Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spoke this unto him.
Read Chapter 13
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
But of this, none of those at table knew why He said it, κ.τ.λ. For though they knew from the words of Christ that Judas was to be His betrayer, yet they did not know that he would betray Him that very night; and therefore they did not understand that Christ, when He said, What thou doest, do quickly, was speaking of His betrayal, but interpreted it with reference to the purchase of things needful for the celebration of the Passover, Judas being the steward of Christ and the apostles.
It may seem perhaps to some that this present verse is somewhat out of harmony, and not in a very close connexion with what has been just previously said. "For what can be the reason," some one may ask, and not inappropriately, "that, while reproving the would-be traitor, and in a secret and somewhat obscure fashion seeking to divert him from his murderous design against Himself, the Lord now seems to be spurring him on to carry it into action, and urges him to proceed without delay to such an accursed and impious deed? And verily," he would say, "what need was there to urge on, more than he himself was inclined, one who was possessed by a disease that sprang out of his own heart, to commit a crime that had been started by his own device; instead of rather curbing his passion by admonitions to amendment, and hindering him from carrying out his intended plans?" One might readily say that the objection here alleged was wanting in proper cogency: still, by fastening our attention more kee...
3. Wonderful insensibility! How could it be that he was neither softened nor shamed; but rendered yet more shameless, went out. The do quickly, is not the expression of one commanding, nor advising, but of one reproaching, and showing him that He desired to correct him, but that since he was incorrigible, He let him go. And this, the Evangelist says, no man of those that sat at the table knew. Some one may perhaps find here a considerable difficulty, if, when the disciples had asked, Who is it? and He had answered, He to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it, they did not even so understand; unless indeed He spoke it secretly, so that no man should hear. For John on this very account, leaning by His breast, asked Him almost close to His ear, so that the traitor might not be made manifest; and Christ answered in like manner, so that not even then did He discover him. And though He spoke emphatically, Friend, that you do, do quickly, even so they understood not. But he spoke thu...
