Holy Week: Thursday, April 10, 32 A.D.
Posted By Joe on April 9, 2009
At some point on Wednesday, April 9, 32 A.D., Judas Iscariot made a deal with the chief priests to betray Jesus. The chief priests repeatedly tried to arrest Jesus but there was always a crowd around or Jesus alluded them miraculously. And now Judas, having secured thirty pieces of silver as a price on the head of the Creator of Universe, was now seeking his own opportunity to betray Jesus.
The Passion of the King: The Passover
Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?" And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is near; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'" The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover. Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples. --Matthew 26-17-20.
It sometimes amazes me that the disciples never could put it all together. First, Jesus told them on Sunday to bring Him a donkey that was tied up in a certain place and even told them what to say if anyone would question them. Now today, He tells them to arrange the Passover with a certain man who will know why they are asking. Did they not see that only God, or at the very least, a prophet could have described such things in detail before they occur?
John's gospel sets the stage of this evening in a little more detail.
Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. --John 13:1-5.
Although we are just at the beginning of Jesus' Passion, this passage describes how He will get through the next 24 hours.
- He knew His hour had come to depart from this world back to the Father. John 13:1.
- He knew that the Father had given all things into His hands. John 13:3.
- He knew that He had come forth from God. John 13:3.
- He knew He was going back to God. John 13:3.
After Jesus finishes washing the disciples' feet--John 13:6-17--Jesus sets the stage to put the spotlight on Judas.
"I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, 'He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against me.' From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He." --John 13:18-19.
Here Jesus is subtlety announcing there is a betrayer in their midst. He is also telling them directly that He will tell them everything that is going to happen so that when the next series of events happen "[they] may believe that I am He." This phrase "I am He" is the the name of the voice of the burning bush, the ineffable name of God as from Exodus 3:14. Jesus will use this again in the garden later this evening.
We pick up the narrative in Matthew now.
As they were eating, He said, "Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me." Being deeply grieved, they each one began to say to Him, "Surely not I, Lord?" And He answered, "He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me. The Son of Man is to go 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 not been born." --Matthew 26:21-24.
This passage is quite interesting in its application. Jesus clearly states that He is fulfilling prophecy "just as it is written of Him." Prophecy comes from God who know the beginning and the end. But look how Jesus ends the thought: "...woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!" Here Jesus seems to acknowledge Judas' free will choice to betray Him.
And Judas, who was betraying Him, said, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" Jesus said to him, "You have said it yourself." --Matthew 26:25.
So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night. --John 13:30.
In this series of events, the gospels each have a slightly different take. John's gospel says that Jesus took the bread and dipped it and gave it to Judas. After Judas took it, John's gospel clearly states:
"...Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly." --John 13:27.
John adds that the other disciples figured that Judas was going out to buy additional things for the Passover or to give money to the poor "because Judas had the money box," John 13:28.
While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom." --Matthew 26:26-29.
This is the Last Supper instituted formally by Christ. It should be noted that Jesus was bodily present there that evening when He spoke these words. The Bible does not indicate in any of the four Gospels that the bread was changed into His body. What is clear by the accounts is that the bread and the wine were representative of His body and His blood that He will be sacrificing as part of a new covenant. They are elements of a body that He lived in during a sinless life. Therefore, Jesus is fully qualified and capable to be the bearer of our sins as our High Priest.
What follows at this point are Jesus' messages from the Upper Room as found in John 14-16. It is a long passage that I encourage you to read through. Below is an outline:
- Concerning Heaven: Jesus here states "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." --John 14:6.
- Concerning the Holy Spirit: Jesus reassures them that He will send the Holy Spirit to them. He also says, "If anyone love Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me." --John 14:23-24.
- Concerning Peace: Jesus tells the disciples to rejoice that He returns to the Father. "I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me; but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me." --John 14:30-31.
- Concerning Fruitfulness: In this passage, Jesus speaks about Him being the vine and we the branches, "...apart from [Him] you can do nothing." --John 15:5
- Concerning the world: Jesus reminds us that if the world hates you (as a Christian), the world hated Him first. An interesting series of verses that I have forgotten about are: "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well." --John 15:22-24.
- Concerning the Holy Spirit: Jesus again brings the teaching back to the Holy Spirit, right after He speaks about the world hating [us]. "...it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me." --John 16:7-9.
- Concerning His Return: Half way through this portion of the narrative, the disciples finally tell Jesus that they "know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God." --John 16:30. Jesus then tells them that the hour has come when they will be scattered and will leave Him. But Jesus says He is not alone "because the Father is with Me." --John 16:32.
John chapter 17 is a prayer that Jesus prays as our High Priest. Jesus prays for His own glorification, the believer's protection, sanctification, unity, and the ultimate glorification of believers. At its core, it is an intercessory prayer by Jesus on behalf of those who will form the church. That's you and I!
After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. --Matthew 26:30.
The hymn was most likely Psalm 115-118 which is the traditional Passover Hallel. At this point, Jesus and the disciples leave the comforts of the Upper Room and set out into the darkness for the Garden of Gethsemane. Along the way, the following dialog takes place.
Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, 'I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.' But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee." But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away." Jesus said to him, "Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You." All the disciples said the same thing too. --Matthew 26:31-35.
In Chuck Missler's audio lesson, The Agony of Love, he points out that we always fail in our strongest suit or strength. It goes counter to what you'd expect. You'd think we'd fail in our weakest suit. Peter's strongest attribute was courage. We see glimpses of it here, with him asserting he would die for Jesus. We will also see flashes of it in the garden shortly. But where does Peter fail, and fail miserably? By not being courageous enough!
