DECEMBER 13, 2015
JESUS’ BETRAYAL AND TRIAL
INTRODUCTION:
1. Gethsemane means olive press, and as Jesus entered into this garden His soul was pressed to the very limits that incarnate God could endure. What had before been a favorite place for prayer and communion with His Father, had become the scene of His great agony. (Verse 34; Luke 22:44)
2. In prophetic voice He said, “I have trodden the wine press alone.” (Isa. 63:3) This was true absolutely, in that, even the favored three were unable to keep watch, or to assist Him with their prayers. (Verses 37-39) While He agonized in prayer, “and His sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood,” they were asleep with the sleep of sorrow. (Luke 22:44, 45)
3. As Jesus returned to again find His disciples sleeping, He allowed them to sleep on while He waited for Judas to lead the rabble throng to where He was. The disciples slept on until He called to them, saying, “Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.” (Verse 42)
I. INDEED, IMMEDIATELY, JUDAS APPEARED TO BETRAY CHRIST INTO THE WICKED HANDS OF HIS ENEMIES. (VERSES 43-46)
A. JUDAS CAME LEADING A BAND OF ARMED RABBLE, EMPLOYED TO TAKE JESUS PRISONER. (VERSE 43a)
1. There is no wickedness so black and horrid, but there may be found among men fit tools to be made use of in carrying it out.
a) Many of the people who made up this violent gang did not know who Jesus was, yet they were more than willing to be employed to go after Him.
b) They came armed with swords and staves, ready to use whatever force necessary to bring Him in. The Roman soldiers had swords; the Jews armed themselves with clubs.
2. At the head of the mob was, of course, Judas, one of the twelve, and yet, he was the lowest of the low. He had been conversant with the Lord, prophesied in His name, cast out devils in His name, and yet he was willing to betray Him. There is no wickedness so wicked as that of religious apostates.
3. This is what His enemies had long aimed at, but were unable to do so until now, because His hour had not yet come. Neither could they have taken Him at all had He not freely surrendered Himself. (John 10:17, 18; 19:11)
B. MEN OF NO LESS DEGREE THAN THE CHIEF PRIESTS, SCRIBES, AND ELDERS WERE THE EMPLOYERS WHO SENT JUDAS AND THIS BAND. (VERSE 43b)
1. These leaders of the Jewish people pretended to be looking for Messiah, even preparing for His welcome, yet He being come, they received Him not.
2. Because He did not court their favor, nor approve of their operation; and because He came not to set up a temporal kingdom, but rather a spiritual one; and because He preached repentance, reformation, and a holy life; and because taught men to set their affection not on this world, but the next, they set themselves against Him to destroy him.
C. JUDAS ARRANGED WITH THE MOB THAT HIS METHOD OF BETRAYAL WOULD BE A KISS. (VERSES 44, 45)
1. The mob sent by the Jewish leaders had never seen Christ, nor heard Him speak, if they had, they would never have forgotten, and would not have needed this “token.”
2. Judas abused a special privilege enjoyed by Christ’s inner circle, and in doing so, feigned a deep respect for Him. He said, “Master, Master, and kissed him.”
D. THEY ARRESTED JESUS AND MADE HIM THEIR PRISONER. (VERSE 46)
1. They laid their hands on Him, we suspect, violently.
2. They took Him, no doubt, crediting themselves for the success of their mission. They had no idea that had it not been that His hour had come, their plot, their intelligence supplied by Judas, their force of numbers and weapons would have meant nothing. He would have slipped away from them as easily as He had avoided other attempts to take Him.
II. THERE WERE SOME VERY INTERESTING AND MEANINGFUL OCCURRENCES FOLLOWING CHRIST’S ARREST. (VERSES 47-50)
A. ONE OF THE ELEVEN WHICH STOOD WITH JESUS BEGAN TO DEFEND HIS MASTER WITH A SWORD. (VERSE 47)
1. Mark, though Peter was his source of knowledge, does not mention that it was he who drew out his sword here. In fact, though all four evangelists record the event, only John identifies Peter as the swordsman. (John 18:10)
2. We aren’t sure why Mark does not give Peter’s name; perhaps because this reaction was contrary to the spirit and purpose of Christ. (Matt 26:55) Another reason might be Peter’s obvious lack of skill as a swordsman. It is doubtful that he was aiming for the man’s ear.
