39 And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. 40 When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “ Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, 42 saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” 43 Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. 45 When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, 46 and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”
47 While He was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was preceding them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. 48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49 When those who were around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” 50 And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered and said, “Stop! No more of this.” And He touched his ear and healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders who had come against Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against a robber? 53 While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.”
54 Having arrested Him, they led Him away and brought Him to the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance. 55 After they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter was sitting among them. 56 And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking intently at him, said, “This man was with Him too.” 57 But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.” 58 A little later, another saw him and said, “You are one of them too!” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!” 59 After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, saying, “Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean too.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had told him, “ Before a rooster crows today, you will deny Me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly.
63 Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking Him and beating Him, 64 and they blindfolded Him and were asking Him, saying, “ Prophesy, who is the one who hit You?” 65 And they were saying many other things against Him, blaspheming.
66 When it was day, the Council of elders of the people assembled, both chief priests and scribes, and they led Him away to their council chamber, saying, 67“ If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe; 68 and if I ask a question, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 70 And they all said, “Are You the Son of God, then?” And He said to them, “Yes, I am.” 71 Then they said, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.”
Observation – What does it say?
- Jesus was went to the Mount of Olives at night verse 21:37 also says that Jesus spent the night on the Mount of Olives.
- The disciples went with Jesus to the Mount of Olives
- Jesus told the disciples to pray the they not enter into temptation
- Jesus went about a stones throw probably about 20 yards to pray.
- Jesus prayed that the cup be removed from him.
- Jesus prayed that the Father will be done
- An angel appeared to Jesus
- The angel strengthened Jesus
- Jesus was in agony
- Jesus prayed fervently
- Jesus sweat became like drops of blood
- The sweat or blood was voluminous enough to drop to the ground
- When Jesus returned to the disciple he found them sleeping
- The disciples were sleeping from sorrow. What does this mean?
- Jesus asked them why they were sleeping?
- Jesus told the disciples to get up and pray that they do not enter temptation
- This was the second time Jesus told them to pray they do not enter temptation
- While Jesus was telling the disciples to pray a crowd arrived.
- The crowd was comprised of Judas, chief priests officers of the temple and elders
- Judas led the crowd
- Judas is referred to as one of the twelve
- This designation as one of the twelve is repeated from 22:3
- Judas approached Jesus to kiss Him.
- Jesus ask Judas if he was really going kiss him as an act of betrayal
- Jesus asks are you really going to do this with a kiss?
- When the disciple realized what was happening they asked if they should strike with the sword
- Jesus earlier in the upper room told them 2 swords were
- Jesus had told the disciples if they did not have a sword they were to buy one.
- The disciples pointed out the were two swords and Jesus said that was enough.
- Before Jesus can respond to the question, one of the disciples struck the slave of the high priest
- The slave’s right ear was cut off
- Jesus immediately stopped the attack or defense depending on the point of view.
- Jesus healed the ear of the slave
- Jesus asked them why they came armed as if they were going after someone dangerous.
- Jesus pointed out he had been with them everyday but they did not come then.
- Jesus pointed out that the night and darkness was where their power lay
- The crowd arrested Jesus
- Jesus was taken to the home of the high priest.
- Peter followed Jesus at a distance
- A fire was built in the middle to the high priest courtyard
- The one who had arrested Jesus sat down around the fire and Peter sat with them
- A servant-girl recognized Peter in the light of the fire.
- The servant-girl looked at Peter intently
- The servant-girl said Peter was with Jesus too.
- Peter denied it
- A man saw Peter and recognized him and Said he was one of them too.
- Peter denied it
- About a hour later Peter was outed again and another man
- He was recognized as a Galilean
- Peter said he had no idea what the man was talking about.
- The rooster crowed while Peter was denying Jesus.
- Jesus turned to look at Peter
- Peter remembered the word Jesus said
- Peter left and wept
- Peter wept bitterly
- The Jesus was mocked
- Jesus was beaten
- Jesus was blindfolded
- Jesus was told to prophesy who hit him.
- The men holing Jesus were blaspheming
- When day break came Council of elders and of people assembled
- Jesus was led away to the council chambers
- They did not ask if Jesus was the Christ the demand he tell them if he was.
- Jesus said they would not believe the answer
- Jesus said if he asked a question they would not answer.
- Jesus said the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God from then on.
- They asked Jesus if he was the Son of God.
- Jesus said he was the Son of God.
- They said Jesus had condemned himself they did not need testimony.
Interpretation – What does it mean?
As I read this section of scripture I get an over whelming feeling of despair and loneliness. Jesus goes by himself to pray. He asked that the disciples to pray. When Jesus returns he finds them asleep. They too new something was wrong because Luke says they were a sleep from sorrow. Judas now arrives, one of the 12, the inner circle. Judas had been with Jesus through all of Jesus trials Judas was a friend. Judas was trusted. Judas had just sat in a place of honor at the supper. Yet it is Judas who was the one who betrayed Jesus. Jesus new what was happening. Jesus knew what was about to happen. Yet even while he is being arrested He heals a wound of one of his attackers. To say that Jesus cared for others would be to understate the fact. Jesus is led away and held until morning. This had to be done at night because Jesus spent his days in the temple and the people had prevent the chief priests and scribes from killing Jesus before. This needed to be done in secret, out of the sight of everyone. The actual trail could not take place until day break. So as they held Jesus until morning. They beat him and made sport of him. Here is God, the creator of heaven and earth, being mocked. He was blindfolded and struck. Think about being in that situation not knowing when or where the next blow would come. You could not even brace for it. To the captors Jesus appeared to be impotent. This great teacher who could healed the sick and raised the dead. They had power over him They controlled him. They were able to beat him. All this supported their idea that he was a false teacher, a false prophet, a false Messiah. Otherwise he would have stopped them. The penalty for being a false prophet was death. Yes in their mind Jesus was getting what he deserved. All this and Jesus knew the severity would only escalate.
Peter who hours ago said he would be willing to go to jail or die for Christ denies he ever knew who Christ was. What he had done does sinks in until the rooster crows and Christ looks at him. At that point he realizes that he had betrayed the Lord he loved. He leaves and weeps bitterly.
Day break finally comes and Jesus can be taken before the council. It was against Jewish law to have held the trial at night. Jesus is quizzed about who he was. They ask him if he is the Messiah. But Christ says they will not believe him nor would they not answer questions. They finally ask him if he is the son of God. He answers yes and now they have their reason to condemn him. Because he made himself equal to God.
Application – How does it work?
Do people know you have been with Christ? How? Peter was found out because he spent a lot of time with Jesus. Others had seen him with Jesus. But even Peter’s close relationship did not keep him from betraying Jesus. Do you love Christ? Peter loved the Lord. When he realized what he had done he wept bitterly. What is your reaction when you sin? Do you simply say your sins are covered by grace and go on your way? Do are you truly repentant? Do you love the Jesus? Or are you it a cultural Christian? Do You simply have a lifestyle that others believe is a Christian lifestyle? Or do you have a lifestyle where Christ is first, last and always. Do you even realize your sin? If you do realize your sin what is your reaction? Do you wept bitterly or do you shrug it off saying, “God loves me just the way I am.” Do you realize that even your at your best you are a wretched sinner. You, me, we all need Christ forgiveness and His atoning blood if we are to stand before a holy God and avoid His wrath.
