Good weekend to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Yes, I know this is Palm Sunday weekend this year, but as you know we’ve already looked at that ‘spontaneous parade’ two weeks ago, so we could spend more time looking closely at what occurred with Jesus and His disciples in the days following that event. We will therefore continue our careful journey with Jesus and let’s gather again in the garden of Gethsemane where I left you yesterday. You’ll recall Matthew reports that Jesus had prayed in great agony, while the disciples had slept in apathy! (Matt. 26:36-47)
As Jesus was awakening the disciples again, He stunned them with these words: “Look, the hour has come and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes My betrayer!” (Matt. 26:45,46) Jolted from the late-night sleep, the disciples sprang to their feet and saw a mob approaching the garden.
Matthew describes the scene with these words: “While Jesus was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and elders of the people.” (Matt. 26:47) Matthew uses those words to assure us that this arresting crowd was not primarily Roman soldiers, but rather those sent by the Jewish religious leaders. The very men who had dedicated their lives to leading the people in living God honoring lives, especially at Passover time, as they watched for their Messiah!
John’s record tells us: “Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen, went out and asked them, ‘Who is it you want?’ ‘Jesus of Nazareth’ they replied. ‘I am He; Jesus said…’if you are looking for Me then let these men go…” (John 18:4-9) John wants us to remember NONE of this was a surprise to Jesus. Jesus fully understood THIS was why He had come from heaven to earth!
Judas stepped forward and greeted Jesus with the customary kiss of friendship among Middle Eastern men. The crowd lurched forward, roughly taking hold of Jesus. Instantly Peter drew his dagger, lunged toward those men, and cut off the ear of the servant of the high priest. (Matt. 26:50,51)
In that moment we can imagine things could have gotten out of control very quickly, right? But Jesus calmed the situation by doing these things…
First… Jesus confronted Peter, telling him to put his sword away and explaining: “Do you think I cannot call on My Father and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?” (Matt. 26:52-54)
Twelve legions of angels would be about 70,000 angels! That gives us a glimpse into the heaven Jesus knew, with innumerable angels around the throne of God ready to do His bidding! Do you also see Jesus’ determination to fulfill His mission exactly as the Father has prescribed it?
Second… Luke tells us Jesus touched the man’s severed ear and healed it back to normal! (Luke 22:51)
Then Jesus spoke to those arresting Him saying: “Am I leading a rebellion that you have come with swords and clubs? Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on Me. But this is your hour – when darkness reigns.” (Luke 22:52,53) Yes, the darkness of rejecting God and the Messiah God sent; the darkness of anger and brutality, and the darkness of the sin filled heart of mankind, was on full display in the garden of Gethsemane that night.
But Matthew next tells us “Then all the disciples deserted him and fled. Those who had arrested Jesus took Him to Caiphas the high priest, where the teachers of the law and the elders had assembled” (Matt. 26:56,57) Did you notice Matthew is willing to admit that he and other disciples did just what Jesus had predicted they would do? (John 16:32) They ran into the night!
We don’t know exactly what time this was Thursday night, but we can presume it may have been nearing midnight. Such a late night gathering of Jewish religious leaders, for the purpose of a trial, was contrary to Jewish law according to the Mishnah (Sanhedrin 4:1), which required all such proceedings be done in daylight and before many witnesses, to assure legitimacy and fairness.
Obviously, this trial gathering was planned, the arresting mob was planned, and John tells us “Judas knew the place because Jesus had often met there with His disciples. So Judas came, guiding…” (John 18:2,3) That tells me it was Judas who had likely initiated this plan, alerting the high priest and other religious leaders, and they had rallied the arresting mob for this late Thursday night travesty, which set in motion the final hours of Jesus’ earthly life and God’s Redemption plan.
The Gospel writers tell us not ALL the disciples fled however, for Peter and John followed those arresting Jesus to the home of the high priest Caiaphas. (Matt. 26:57,58; John 18:15-16) There, as you may know, Jesus’ prediction, that Peter would deny Jesus three times, occurred, much to Peter’s shame! The exact words spoken are recorded in the Gospels and vary from each other. But we must remember those Gospels were written many years after that night.
First, it was a servant girl who, seeing Peter in the dim torchlight of the courtyard, asked if he was one of the disciples? “Peter replied, ‘I am not!” (John 18:17)
A while later, as Peter warmed himself around a fire in the courtyard with some other men, they asked Peter about Jesus and Matthew reports Peter said, “I don’t know the man!” (Matt. 26:72)
John tells us a little later, while Jesus was being interrogated inside the high priest’s house, Peter was outside with others when “One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged Peter. ‘Didn’t I see you with Him in the garden?” (John 18:18-26)
Luke tells us, “Peter replied, ‘I don’t know what you are talking about!’ Just as Peter said that a rooster crowed. Jesus turned and looked straight at Peter”… From inside the house, where He was being interrogated, evidently Jesus knew what Peter had just done. I imagine Peter never forgot that momentary look from Jesus! (Luke 22:60-62)
Instantly Peter remembered Jesus’ prediction earlier that evening in the upper room! (John 13:37,38) Peter was overcome with grief and guilt, and found a place to weep. (Luke 22:62) Pause. Have you given much thought to what set of circumstances would cause you to deny that you are a follower of Jesus?
Luke tells us things turned from bad to worse inside the high priest’s home interrogation: “The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating Him. They blindfolded Him and demanded, ‘Prophesy! Who hit You? And they said many other insulting things to Him.” (Luke 22:63,64)
The dreaded time of Jesus’ humiliation had come. Human beings, whom Jesus had created and whose lives He had sustained, as He does all of us, treated Jesus as a criminal, a despot. Jesus restrained Himself, even though so easily He could have struck them blind or crippled or even caused them all to have heart attacks! Jesus suffered the rejection of humanity as part of His payment of the sin debt for all humanity!
We need to pause and reflect on that my friends as we consider the ‘lessons learned’ notes below and worship with a special song. Those men brutalizing Jesus represented all of humanity, including you and me! What does that move your heart to want to say to Jesus this weekend? Worship well this weekend, and I’ll be here waiting for you on Monday.
Today’s Scripture: Matt. 26:45-76.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
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Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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