50 Jesus said, “My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.”
Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him. 51 But one of the men with Jesus pulled out his sword and struck the high priest’s slave, slashing off his ear.
52 “Put away your sword,” Jesus told him. “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. 53 Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands[g] of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? 54 But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” This tells me that when Jesus prayed to God to have this cup removed from him he knew that God would grant that prayer if Jesus truly wanted it. God looked past that prayer and to the heart of Jesus and answered his true prayer. The prayer that only his soul could pray. Jesus knew he had to suffer the cross in order to save us. I think this happens a lot with us. We pray for something that we truly don't want even if we aren't aware of it. God is able to look past or words to our heart and hear the unspoken prayer that we are really praying but maybe unable. And that is the prayer that gets answered. Sometimes it's painful just like it was for Jesus. I'm so grateful that I can depend on God's wisdom and not my own.
55 Then Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I some dangerous revolutionary, that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me? Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there teaching every day. 56 But this is all happening to fulfill the words of the prophets as recorded in the Scriptures.” At that point, all the disciples deserted him and fled.
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Allen Michaels: 47 While he 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 the elders of the people.
48 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.”
49 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
This was not an arrest by Roman soldiers under Roman law, but an arrest
by the religious
leaders. Judas pointed Jesus out not because Jesus was hard to
recognize, but because Judas had agreed to be the formal accuser in case
a trial was called. He betrayed his friend and probably the only person
who didn’t see him as a traitor after the arrest.
50 Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.”
Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him.
51 With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword,
drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his
ear.
Jesus
met his betrayal and arrest with serenity and with confident trust in
his Father. He knew that this was Satan's hour of darkness but God's
light and truth would prevail
in the end. How did the other apostles meet this trial? They were
unprepared even though Jesus has warned them about his betrayal. And
they had forgotten God for the moment. Their will was to resist force
with force rather than peaceably submit to God's
will. Jesus never failed to show mercy and compassion even to his
enemies. Luke tells us that Jesus "touched" the severed ear and healed
the high priest's slave who had been struck by one of Jesus' own
disciples (Luke 22:51). When adversity strikes how
do we respond; with fear and panic or with confident hope and trust in God?
52 “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.
53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?
54 But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?”
Jesus
met rejection not with bitterness or resentment, but with love and
pity. God will never stop loving us no matter how far we stray from him
or abandon hope. When we encounter
injury and rejection from others, how do we respond; with merciful love
and a forgiving heart or with bitterness and revenge?
55 In that hour Jesus said to the crowd, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come
out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I sat in the temple courts teaching, and you did not arrest me.
56 But this has all taken place that the writings of the
prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and
fled.
There are two passages in the Bible telling us how Judas died:
“Then
he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went
and hanged himself. (Matthew 27:5), and “Now this man purchased a field
with the wages
of iniquity; and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all
his entrails gushed out.” (Acts 1:18)
In all reality Judas hung himself and remained there in the
hot sun until decomposition got to the point to where he just exploded,
or the rope eventually gave way and Judas split open when he hit the
ground. My first reaction is “he should have stood on a block of ice
with a meat hook under his chin. Hanging was too
fast.” However, I must remind myself that this was prophesized almost
from the beginning of time. This was part of God’s perfect plan; to
appear as Jesus (God in human form, even though God still exists as God)
and to die for our sins. It was inevitable that
Christ die. I often wonder where Judas is going to spend eternity. On
one hand he was part of God’s perfect plan for salvation of all mankind,
for without the death of Christ, we have no hope for salvation…which is
good. On the other hand he essentially renounced
Christ and his teachings…which is very bad.
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Tomorrow's Reading for Matthew 26:57-75
59 The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 60 But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally two came forward 61 and declared, “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’”
62 Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent.
The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”
64 “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”[e]
65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. 66 What do you think?”
“He is worthy of death,” they answered.
67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”
69 Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him. “You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.
70 But he denied it before them all. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said.
71 Then he went out to the gateway, where another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This fellow was with Jesus of Nazareth.”
72 He denied it again, with an oath: “I don’t know the man!”
73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them; your accent gives you away.”
74 Then he began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”
Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: “Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly.
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