How was Jesus (a.s.) Identified during the Betrayal?

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The various Gospels differ in their accounts of how Jesus (a.s.) was identified, during his betrayal by Judas Iscariot. 

Matthew 26:47-49

⁴⁷ And all at once, while he was speaking, Judas, who was one of the twelve, came near; with him was a great multitude carrying swords and clubs, who had been sent by the chief priests and the elders of the people.  ⁴⁸ The traitor had appointed them a signal; “It is none other,” he told them, “than the man whom I shall greet with a kiss; hold him fast.”  ⁴⁹ No sooner, then, had he come near to Jesus than he said, “Hail, Master,” and kissed him. 

⁴⁷ Καὶ ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος ἰδοὺ Ἰούδας εἷς τῶν δώδεκα ἦλθεν καὶ μετ' αὐτοῦ ὄχλος πολὺς μετὰ μαχαιρῶν καὶ ξύλων ἀπὸ τῶν ἀρχιερέων καὶ πρεσβυτέρων τοῦ λαοῦ.  ⁴⁸ ὁ δὲ παραδιδοὺς αὐτὸν ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς σημεῖον λέγων: ὃν ἂν φιλήσω αὐτός ἐστιν: κρατήσατε αὐτόν.  ⁴⁹ καὶ εὐθέως προσελθὼν τῷ Ἰησοῦ εἶπεν: χαῖρε, ῥαββί: καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτόν. 

⁴⁷ Adhuc eo loquente, ecce Judas unus de duodecim venit, et cum eo turba multa cum gladiis et fustibus, missi a principibus sacerdotum, et senioribus populi.  ⁴⁸ Qui autem tradidit eum, dedit illis signum, dicens: Quemcumque osculatus fuero, ipse est, tenete eum.  ⁴⁹ Et confestim accedens ad Jesum, dixit: Ave Rabbi. Et osculatus est eum. 

Mark 14:43-46

⁴³ And thereupon, while he was yet speaking, Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, came near; with him was a great multitude carrying swords and clubs, who had been sent by the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.  ⁴⁴ The traitor had appointed them a signal; “It is none other,” he said, “than the man whom I shall greet with a kiss; hold him fast, and take him away under guard.”  ⁴⁵ No sooner, then, had he come up than he went close to Jesus, saying, “Hail, Master,” and kissed him; ⁴⁶ and with that they laid their hands on him, and held him fast. 

⁴³ Καὶ εὐθὺς ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος παραγίνεται Ἰούδας εἷς τῶν δώδεκα, καὶ μετ' αὐτοῦ ὄχλος μετὰ μαχαιρῶν καὶ ξύλων παρὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων καὶ τῶν γραμματέων καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων.  ⁴⁴ δεδώκει δὲ ὁ παραδιδοὺς αὐτὸν σύσσημον αὐτοῖς λέγων: ὃν ἂν φιλήσω, αὐτός ἐστιν: κρατήσατε αὐτὸν καὶ ἀπάγετε ἀσφαλῶς.  ⁴⁵ καὶ ἐλθὼν εὐθὺς προσελθὼν αὐτῷ λέγει: ῥαββί, καὶ κατεφίλησεν αὐτόν: ⁴⁶ οἱ δὲ ἐπέβαλον τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῷ καὶ ἐκράτησαν αὐτόν 

⁴³ Et, adhuc eo loquente, venit Judas Iscariotes unus de duodecim, et cum eo turba multa cum gladiis et lignis, a summis sacerdotibus, et scribis, et senioribus.  ⁴⁴ Dederat autem traditor ejus signum eis, dicens: Quemcumque osculatus fuero, ipse est, tenete eum, et ducite caute.  ⁴⁵ Et cum venisset, statim accedens ad eum, ait: Ave Rabbi: et osculatus est eum.  ⁴⁶ At illi manus injecerunt in eum, et tenuerunt eum. 

