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285. Jesus Arrested

Zechariah 13:6-9, Matthew 26:43-56, Mark 14:43-52, Luke 22:47-53, John 18:2-11
Key Verse: "Do you not think I cannot call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"
Matthew 26:53-54

"Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." (Proverbs 27:5-6) It is interesting that Judas would choose to point out Jesus, to the guards, through a kiss. Sadly, he was only fooling himself. He wasn't fooling Jesus.

In this event, we see how the passions and emotions of the people around Jesus begin to rule them in this moment. There is the kiss of betrayal. Then there is the sword, taken from the upper room earlier and wielded by an untrained, inexperienced fisherman.  There is the shock and surprise of the wounded man being injured and then being healed by the one he was supposed to place under arrest.  There was also brute force from bullies too full of cowardice to do the deed in the open. It's all there, but standing in the midst of it all is Jesus, calm and in control. Just as He had calmed many storms on the water, now, He walks across this situation, choosing to move forward. Why? Because, He knows who He is and what He has come to do. Even now, as mob rule begins to emerge, Jesus remains calm.

First, there is Judas turning on his onetime teacher. Yet, Jesus is not caught off guard by this as His disciples probably are. Instead, He lovingly says, "Friend, do what you came to do." (Matthew 26:50) Jesus does not chastise or judge. Even in this moment, He offers His friendship to Judas. He offers forgiveness and relationship. Judas may have done wrong, but for Jesus, Judas' actions were not beyond forgiveness.

Then, there is the mob. Was it just the temple guards or were some of the leadership along? It's hard to say depending upon which account we read. Jesus obviously could have slipped away, as he had done when His own home folk had tried to kill Him, (Luke 4:16-30) especially since they didn't seem to recognize Him at first.  But He faced His opponents because He knew who He was and He knew who was really in control and He knew that His time had come.

Jesus points out how underhanded they are being. "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. But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled." (Matthew 26:55-56) They thought that they were in control, but Jesus knew who really was.

Then came the fulfillment of the Prophet Zechariah, "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will scatter," (Zech. 13:7B) That’s exactly how it happened.  Jesus was arrested, "Then all the disciples deserted Him and fled." (Matthew 26:56B) He knew. He knew it all, and He loved them anyway.

Just as Jesus often made comments to prepare His disciples for this moment in time; throughout history, through the Prophets, God gave hints of what would happen. He did this to show that He knew all along. He did this to show that He is always in control of the outcome. The same confidence that Jesus demonstrated as He began to walk through what must have been the worst nightmare possible is there for us as well. Why? It is there for us because He also walks with us through our trials. We can stand as He did because He is in us. "Greater is He who is in you than He that is in the world. (1 John 4:4). Praise the Lord!

Hymn: "My Soul, Be on Thy Guard" 

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