And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus to him, That you do, do quickly.
Satan.
John 13:2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
Psalm 109:6 Set thou a wicked man over him: and let Satan stand at his right hand.
Matthew 12:45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.
That.
1 Kings 18:27 And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.
Proverbs 1:16 For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.
Ecclesiastes 9:3 This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one event unto all: yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead.
Satan entered into him
This phrase indicates a significant spiritual event. It suggests that Judas's decision to betray Jesus was not merely a human choice but was influenced by a direct satanic intervention. This aligns with earlier Gospel accounts where Satan is depicted as an adversary to Jesus's mission (e.g., the temptation in the wilderness). Theologically, this moment underscores the spiritual battle between good and evil, with Judas becoming a tool for Satan's purposes. It also reflects the broader biblical theme of human susceptibility to evil when one turns away from God.
Then Jesus said to Judas
Jesus's direct address to Judas demonstrates His foreknowledge and control over the events leading to His crucifixion. Despite knowing Judas's intentions, Jesus remains composed and authoritative. This interaction highlights Jesus's divine nature and His willingness to fulfill His redemptive mission. It also serves as a final opportunity for Judas to reconsider his actions, showcasing Jesus's grace even in the face of betrayal.
“What you are about to do, do quickly.”
This command from Jesus is both a release and a directive. It indicates Jesus's acceptance of the Father's will and the necessity of the events that are about to unfold. The urgency in Jesus's words reflects the imminent fulfillment of His sacrificial role as the Lamb of God. This phrase also connects to the theme of divine timing found throughout Scripture, where God's plans unfold precisely as intended. Jesus's instruction to act quickly underscores the inevitability of His path to the cross, a central element of Christian salvation history.
• Moments earlier Jesus had identified His betrayer by handing him this piece of bread (John 13:26).
• In the culture of the meal, receiving a morsel was an act of honor and fellowship—intensifying the tragedy that Judas accepts the symbol while harboring betrayal (cf. Psalm 41:9; Mark 14:20).
• Judas has already bargained with the chief priests (Matthew 26:14-16) and hardened his heart; taking the bread shows his outward conformity while his inward rebellion continues.
• Earlier, Luke 22:3 reports that Satan had entered Judas when he made his deal; here the evil one fully seizes the moment, exploiting Judas’s willful sin (Acts 5:3; Ephesians 4:27).
• Scripture consistently pairs human responsibility with demonic influence: Judas is accountable, yet the devil is actively working (Genesis 3:13; 1 Peter 5:8).
• The verse demonstrates that rejecting Christ’s light invites deeper darkness (John 3:19-20).
• Jesus addresses Judas directly, showing He is neither surprised nor powerless (John 6:70; Matthew 26:50).
• His calm command underlines His authority even over betrayal, echoing His earlier statements that His hour would come on heaven’s schedule, not man’s (John 7:30; 10:18).
• The shepherd stays engaged with the lost sheep to the very end (Luke 22:48).
• Jesus is not urging sin; He is directing events so that the prophetic timetable moves forward (Acts 2:23; Galatians 4:4).
• The phrase underscores that the cross is not accidental—Jesus willingly embraces it (John 18:11; Hebrews 10:7).
• For the disciples, the command prevents chaos at the table and keeps them from interfering; for Judas, it removes any pretense that his actions are hidden from the Lord (Psalm 139:1-4).
• The rapid unfolding that follows—Gethsemane, arrest, trials—shows how quickly God’s redemptive plan proceeds once set in motion (John 13:30; 14:31).
John 13:27 reveals the collision of divine sovereignty, satanic opposition, and human choice. Judas, having already resolved to betray Jesus, accepts a gesture of friendship, giving Satan fresh access to his heart. Jesus, fully aware, commands the traitor to act without delay, steering history toward the cross. The verse reminds believers that Christ reigns even when evil seems to advance, and that yielding to sin opens the door to deeper spiritual bondage, while submission to Jesus aligns us with God’s saving purposes.
(27) And after the sop Satan entered into him.--The Greek expresses more vividly the very moment when the mind finally cast out love, and left itself as a possession for Satan. "And after the sop, then Satan entered into him." It was at that moment, when the last effort had been tried, and tried in vain, when the heart hardened itself to receive from Jesus the sacred pledge of love, while it was plotting in black hatred how to betray Him; it was then that hope took her flight from a realm of gloom where she could no longer dwell, and light ceased to shine in a darkness that would not comprehend it.Then said Jesus unto him.--Better, Jesus therefore said unto him. It was because He read the secrets of the heart, and saw that it was wholly given up to evil that He said it.
That thou doest, do quickly.--The Greek is exactly, more quickly. "Carry out your plans even more quickly than you have proposed. Do the fatal deed at once. It is resolved, and every effort to win thee has failed. A fixed resolve is nothing less than the deed itself."
Verse 27. - And after the sop; not with it. By no magical or demoniacal rite was the man rendered the slave of Satan; post hoc is not propter hoc. After the sop, after this last final proof of the unutterable friendship and love of the Divine Lord - τὸτε, then, "at that moment," as though goodness was turned into wrath, and the conflict with evil closed, the incarnated fiend resolved that he would wait no longer. Then Satan (the only place in the Fourth Gospel where Satan is mentioned) entered into him. How could this be known? The evangelist clearly saw what he thus described - he saw the malign and unrelenting expression on Judas's face; he suspected that some devilish plot was hatched, some hideous purpose finally formed. It is the evangelist's way of saying what he personally saw and afterwards concluded. Up to that moment of supreme forbearance, the character was not irretrievably damned, but now he had sinned against knowledge and love, and even Jesus gives him up. "It were better for him that he had never been born." There is no more awful or tragic touch in the whole narrative, nor any more symbolic of the curse which the corrupt heart can make and bring down upon itself out of the greatest blessing. There is no advantage in trying to determine the amount of figurative sense conveyed by the expression, "Satan entered." The ethical state consequent either upon the sop or the devil is clear enough. The moment when it was induced is signalized in this tragedy. The vehement effort which the traitor must have made to resist all gracious influences opened the way for the powers of hell and darkness to take possession of him. He strengthened himself to do evil. Jesus therefore said to him, That thou doest, do quickly. Questions have been raised as to the sentence - whether it was a solemn command or a permission at once to carry out the purpose that was in his heart (as Grotius, Kuinoel, and others suppose); but Meyer here is more penetrative (so Moulton): "Jesus (as a man) actually wishes to surmount as soon as possible the last crisis of his fate now determined for him." Jameson ('Profound Problems in Theology and Philosophy') urges that it was the prolongation of the struggle which was the bitterest element in Christ's sufferings. The decision at which he had arrived brooked no longer delay. As if he had said, "If you have any manhood in you, and you are not altogether incarnate daemon, make haste, let me remain no longer in suspense; carry out the purpose now and at once." Ambrose, Lucke, Tholuck, suggest that he meant to separate Judas from the eleven, and be rid of his presence. His removal from the group is undoubtedly the condition of our Lord's highest revelations of himself.