Jesus Arrested in the Garden
March 26, 2020
Commentary
At the conclusion of “The Last Supper” in the upper room, Jesus crossed over the brook Kidron to the Garden of Gethsemane which is located at the foot of the mount of Olives. This was a customary place of retirement when in Jerusalem (v. 39). Peter, James and John were selected to be near Christ in a time of prayer while the others remained some distance away (Matt 26:36-38). The geographical location of the Garden of Gethsemane is not nearly as important as the spiritual lessons we can learn.
The Costly Cup (vv. 40-46). Here in the garden, Jesus was surrendered to die for our sins. He knew He would be raised from the dead, and yet His soul experienced great agony. The Hypocritical Kiss (vv. 47-48). It was customary in that day for people to greet their teachers with a loving and respectful kiss. However, Judas was deceitful and a liar just like Satan, as he used the kiss to tell the arresting officers who Jesus was. The Useless Sword (vv. 49-53). While Jesus was surrendering, Peter was busy declaring war! John 18:10 identifies Peter as the one who chopped off the ear of Malchus, the servant of the high priest. Some have suggested that Peter was aiming for the head.
Application
The choices I have in life are whether I will go through life pretending, like Judas; or fighting, like Peter; or yielding to God’s perfect will, like Jesus.
Luke 22:39– 53 (NET)
39 Then Jesus went out and made his way, as he customarily did, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 When he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He went away from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.” [ 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And in his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.] 45 When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping, exhausted from grief. 46 So he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you will not fall into temptation!”
47 While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd appeared, and the man named Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He walked up to Jesus to kiss him. 48 But Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49 When those who were around him saw what was about to happen, they said, “Lord, should we use our swords?” 50 Then one of them struck the high priest’s slave, cutting off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said, “Enough of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders who had come out to get him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs like you would against an outlaw? 53 Day after day when I was with you in the temple courts, you did not arrest me. But this is your hour, and that of the power of darkness!”
Illustration: Martin Luther Praying According to God’s Will
Here’s a good example of learning to pray according to God’s will: “Martin Luther, the father of the Protestant Reformation, had a good friend and assistant by the name of Friedrich Myconius. In 1540, Myconius became sick and was expected to die. On his deathbed he wrote a tender farewell letter to Luther. When Luther read the message, he immediately sent a reply: ‘I command thee in the name of God to live because I still have need of thee in the work of reforming the church…The Lord will never let me hear that thou art dead, but will permit thee to survive me. For this I am praying, this is my will, and may my will be done, because I seek only to glorify the name of God.’ “While those words might seem bold and brash, the fact is Myconius, who had already lost the ability to speak when Luther’s reply came, soon recovered from his illness and lived six more years. He died two months after Luther did.” (Ray Pritchard’s book, Beyond All You Could Ask or Think).