Chapter

Matthew 26:23

ESV He answered, "He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me.
NIV Jesus replied, "The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.
NASB And He answered, 'He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me.
CSB He replied, "The one who dipped his hand with me in the bowl—he will betray me.
NLT He replied, 'One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me.
KJV And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.
NKJV He answered and said, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me.

What does Matthew 26:23 mean?

While eating the Passover meal with His disciples, Jesus has announced that one of them will betray Him (Matthew 26:20–21). Matthew's readers know Judas has already pocketed money for turning Jesus over to the chief priests (Matthew 26:14–16). The other 11 disciples will learn many of these details after the fact (John 12:6), but do not know the information at this time. In sorrow and fear, they each ask Jesus if they will be the betrayer (Matthew 26:22).

Jesus' answer is both cryptic and heartbreaking. It was common to dip a piece of bread or a piece of meat inside bread into a bowl containing a mix of fruit, nuts, and vinegar. This would have helped to cut the bitterness of the "bitter herbs." Sharing a common bowl in this way was a picture of hospitality and fellowship. In saying this, Jesus made the point that the one who will betray Him had shared closeness and intimacy: one who should have been a true friend.

In truth, this is a non-answer, since every one of them at some point dipped their hand into the same dish Jesus has used. John specifies that Jesus handed a piece of bread directly to Judas (John 13:26), a detail likely missed in the instant it happened and only understood once the disciples recounted their memories to one another.
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