Luke:47-48

⁴⁷ Even as he spoke, a multitude came near; their guide was the man called Judas, one of the twelve, who came close to Jesus, to kiss him.  ⁴⁸ Jesus said to him, “Judas, wouldst thou betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” 

⁴⁷ Ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος ἰδοὺ ὄχλος, καὶ ὁ λεγόμενος Ἰούδας εἷς τῶν δώδεκα προήρχετο αὐτούς, καὶ ἤγγισεν τῷ Ἰησοῦ φιλῆσαι αὐτόν.  ⁴⁸ Ἰησοῦς δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ: Ἰούδα, φιλήματι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδως; 

⁴⁷ Adhuc eo loquente, ecce turba: et qui vocabatur Judas, unus de duodecim, antecedebat eos, et appropinquavit Jesu ut oscularetur eum.  ⁴⁸ Jesus autem dixit illi: Juda, osculo Filium hominis tradis? 

John 18:3-8

³ There, then, Judas came, accompanied by the guard, and officers sent by the chief priests, and Pharisees, with lanterns and torches and weapons.  ⁴ So, Jesus, knowing well what was to befall him, went out to meet them; “Who is it,” he asked, “are you looking for?”  ⁵ “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered; and he told them, “I am Jesus of Nazareth.”  And there was Judas, his betrayer, standing in their company.  ⁶ When he said to them, “I am Jesus of Nazareth,” they all shrank back, and fell to the ground.  ⁷ So, once more, Jesus asked them, “Who is it, you are looking for?” and when they said, “Jesus of Nazareth,” ⁸ he answered, “I have told you already that I am Jesus.  If I am the man you are looking for, let these others go free.” 

³ ὁ οὖν Ἰούδας λαβὼν τὴν σπεῖραν καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀρχιερέων καὶ ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων ὑπηρέτας ἔρχεται ἐκεῖ μετὰ φανῶν καὶ λαμπάδων καὶ ὅπλων.  ⁴ Ἰησοῦς οὖν εἰδὼς πάντα τὰ ἐρχόμενα ἐπ' αὐτὸν ἐξῆλθεν καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς: τίνα ζητεῖτε; ⁵ ἀπεκρίθησαν αὐτῷ, Ἰησοῦν τὸν Ναζωραῖον. λέγει αὐτοῖς: Ἐγώ εἰμι. εἱστήκει δὲ καὶ Ἰούδας ὁ παραδιδοὺς αὐτὸν μετ' αὐτῶν.  ⁶ ὡς οὖν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς: ἐγώ εἰμι, ἀπῆλθον εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω καὶ ἔπεσαν χαμαί.  ⁷ πάλιν οὖν ἐπηρώτησεν αὐτούς τίνα ζητεῖτε; οἱ δὲ εἶπαν: Ἰησοῦν τὸν Ναζωραῖον.  ⁸ ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς: εἶπον ὑμῖν ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι: εἰ οὖν ἐμὲ ζητεῖτε, ἄφετε τούτους ὑπάγειν. 

³ Judas ergo cum accepisset cohortem, et a pontificibus et pharisæis ministros, venit illuc cum laternis, et facibus, et armis.  ⁴ Jesus itaque sciens omnia quæ ventura erant super eum, processit, et dixit eis: Quem quæritis?  ⁵ Responderunt ei: Jesum Nazarenum. Dicit eis Jesus: Ego sum. Stabat autem et Judas, qui tradebat eum, cum ipsis.  ⁶ Ut ergo dixit eis: Ego sum: abierunt retrorsum, et ceciderunt in terram.  ⁷ Iterum ergo interrogavit eos: Quem quæritis? Illi autem dixerunt: Jesum Nazarenum.  ⁸ Respondit Jesus: Dixi vobis, quia ego sum: si ergo me quæritis, sinite hos abire. 

The first three Gospels, according to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, are known as synoptic gospels, and they likely came from the same set of oral or written traditions.  This would explain why this portion is relatively similar.  The Gospel according to John differs, likely coming from a different source.  This would explain why, in the synoptic gospels, Jesus (a.s.) was betrayed by a kiss, whereas in the Gospel according to John, he was merely pointed out.