Luke 22:39-71 Good Friday Was Not So Good For Jesus!
Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives
39 Jesus went out as usual to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples followed him. 40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.[c] 45 When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow. 46 “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray so that you will not fall into temptation.”
As Jesus came to the Mount of Olives 24 hours before he would be hung on a cross. He was understandably needing some strength from His Father. So he did what he always did, he went to prayer. Apparently this place by the Mount of Olives was a favorite spot he and his disciples had prayed before. This was also called the "Garden of Gethsemane".
Do you have favorite spot to pray?
He also knew his disciples needed to pray, because they would have their own cross to bear. So, he told them to pray specifically, "Pray that you will not fall into temptation". Rather than praying they fell asleep, and Jesus told them to get up and pray. In another version an exasperated Jesus says, "Could you not pray with me for one hour?"
We see Jesus' humanity here. As he thinks about the suffering on the cross that lies ahead of him he prays, "Father, if you are willing take this cup from me, yet not my will, but yours be done." God sent an angel from heaven to strengthen him.
In response to Jesus’ prayers, the Father did not take the cup from Jesus; but He strengthened Jesus by angelic messengers to be able to take – and drink – the cup. - Guzik
We how intense Jesus' prayer was as it says, "His sweat was like drops of blood". Some had made a case that this literally happened, but I think Luke was using figurative language do describe how Jesus was profusely sweating and agonizing over what lie ahead of him.
Jesus Arrested
47 While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49 When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered, “No more 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 for him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? 53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.”
This is the famous passage where "Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss". The kiss was a sign to the mob that pointed out who Jesus was. A kiss was also how a disciple greeted his master. The fact that there was a crowd that had gathered pointed to the fact that the religious leaders thought Jesus might fight to resist his arrest. This is odd because Jesus had never given any evidence of being a violent man.
The disciples jumped up ready to fight. From John's gospel, we know it was Peter who brandished his sword and cut off the ear of a servant of the high priest. One might think this was an honorable gesture on Peter's part, but Jesus rebuked him and miraculously touched the man's ear and healed it. This will be a theme in the next 24 hours that Jesus has mercy on those who participated in his demise and death.
Jesus remarks to the leaders that he is not leading a rebellion (insurrection), so what's with the armed mob? The time had now come when Jesus' mission would be fulfilled and first stop was the cross. It was a time of darkness.
Peter Disowns Jesus
54 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest. Peter followed at a distance. 55 And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. 56 A servant girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, “This man was with him.” 57 But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know him,” he said. 58 A little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” “Man, I am not!” Peter replied. 59 About an hour later another asserted, “Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.” 60 Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.
Do you remember when Peter said, "Even if everyone denies you, I never will!"? Today will show a different story. When Jesus was led away, Peter cautiously followed from a distance. After all, if he was connected to Jesus, it might lead to a similar fate. Three different people recognized Peter and remembered him being with Jesus. Each time Peter denied knowing Jesus seemingly more vehement each time. When the rooster crowed, Peter remembered what the Lord had said. The realization of how he had let his master down hit him hard. He went outside and wept.
Though it might be easy to get down on Peter, would you have done anything differently? The Romans were known to be merciless on those they thought were planning a rebellion. It might even cost him his life. Would you have done any different?
The Guards Mock Jesus
63 The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. 64 They blindfolded him and demanded, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” 65 And they said many other insulting things to him.
We have to keep in mind during all of these events that Jesus was the Son of God. He was God. The abuse he took was in obedience to His Father and love for us! It's quite humbling actually.
Jesus Before Pilate and Herod
66 At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and the teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. 67 “If you are the Messiah,” they said, “tell us.” Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, 68 and if I asked you, you would not answer. 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.” 70 They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?” He replied, “You say that I am.” 71 Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.”
It was now dawn of the day we call "Good Friday". It certainly didn't start out good for Jesus. The Jewish leaders all came to meet Jesus. The problem Jesus was causing with them, their people, and now the Roman government had become an intractable situation. Somebody had to put a stop to it and it was their job to do it. Whether they truly cared or not, they asked Jesus if he was truly the Messiah.
They wanted to hear from Jesus Himself if He claimed to be the Messiah. Again, this was all a formality because they had already passed judgment on Jesus with the illegal trial held the night before (Matthew 26:57-68), where essentially the same question was asked (Matthew 26:63) - Guzik
Once Jesus admitted he was the Messiah, they had all they needed. Given that they set up the arrest of Jesus by getting Peter to "rat him out", everything was going "swimmingly" at this point. Next stop Pontius Pilate the Roman Governor.
Comments
Post a Comment