3. Peter’s rashness notwithstanding, this was a show of loyalty on his part. Being for the present mindful of his former vow (Verses 29, 31), he here backs up his words with his actions.
a) This could have easily cost Peter his life, for we can be sure that those Roman soldiers did know how to use their swords. One stroke delivered in retaliation would have been deadly for Peter.
b) As for why it didn’t happen, we have our answer in John 18:8. Jesus, by His Sovereign command, had already put a wall of protection around His disciples, making them off limits.
c) Peter’s actions were also immediately corrected by our Lord’s miraculous restoration of the man’s ear. (Luke 22:51)
B. CHRIST ARGUES THE ABSURDITY OF THE GREAT SHOW OF FORCE ON THE PART OF THOSE WHO CAME TO ARREST HIM. (VERSES 48, 49)
1. That they had come out against Him as if He was a wanted malefactor, when, in fact, He was innocent of any crime, and had taught every day in the temple.
a) Those who sent this violent mob to arrest Him had daily access to Him.
b) His teachings were most excellent, His words were all wholesome words, nothing worthy of arrest. (Psa. 40:8-10)
2. That they came to take Him privately, whereas He was neither ashamed nor afraid to appear publicly. Of course, these facts were meant to show that it was the chief priests, scribes, and elders who were afraid, for they feared the people. (Ch. 12:12; 14:2)
3. That they came with swords and staves, as if He and His disciples were armed and dangerous.
a) They had but two swords among them, and we saw how able they were in using them.
b) Jesus forbade the use of the sword. He said to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world; if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews.” (John 18:36)
C. JESUS RECONCILED HIMSELF TO ALL OF THIS INJURIOUS AND SHAMEFUL TREATMENT BY NOTING THAT IT WAS ALL ACCORDING TO WHAT THE SCRIPTURES HAD PREDICTED. “BUT THE SCRIPTURES MUST BE FULFILLED.” (VERSE 49b; SEE ACTS 4:27, 28; PSA. 69:7, 19)
D. CHRIST’S DISCIPLES BECAME DESERTERS, AS IT WAS WRITTEN AND AS JESUS HAD JUST THIS NIGHT PREDICTED. (VERSES 27, 50; ZECH. 13:7)
1. The fact that the Scriptures had foretold this, and thus it must be, did not make it any less painful for Him.
2. We can so reason from the fact that He had lately indicated that He was comforted that they had hitherto continued with Him in a lesser trial. (Luke 22:28) We may well imagine what a grief it was to Him when they deserted Him in the hour of His greatest trial.
III. MARK TELLS OF A YOUNG MAN OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHO WAS BROUGHT INTO DANGER BY THE RIOT. (VERSES 51, 52) Only Mark records this event. It is the account of a certain young man, who was apparently not a disciple of Christ, but neither was he a part of the mob that came to arrest Him. He apparently lived near the garden.
A. HE WAS FRIGHTENED OUT OF HIS BED TO BECOME A SPECTATOR OF CHRIST’S SUFFERINGS.
1. The tumult had apparently awakened him, and he covered himself with a linen cloth, probably over his night clothes, and went out to see what the uproar was about.
2. The eleven had now fled, but this young man continued to follow. Perhaps he had heard of the fame of Jesus and was curious to see and hear Him.
B. HE WAS NEXT FRIGHTENED BACK TO HIS HOME BY THE TREATMENT HE RECEIVED FROM THE MOB. (VERSE 52)
1. The Roman soldiers, perhaps upset by the fact that they had allowed the disciples to get away, grabbed this young man.
2. They took hold of his linen covering which the young man left in their hands and ran home naked, i.e. without the outer garment.
3. This is an indication of what cruel people these were who were commissioned to carry out Christ’s arrest. We are thus made to understand what a narrow escape the disciples had of falling into their hands. It was Christ’s care of them that prevented their capture. “If it is me ye seek, let these go their way.” (John 18:8)
4. It is also intimated that there is no hold on those who follow Christ only out of curiosity, and not by faith and conscience.
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