John 13:26

Jesus identified Judas as the betrayer to John. The morsel or piece of bread (Gr. psomion) was probably a piece of unleavened bread that Jesus had dipped into the bowl of paschal stew. Passover participants normally did this early in the meal. The host would sometimes do this and pass a morsel of bread and meat to an honored guest. Jesus did this to Judas. He would then hand each person present a morsel. [Note: Edersheim, 2:506.]

Judas must have sat near enough to Jesus for Jesus to do this conveniently (cf. Matthew 26:25). Possibly Judas reclined to Jesus’ immediate left. If he did, this would have put him in the place of the honored guest, immediately to the host’s left. [Note: See ibid., 2:493-95, for a description and a diagram of the probable seating arrangement.]

Perhaps it was the apparently high honor that Jesus bestowed on Judas by extending the morsel to him first that counteracted what Jesus had just said to John about the betrayer. Could Jesus really mean that the disciple who was the guest of honor would betray Him? This apparent contradiction may explain John’s lack of response to Jesus’ words to him about the betrayer.

Jesus’ act of friendship to Judas triggered Judas’ betrayal of Jesus’ friendship. [Note: Blum, p. 321.] This was Jesus’ final gesture of supreme love for Judas (cf. John 13:1).

Only Matthew recorded Judas’ hypocritical question, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" and Jesus’ reply, "You have said it yourself" (Matthew 26:25).