The Sign Of The Kiss

Qui autem tradidit eum, dedit eis signum, dicens: Quencumque osculatus fuero, ipse est tenete eum. Et confestim accedens ad Iesum dixit: Ave Rabbi. Et osculatus est eum. Dixitque illi Iesus: Amice, ad quid venisti? Hic ponitur traditoris signum: et tanguntur duo. Determinatio videlicet signi per verbum: et exhibitio per opus. De primo dicit Cum diabolus misisset in cor, ut traderet eum Judas Simonis filius Iscariothis. Et nota studium malitiae, et dolum. Studium in hoc quod signum dedit: dolum in hoc, quod non aperte videretur eum persequi, sed ex confidentia familiaritatis accedere ad osculum amoris. Homo apostata, vir inutilis, graditur ore perverso, annuit oculis, terit pede, digito loquitur, prano corde machinatur malo. Fraudulenti vasa pessima sunt. Ipse enim cogitationes concinnavit ad perdendos mites in sermone mendacii, cum loqueretur pauper iudicium. Sed quaeritur. Quare signum dabat de eo, qui omnibus continuo fuit manifestus? Et ad hoc Hierony, quod putabat signa, quae feceret Salvator, magicis esse facta artibus. Et quia in monte audierat tranfiguratum, timebat ne aliam faciem sibi sumeret, et sic evaderet manus capientium, si palam ut persecutor accessisset suae proditioni congruum, sed homicido valde inconsonum. Posuerunt signa sua, signa. Cuius adventus erit secundum operationem erroris insignis mendacibus. Sicut agnus a lupo osculatur. Meliora sunt vulnera amici, quam fradulenta odientis oscula. Sanctus Albertus Magnus Commentarium in Mattheum,Caput XXVI Source: Here

He who betrayed Him, gave them a sign, saying: 'Him who I shall kiss, seize him.' And quickly coming to Jesus he said: 'Hail, Rabbi.' And he kissed him. And Jesus said to Him, 'Friend, why do you come?' 1 Here the sign of the traitor is given, and it touches on two things. The meaning of the sign by the word, and the exhibition by the work. Concerning the first it says: 'When the devil entered into his heart, that Judas Simon son of Iscariot betray Him.' 2 And note the desire for evil and the cunning. The desire is given in the sign, the cunning in this, that he did not openly appear to persecute Him, but on the strength of friendship he approached for the kiss of peace. 'A godless man, a worthless man going about with vile speech, winking with his eyes, stamping down with the foot, speaking with his finger.' 3 'The worst vessels are deceitful; he arranges his thoughts for the destruction of the meek with lying words, when the poor man asks for judgement.' 4 But let it be asked: why did he give a sign which was manifest to everyone? Concerning this Jerome says that he thought the signs which the Saviour had done were performed by magic arts. And because he heard of the Transfiguration on the mount, he feared lest He take on another face and so escape the hands that would seize Him, if he approached as as open persecutor, so he gave to them a sign befitting a traitor, but inappropriate for a murderer. 'They have set up their signs for signs.' 5 'His coming will be according to the work of error, with deceitful wonders.' 6 So a lamb is kissed by a wolf. 'Better the wounds of a friend than the deceitful kisses of an enemy.' 7 Saint Albert The Great, Commentary On The Gospel of St Matthew, Chapter 26 1 Mt 26.48-49 2 Jn 13.27 3 Prov 6.12-14 4 Isaiah 32.7 5 Ps 73.4 6 2 Thes 2.9 7 Prov 27.6