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." --Matthew 26:36.
The Passion of the King: The Garden of Gethsemane
The word Gethsemane means "oil press." It's a place where crushing takes place. It's another perfect example of how every place name in the Bible has some sort of significance. Jesus left eight of the disciples at this point as sort of a guard over where they were. In the next passage, we will see Jesus taking Peter and James and John with Him a little further into the garden.
And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me." And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will." And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done." Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. Then He came to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!" --Matthew 26:37-46.
Jesus prays three times for God to find another way to deal with our sin problem. Three times Jesus asks God the Father that if there is another way for us to come to God and deal with our sin, "let's do it," effectively. If there was any way to God but through Jesus Christ and the cross, then Jesus' prayer wasn't answered.
We pick up the narrative in John's gospel now.
Now Judas also, who was betraying Him, knew the place, for Jesus had often met there with His disciples. Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. --John 18:2-3.
This is the familiar scene we've seen in movies where the soldiers show up to arrest Jesus. Most recently, this was seen in Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. In that movie, only a few of the temple guards show up to arrest Jesus. The reality is that not only did the temple guard come, but the Jewish authorities had also received a Roman cohort to be there. You might miss what this scene probably looked like in reality. A Roman cohort is 300-600 soldiers! More than likely, they were intending on arresting Jesus and the eleven disciples. Why else would they have sent 300+ soldiers to arrest one man?
In spite of this large group of soldiers, Jesus boldly takes command of the situation.
So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, "Whom do you seek?" They answered Him, "Jesus the Nazarene." He said to them, "I am He." And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. --John 18:4-5.
Jesus' response, "I am He" is literally translated "I AM." Is is the "I am that I am," or in Hebrew, אהיה אשר אהיהr pronounced "Ehyeh asher ehyeh." The ineffable name of God. The voice of the burning bush. The Creator of the Universe!
So when He said to them, "I am He," they drew back and fell to the ground. --John 18:6.
I personally don't believe this is falling down in worship. Remember that the majority of the personnel there are 300 pagan, Roman soldiers. No, I believe that this is Jesus asserting His divinity. This, I believe is a demonstration of Philippians 2:10:
...so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth.
I believe that they had no choice or ability to stand in the presence of the I AM.
Therefore He again asked them, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus the Nazarene." Jesus answered, "I told you that I am He; so if you seek Me, let these go their way," to fulfill the word which He spoke, "Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one." --John 18:7-9.
Still not convinced of Jesus' authority and in charge of everything happening here? Jesus is commanding 300 Roman soldiers to let His disciples go! Jesus isn't afraid or out of control in this situation. He calmly and assertively demonstrates His authority. Further, we see His shepherd's heart for His sheep. He's protecting them to the last.
A side note here for which I need to give credit to Chuck Missler for the observation. If you look up John 18:9 in your Bible, you might assume that John is quoting a fulfillment from the Old Testament. However, when John says "to fulfill the word which He spoke" John is referring to his gospel! John is, in essence quoting John 17:12 and putting his own gospel on par with the rest of the New Testament!
Simon Peter then, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave's name was Malchus. So Jesus said to Peter, "Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?" --John 17:10-11.
Luke records Jesus healing Malchus' ear in Luke 22:51. That is the last miracle Jesus would perform during His earthly ministry.
Tomorrow we will look at Jesus' six Jewish and six Roman trials leading up to the cross.
May He Increase!
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" Why else would they have sent 300+ soldiers to arrest one man?"
The fact that Judas, and also the enemies of Jesus, had witnessed many miracles makes them realize that Jesus has supernatural power and that He might use it.
Also....you pointed out John 17:12. Hmm......I'm starting to think you are doing this deliberately because that verse has "election" mentioned in it. There are certain things in Scripture that are not contradictory, but they certainly are paradoxical. Election and free will happen to be one of those. It is one of those things that we simply do not understand. Some people think they have this one figured out........but I certainly don't!
Ike,
You could right about the 300 soldiers. But I do believe the main reason is that they were going to capture the disciples, too. That's why Jesus told them, to let them go and take Him alone. Jesus certainly knew what their intentions were and that's why He said that.
Election and free-will...sometimes I think I have at least a good understanding of it, but I will never say I fully understand it just as I will never fully comprehend the Trinity, although I believe it in it fully. The most I can say--as I'm not a theologian on paper or by title--is that God has given each of us free-will. God wants us to love Him out of our free will choice. Otherwise, it's not love, is it? If it's compulsion, that's not love. But since God is eternal--without beginning and without end--then from His vantage point, He knows beforehand what we will do or what we will choose.
As I'm mentioned repeatedly here, one of my favorite Bible teachers is Chuck Missler. He has a way of explaining this that I'm not sure I can do it justice here. We human beings are bound by time and space. We live on a fixed time line, so to speak. But God is spirit. For a time 2,000 years ago, He became flesh and blood like us. But God is eternal and outside our time and space domain. The closest visual I can think of is a parade. If we are sitting in the bleachers at the bottom, we can only see what is in front of us. But God sits at the top row. From that vantage point, He can see around the corner and see what's coming before we do. He can also see what's down the line after we have seen it. It's a very simplistic model, but it is the closest I can come up with.
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[...] After Jesus and His disciples shared the Passover meal, they set out for the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. The hour had come for the Son of Man to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. [...]