Jesus' words grieved them, and each one asked about himself instead of pointing at someone else. Barnes pictures them "conscious each one, except Judas, of no such intention, and each one beginning to examine himself, to find whether he was the person intended." Gill says that although "the thing had never entered into their hearts," they did not trust their own hearts, and they wanted "being cleared by Christ from any such imputation." Their question mixes sorrow, honest self-examination, and a longing to hear from Jesus that it was not them.

Jesus did not name the betrayer. He said, "It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish" (Mark 14:20). Then He added, "The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born" (Mark 14:21). Matthew records that Judas also asked, "Master, is it I?" and Jesus answered, "Thou hast said" (Matthew 26:25). Luke adds that "they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing" (Luke 22:23).

Mark says they asked "one by one," each man for himself. The KJV then adds "and another said, Is it I?" Gill notes that this last clause is missing in several ancient versions, including the Latin Vulgate and the Syriac (an early translation into the language of the Syrian church), and "seems to be redundant" since Mark has already said they asked one by one. The ESV has the question only once: "one after another, 'Is it I?'"

Matthew records the eleven asking, "Lord, is it I?" (Matthew 26:22), while Judas asks, "Master, is it I?" (Matthew 26:25).

Jesus knew who would betray Him, yet He did not expose Judas by name before the others. He spoke of "one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish" (Mark 14:20), the very one sharing His table. In the same breath He held two truths together: the Son of man goes "as it is written of him," and yet "woe to that man" who betrays Him (Mark 14:21). Matthew Henry explains, "God's permitting the sins of men, and bringing glory to himself out of them, does not oblige them to sin; nor will this be any excuse for their guilt, or lessen their punishment."

The disciples met this hard word by looking inward and asking Jesus Himself. Barnes says their question "showed that they were willing to know themselves; thus evincing the spirit of the true Christian."