OK, this is nowhere near as deep as most of the threads in this forum. But it's a little detail that nags at the back of my mind every time I get to the part of the Gospel where Judas betrays Jesus. What exactly was the nature of his betrayal? I mean, he identified Jesus with a kiss, right? But Jesus was a very public figure. The pharisees knew who he was. Jesus himself says that he was preaching in the temple every day and they could easily have apprehended him. If it were just a matter of knowing where Jesus was, I should think it would have been much cheaper to just have someone follow him. So why did they need one of the disciples? What information did Judas give them?
Anyone have any ideas?