A Man with Two Faces

 A Man with Two Faces

“Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: ‘The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.’ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Rabbi!’ and kissed him. The men seized Jesus and arrested him.” (Mark 14:44–46, NIV)

As I reflect on this passage, I seek to receive the lessons it offers:

(1) Why did Judas Iscariot, who was planning to betray and hand Jesus over, prearrange a signal?  One possible reason is that, at that time, photography did not exist, and the dark night amid the dense olive trees would have made it quite difficult to identify a particular person. Therefore, Judas likely arranged a signal with the crowd beforehand so that Jesus could be quickly and easily identified and arrested once they arrived at the location (Hokhma).

(2) Why was the signal, of all things, a kiss?

Among the Jews of that era, a kiss was a common greeting that expressed respect and affection (2 Samuel 20:9). However, when this ordinary form of greeting was used as a signal for arrest in the darkness, it ultimately became a lasting symbol of betrayal and hypocrisy. The crowd that came to arrest Jesus may have been different from the crowd that had previously heard him during his entry into Jerusalem. Thus, confirmation by a kiss was necessary (Hokhma).

(a) An interesting point is that, in the relationship between a disciple and a teacher, it was extremely rare for the disciple to initiate a kiss. This is because a disciple was not considered equal to the teacher. Therefore, Judas’s kiss symbolically denied the teacher-disciple relationship with Jesus and further represented an insulting act (Hokhma).

(i) This scene also reminds us of the event during King David’s time when Joab pretended to kiss Amasa but instead struck him down with a sword and killed him (2 Samuel 20:9–10).  “This Janus-like nature is a typical characteristic of the wicked, who are under the control of Satan. Outwardly, they cry out for peace, justice, and love, but inwardly, they plot destruction, injustice, and greed (2 Corinthians 11:13–15)” (Hokhma).

(The term “Janus-like” is derived from Janus, the Roman god with two faces. It refers to something or someone that possesses duality, duplicity, or contradictory traits simultaneously. It is especially used to highlight the hidden intentions or inner character that contradict the outward appearance (Internet)).