Verb versus Noun

English is my second language. Yet, God entrusted me with writing and editing English books. So, I seek help from spell-checkers, Grammarly, and people who have written books on writing and editing: Jerry Jenkins, Kate L. Turabian, William Zinsser, Stephen King, and William Strunk. One of their popular instructions is: “Use verbs and not nouns.” Instead of, “I have a conviction that I should visit Jerusalem,” say, “I am convinced I should visit Jerusalem.” Rather than “I have made a decision to follow Jesus,” “I have decided to follow Jesus.”

The New Testament authors, too, made such distinctions. Whereas Paul used the noun “faith” (pistis) 142 times, John never did, and he used the verb “believe” (pisteuo) instead 98 times. For John, faith was an action, a verb, and Paul saw it both as a thought and an action.

The word kiss can be a noun (“She gave him a kiss”) or a verb (“He kissed her”). Kissing occurs ten times in the New Testament. Paul instructed the Romans, Corinthians, and Thessalonians to greet each other with a holy kiss (Rom 16:16; 1 Cor 16:20; 2 Cor 13:12; 1 Thess 5:26). Peter asked his audience in the Asia Minor to greet each other with a love kiss (1 Pet 5:14). In all these references, Paul and Peter used the noun form of “a kiss,” filema (φίλημα). In contrast, the Gospels used the verb form fileo (φιλέω) for Judas’s action (Matt 25:48 // Mark 14:44 // Luke 22:47, 48).

“Him whom I kiss (fileo, a verb), he is the one.” (14:44)

While the disciples finished off their sleep and Jesus finished his prayer, Judas, one of the twelve, came with a crowd carrying swords and clubs, along with the high priests, scribes, and elders (Mark 14:43). How would they identify Jesus, a Hebrew, among other Hebrews and in the night among the olive trees? Judas gave that signal of kissing Jesus. Just as in English, in Greek, a verb is more pronounced than a noun. Judas’ action was volitional and intentional.

After spending three years with Jesus, Judas Iscariot knew how he looked different from Peter, Andrew, John, Jacob/James of Zebedee, Bartholomew/Nathaniel, Philip, Matthew, Joseph/Jacob of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, Thomas, and Judas the Thaddeus. He would search the twelve, pick Jesus, and kiss him so the leaders could pick the right one.

Just as he had instructed the leaders, Judas searched and found Jesus. Coming closer to him, he said,

“Rabbi,” and he kissed (fileo) him. (14:45)

The verb fileo had another common meaning: “to love.” We could say that Judas loved him as he kissed him. It wasn’t a kind and caring love/kiss but a mean and betrayal love/kiss. It’s like someone hugging us while stabbing a dagger into our belly or back!

Receiving the signal, those he brought immediately put their hands on him and grabbed him (14:46). One of the disciples, however, couldn’t take this scene, and he grabbed a sword and struck the person nearer to him. I can’t but imagine that he was aiming for Judas, the betrayer, and missed. He sliced a piece of the ear of one of the high priest’s servants.

Paul speaks of an incident where some preached the gospel because of love while others because of envy (Phil 1:15). Our actions can look pure. Still, if our motivations aren’t good, they are as bad as Judas’s kiss – outwardly beautiful but inwardly evil.