The Last Supper
They were deeply grieved and began to ask Him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?” Matthew 26:22 · Berean Standard Bible
The disciples are devastated. One by one, each asks with a heavy heart: surely it is not me, Lord?
Notice that none of them point fingers at someone else. Each one looks inward first, afraid of what they might be capable of.
Each disciple speaks to Jesus individually, deeply troubled and searching their own hearts.
The honesty in that room is raw. Nobody says 'I would never do that.' Instead, each one trembles at the possibility that they might.
The disciples react with deep grief (sphodra lypeisthai) and each asks individually (heis hekastos), 'Surely not I, Lord?' — using meti, which expects a negative answer.
The Greek construction meti ego eimi anticipates 'no' as the answer, reflecting both genuine distress and a measure of self-doubt — each disciple fears he might be capable of betrayal.
Each of the disciples addresses Jesus individually with anxious self-examination.
Their grief is real, but so is their self-awareness: the question reveals that each disciple harbors enough self-knowledge to wonder if he might be the one.
20When evening came, Jesus was reclining with the twelve disciples.
21And while they were eating, He said to them, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray Me.”
22They were deeply grieved and began to ask Him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?”
23Jesus answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with Me will betray Me.
24The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed. It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
Read all of Matthew 26 — Bread broken. Wine poured. A betrayal predicted. The longest night in history begins around a table.
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