Was Judas The “Friend” Of Jesus?

“Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’and kissed him. Jesus replied, ‘Do what you came for, friend’ ” (Matt 26:49-50).

The NET Bible is very similar to the above, as are the ASV and the RSV. On the other hand, the KJV translates Jesus’ words as a question, which is certainly possible: “Friend, wherefore art thou come?”.

In either case, whether statement or question in the text, the question which is asked in the title remains the same: Was Judas the “friend” of Jesus? Or, to amplify the question: Did Jesus consider Judas to be his “friend” even at the moment Judas actually betrayed him into the hands of his enemies?

There are other Greek words which are translated “friend”; by far the most common is “philos” (one who is loved like a brother), but the word here is very different. The Greek word for “friend” here in Matthew 26 means literally “one who is linked to another”. It may be translated as comrade, companion, or friend. In practice, the word can refer to a variety of relationships: a fellow student or a fellow soldier, a workmate, a neighbor, or even a close personal friend.

Matthew is the only one of the four Gospels to tell us that Jesus called Judas his friend at this moment: In Mark 14:43, the Gospel writer does not report what Jesus says to Judas at this point, although Judas does greet Jesus as “Rabbi” (v 45). In Luke 22:48, this writer reports that Jesus asks, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” And in John 18:4-5 and its context, that writer mentions that “Judas was standing there”, but does not report that Jesus addressed Judas at all, only that Jesus spoke to the soldiers, the priests’ officials, and the Pharisees.

Of course, these small differences in the four Gospels are to be expected, and should not be used to suggest that the Bible contains contradictions. Very reasonably, every Gospel writer reports the part of the story which best suits his narrative. However, we can get a more complete picture of almost every such incident by looking at all the relevant accounts alongside one another.

So, considering that none of the other three Gospels mention this point, we might ask why Matthew tells us this. Perhaps the answer begins with this: Of the four Gospels, Matthew more often — much more often, in fact — quotes or cites Old Testament passages as being fulfilled by Jesus or others. By one count: Matthew contains 98 Old Testament citations, while Mark contains 34, Luke contains 58, and John contains 40.

Are there any possible Old Testament passages which Jesus might be thinking of here in Matthew 26:50? In fact, two passages in Psalms stand out, in which David speaks of his good friend Ahithophel, who betrayed him during Absalom’s rebellion (2 Samuel 15):

“Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me” (Psa 41:9).

“If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God” (Psa 55:12-14).

In the New Testament, Psa 41:9 is applied to Judas Iscariot in John 13:18, stressing that this man has shared bread with Jesus only a few hours before betraying him to the authorities. The “close friend” of the NIV and NET, and the “familiar friend” of the KJV, are translations of the Hebrew “ish shalom”, which means man of peace.

The language of Psa 55:13 does not appear to be quoted directly in the New Testament, but the verse is so similar to Psa 41:9 that it might easily be seen in the same context. The “companion… close friend” (NIV), or “close friend… in whom I confided” (NET), is a combination of two Hebrew words: “alluf” (partner, ally, companion) and “yada” (one who is well known). Together, these two words surely suggest much of what we might think of as a friend.

The answer?

The quick answer to our question could be this: Jesus refers to Judas as his “friend” in order to emphasize:

• Their long relationship as close companions who shared in so many experiences, along with the other disciples; and also
• The fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy about one of his disciples.

There may also be another meaning. The scholar D.A. Carson writes this in The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology:

The Greek word translated “friend” [“hetairos”] is found only three times in the New Testament, all three occurrences being in Matthew… (20:13; 22:12; 26:50). In each case, the person speaking is addressing an inferior who has insulted him in some way, but the words are without malice. Moreover, the speaker and the person addressed are bound in some sort of relationship, and it is that binding relationship which has suffered a [selfish] disregard of what it means.

In other words, the would-be “friend” has acted in a distinctly non-friendly manner. Nevertheless, the person speaking to him still addresses him as “friend”, as if to remind him once more of the treatment which one friend should expect from another.

This assessment seems to be borne out by the passages themselves. In the first use of “hetairos” (Matt 20:13), a landowner hires neighbors to work in his vineyard. Those who start work early agree to a day’s work in exchange for a denarius. But then other workers start work much later in the day. When the time comes to settle up the wages, all the laborers receive the same day’s pay, one denarius.

When those who worked a long day see their fellow-workers receiving the same pay for only a few hours work, they begin to grumble against the landowner (vv 9-12). But the landowner answers one of them (probably the ringleader):

“Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn’t you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go” (vv 13-14).

This passage has another connection to the betrayal by Judas: “Take your pay and go”. Judas had been promised 30 pieces of silver for his treacherous work. So when he prepared to earn his pay, he also left the upper room, the company and fellowship of his other friends, and any association with the gospel which he had once believed. And then he took his leave of life itself.

In the second use of “hetairos” (Matt 22:12), a king has invited everyone to his wedding banquet. At the banquet, he notices a man who is not suitably attired, one who cared so little about the invitation that he failed to prepare properly or adequately for the great occasion. The king asks him: “Friend… how did you get in here without wedding clothes?” The man had no answer, and no defense. And so he was thrown outside, into the darkness (v 13).

Again, there is an echo of Judas’ betrayal. At the special meal presided over by his Lord, Judas excuses himself early under some false premise, and then proceeds to take the last steps in the preplanned betrayal. As he did so, he left the Upper Room of light, and was engulfed in darkness: “He went out. And it was night” (John 13:30).

Several hours later, after assembling the band of men intent on arresting Jesus, Judas leads them to the Garden of Gethsemane late at night. Again, in the dark and shadows of that garden, he betrayed his friend with a kiss, but not before the kind, but warning, words of Jesus: “Friend, do what you came for.”

Jesus’ use of the word “friend” at this time reminded his listeners of Old Testament passages about friendship and betrayal, and served as a real and final warning to the traitor. It reminds us that men have turned on their former friends far too many times in the past. Finally, it reminds all of us that the worst abuse of real friendship would be to turn our backs on our Lord and our friend, who has shown us greater love than any other person has ever shown by laying down his life for his friends (John 15:13).