Good morning my “Walking with Jesus” friends,
Regret is something we’ve all experienced. But we can’t turn time back and undo what we’ve said or done, can we? History is fixed in time and unchangeable. We learn from our mistakes and we move forward in life wiser; or a fool ignores their mistakes and moves forward, likely to repeat the same mistakes again. Do you agree?
One week ago today was Maundy Thursday, and that evening in the upper room with His disciples Jesus did and said many things which shocked these men who had been with Jesus for several months. Perhaps the most shocking moment was when Jesus said ‘One of you is going to betray Me.” (John 13:21)
John reports everyone in the room appeared stunned! But a short while later Jesus identified Judas Iscariot as the traitor and Judas abruptly left the room. (John 13:25-30) The next time Judas was seen was later that night when he led a mob of angry men to the Garden of Gethsemane, looking for Jesus. (Matt. 26:47)
It is interesting to me that the disciple Matthew is the one who gives us the details about Judas. I wonder why? Perhaps because Matthew, as a tax collector, had been considered a traitor, collecting taxes from his fellow Jews on behalf of the Roman government and doing so with little to no discretion or integrity!
Matthew tells us Judas, earlier in the week, had gone secretly to the religious leaders offering to betray Jesus to them. Can you imagine that conversation? Finally, they offered and Judas accepted 30 pieces of silver, the price to be paid for a slave in those days. Then Judas began watching Jesus carefully, trying to discern Jesus’ plans for Passover weekend, all the while devising his scheme to betray Jesus. (Matt. 26:14-16)
Matthew describes that scene of Judas leading an armed crowd to the garden. We can assume many of these angry men had no idea who Jesus was, so how would they know who to arrest? Matthew’s record says: “The betrayer had arranged a signal with them: ‘The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.’ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Greetings Rabbi!’ and kissed Him. Jesus replied, ‘Do what you came for, friend.'” (Matt. 26:47-50)
Of course we understand the word “kiss” is not a romantic kiss, it is the type of greeting between men which is practiced even today in the Middle East. It’s a cheek to cheek expression of friendship and respect. The word “Rabbi” meant ‘teacher’, and while many people who did not know Jesus used that term, the disciples almost always spoke to and about Jesus with the word “Lord“, indicating His leadership of them and their respect of Him. Judas was clearly coming to Jesus already feeling regret and shame for his scheme.
Do you see the significance of Jesus’ response to Judas? Remember Jesus had been agonizing in the Garden of Gethsemane, crying out to God His Father, struggling with the anticipation of the extreme price He would have to pay for the ransom of the human race. (Mark 10:45) Not only the excruciating crucifixion, but receiving the wrath of God for the sins of the world. (Matt. 26:36-46)
Dr. Luke tells us Jesus was in such agony in the Garden “His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Luke 22:44) How appropriate that a Greek physician would write those words!
Matthew and Luke both tell us a scuffle took place after Judas kissed Jesus. The guards gruffly grabbed Jesus and Peter drew a knife he evidently had hidden in his cloak. Peter swung at one of the guards, cutting off his ear! While Peter was vastly outnumbered and the guards had weapons, Peter instinctively responded assuming the armed mob had come for all of the disciples too. Luke tells us Jesus did an amazing thing: “Jesus said, ‘No more of this!” And Jesus touched the man’s ear and healed him!” (Luke 22:51) Once again a physician’s unique perspective of this chaotic moment! Can you believe it, friends?
Jesus is being arrested, soon to be beaten, yet He evidently stooped down, picked up the severed ear off the ground and put it back on the man’s head, healing it perfectly! Everyone must have stood there in shock watching this miracle being done as guards held tightly to Jesus, ready to haul Him away!
Jesus then said something which I’m sure everyone who was present never forgot: “Put your sword back in its place, for all who live by the sword die by the sword. Do you think I cannot call on My Father and He will at once put at My disposal more than 12 legions of angels? But how would the Scriptures then be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?” (Matt. 26:52-54)
Jesus was determined to accomplish the mission for which God the Father had sent Him to earth, and about which the prophets had written details, as led by the Holy Spirit, hundreds of years before! 12 legions of angels!? A ‘legion‘ was a Roman garrison of about 6000 well armed soldiers, some mounted, some on foot. They were a formidable, ferocious force! 12 legions would be nearly 75,000 soldiers, or in this case angels, as Jesus had said! I wonder if immediately into the minds of those Jews came the story found in 2 Kings 6:17 of Elisha the prophet surrounded by an army of flaming angels sent by God to help Elisha?
Matthew makes a bold and profound statement about what happened next in that chaos with the mob tying the hands of Jesus and beginning to gruffly lead Him away from the Garden: “Then all the disciples deserted Jesus and fled.” (Matt. 26:56) John adds: “Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, but Peter had to wait outside at the door.” (John 18:15,16) That other disciples was of course John, and Peter’s denials of Jesus happened in that courtyard shortly thereafter, as Jesus was being questioned and harassed by the High Priest and the guards who had arrested Jesus.
Matthew alone tells us what happened to Judas that Thursday night, while Jesus was hauled away to be interrogated. It’s quite shocking actually, and tomorrow we’ll look closely at that. For today, do you see the determination Jesus had to accomplish His God given mission and His courage to do so alone?
What has God asked you to do with your life and with what passion are you pursuing your mission? Here’s a worship song to help us consider this, my friends…
Today’s Scripture: Matt. 26:45-56.
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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