And while he yet spake,.... The above words to his disciples,
behold a multitude. The Persic version adds, "of Jews, with arrows, swords, and spears"; but the multitude consisted partly of Roman soldiers, and partly of the officers of the chief priests:
and he that was called Judas: and sometimes Iscariot, to distinguish him from another Judas, who also was of the number of the apostles:
one of the twelve; disciples of Christ, whom he had chosen, called, and ordained:
went before them; as their guide, to show them where Jesus was, and to point him out unto them; see Acts 1:16
and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him; that being the signal he had given them, by which they should know him. The Syriac version here adds, "for this sign he had given to them, whomsoever I shall kiss, the same is he": and so likewise the Persic and Ethiopic versions, adding also this, "lay hold upon him"; but the whole seems to be transcribed from Matthew 26:48.