Sunday, March 26, 2017 - The Arrest of Jesus!
Pastor Roger C. Marcos
March 26, 2017
During the last year of the ministry of Jesus, the hostility of the Jews to Him had greatly increased, and some six months before they finally succeeded in accomplishing their purpose, they had definitely resolved to make away with Him
From the Bible, we’ve learned that Jesus had a special dinner with His disciples. We call it the “Last Supper”. During this communion meal, Jesus taught His disciples to remember Him. As Jesus washed their feet, He taught them to serve each other.
Jesus also told His disciples that not all who followed Him were *true* believers. When Jesus announced that one of the 12 would betray Him, the disciples were shocked. However, Judas knew that it was him, even though the other disciples had no idea. They all began to make great claims to follow Jesus no matter what. But Jesus knew their hearts - and their weaknesses. Jesus told Peter that he would deny Him 3 times before the rooster crowed the next morning. This made all of the disciples very sad
Garden of Gethsemane
Remember: After the dinner, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray.
Jesus prayed to strengthen Himself. While He was praying, He asked His disciples to pray with Him. The disciples kept falling asleep.
It is in the Garden of Gethsemane that we can begin to see the agony that sin brings. Jesus knew what He was about to suffer on the cross. He prayed so earnestly that the Bible says that He sweat drops of blood! All He wanted His disciples to do was PRAY. Instead, they slept. Three times Jesus asks them to pray; three times, He finds them asleep. Though they just vowed their allegiance to Him, they could not even pray. Jesus suffered alone.
Matt. 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:2-12
John 18:1-14
Verse 1: "When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered."
Gethsemane mean OLIVE PRESS. He went there to plead the Father.
The Kidron Valley is actually a dry waterbed with water only during the rainy season, so crossing it in April would have not involved getting wet. The site is still identifiable.
The garden is the "Garden of Gethsemane." It is located somewhere on the lower slopes of the Mount of Olives, and is very likely where the arrest of Jesus took place.
Matthew 26:36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Verse 2-3 "Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples.
Judas, "Knew the place," means that he was very familiar with the Mount of Olives, and knew this was where they would find Him.
Mark 14:17-21- 17 In the evening He came with the twelve. 18 Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me.”
19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say to Him one by one, “Is it I?” And another said, “Is it I?”
20 He answered and said to them, “It is one of the twelve, who dips with Me in the dish. 21 The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had never been born.”
Verse 43-49
3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns, and torches and weapons."
To Procure means to - “to obtain something, especially by effort.” Not only did Judas betray Jesus, but also assembled the soldiers and officers who went with him.
The officers from the Chief Priest and Pharisees making the arrest of Jesus, were most likely temple guards who had authority under the Jewish leaders to make arrests.
The Roman soldiers did not arrest Jesus, they simply accompanied the temple guard for added security.
An indication of how poorly He was understood by the authorities, is that they brought torches and lanterns in their search for the Light of the World.
Verse 4-5 "Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, "Whom do you seek?" They answered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am he." Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them."
44 Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely.”
45 As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
John only tells us that Judas was standing with them. He does not mention Judas' kiss, which would have taken place just before or after Jesus' question. (IVP New Testament Commentary)
Jesus fully realized all that would happen to Him, yet, stepped forward, and asked who they were looking for. When they said, "Jesus of Nazareth," He responded with, "I Am He."
Verse 6: "When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground."- Exo. 3:14God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
It may seem that Jesus is simply acknowledging that He is Jesus from Nazareth; However, this Scripture has been identified as one of the great "I AM" statements that Jesus used to identify His Deity, as "God the Son."
This would explain why His Words had such an impact on the troops. The mighty Roman Soldiers, and the highly trained temple guards fell to the ground from the mighty power unleashed by His Words. We aren't told that Judas was among those who fell.
Verse 7-8: "So he asked them again, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go."
Even at this point, Jesus is protecting His own, giving Himself up on their behalf.
Verse 9: "This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: "Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one."
At least twice, Jesus has made the statement that none of those the Father had given Him were lost, except for Judas Iscariot.
Verse 10: "Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?"
Here, in John's eyewitness account of the arrest of Jesus, Peter impulsively cuts off the ear of the high priest's servant.
This servant was a powerful person with much authority. We also see the love, mercy, and healing power of Jesus.
Jesus was in complete control, and did not allow anything to interfere with, "the cup of suffering" He was about to endure. He was determined to carry out the mission assigned to Him by the Father.
Verse 12: "So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him."
The Greek translation for the word, "Captain" literally means, "One in charge of a thousand men."
So they arrested Jesus, bound him as a common criminal, and took him to Annas for Questioning.
Although Jesus was in complete control, He allowed Himself to be bound and led as a sheep to the slaughter.
Prophecy: "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth," (Isaiah 53:7).