thought that Christ, out of gentleness, would not name His betrayer. As though he had said, “Surely it is not I, O Christ, who am Thy betrayer? I who have faithfully served Thee all these years ? Who have fed Thy family, and executed all Thy business?” THE THREEFOLD SUPPER. 173 Thou hast said. This is the modest Hebrew method of answering, by which they confirm what is asked As though Christ said, 11 It is not that I say it, and call thee traitor. It is thou thyself who in reality dost call thyself so because thou art, in truth, a traitor.” Whence S. Chrysostom extols the meekness of Christ, who, in just anger, did not say, “Thou wicked and sacrilegious wretch I thou ungrateful traitor!” but gently, Thou hast said. “Thus has He fixed for us the bounds and rules of forbearance and forgetfulness of injuries.”