Judas then, having received a band _of men_ and officers from the
chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches
and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come
upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered
him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am _he_. And Judas
also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had
said unto them, I am _he_, they went backward, and fell to the
ground.--Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying,
Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And
forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.
And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came
they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. And, behold, one of them
which were with Jesus stretched out _his_ hand, and drew his sword,
and struck a servant of the high priest's, and smote off his ear.
Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for
all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest
thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give
me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the
scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? In that same hour said
Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a thief with
swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in
the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. But all this was done, that
the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the
disciples forsook him, and fled.--_St. John xviii: 3-6; St. Matt,
xxvi: 48-56._
* * * * *
_NOTE BY THE ARTIST_
_Cunningly conceived indeed was that signal of the kiss; for in the
very act of betrayal, Judas thus covered his own treachery; and, had
the plot failed, it would even have appeared as if, when "all the
disciples forsook him and fled" Judas alone had courage, in the hour
of danger, to stand by and openly to acknowledge Jesus as his
Master_.