Introduction

‘Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. ‘But not during the festival,’ they said, ‘or the people may riot.’ While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, ‘Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.’ And they rebuked her harshly. ‘Leave her alone,’ said Jesus. ‘Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.’ Mark 14:1-9

Don’t Get Confused!

As we approach this text, many people make the mistake of mixing this Simon, with the Simon we find in Luke’s account in Luke 7:36-50.

The Simon referred to in Matthew’s account is the Simon who had been cured of leprosy, Matthew 26:6 / Mark 14:3, and possibly out of thankfulness hosted a dinner in his home in honour of Jesus.

Robertson in his commentary says the following:

‘This anointing has nothing in common with that given by Luke, except the fact of a woman anointing the Saviour’s feet, and the name Simon, which was common. The former was in Galilee; this is at Bethany near Jerusalem. There the host despised the woman who anointed; here, her brother is one of the guests, and her sister is an active attendant. There the woman was a sinner, a notoriously bad woman; here it is the devout Mary who ‘sat at the Lord’s feet and heard his words,’ months before. There the host thought it strange that Jesus allowed her to touch him; here the disciples complained of the waste. There the Saviour gave assurance of forgiveness, here of perpetual and worldwide honour. Especially notice that here the woman who anoints is anticipating his speedy death and burial, of which at the former time he had never distinctly spoken. In view of all these differences, it is absurd to represent the two anointings as the same, and outrageous on such slender grounds to cast reproach on Mary of Bethany.’

In John 12:1, we find some confusion over the timing, John tells us six days before Passover. Matthew 26:2, and Mark 12:1, suggest that this occurred at different times, two days before Passover. It may have been that Jesus arrived on Friday, but the dinner took place on Tuesday.

Jesus returns from Ephraim to Bethany after spending some time there. This coming Passover, Mark 14:1 / John 12:1, would occur after His death on the cross but before His resurrection. Jesus was walking into danger and the rulers were determined to kill Him, Mark 14:1 / John 11:53.

He was going deliberately to His death, Mark 10:32-34. The rulers didn’t want to arrest Him during the feast, Matthew 26:4-5 / Mark 14:2, because of the fear of a riot but He over-ruled their plans.

The ‘supper’ is the main meal, usually in the evening and it was a dinner in Jesus’ honour, John 12:2. It was in the house of Simon the leper, Matthew 26:6 / Mark 14:1, probably one whom Jesus had healed. Assuming Simon was host, there were fifteen men present, Simon, Jesus, the twelve, Lazarus, and Martha ‘served’, John 12:2 / Luke 10:40.

Jesus has the opportunity to spend some last moments with the people He loves, His good friends Lazarus and the sisters, John 12:2.

These must have been very precious moments for the Lord as He knew His time was drawing closer. It seems likely that a four-day gap occurred between John 12:1 and John 12:2.

Mary is mentioned, John 12:3, but in Matthew and Mark she isn’t named. She took ‘a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume,’ Matthew 26:7 / Mark 14:3 / John 12:3, its value was around 300 denarii which is equal to 300 days’ wages for a working man, John 12:5 / Matthew 20:2.

The nard that Mary used is better known as spikenard, an expensive perfume imported from India. It was far more expensive than the ordinary man in the street could ever hope to be able to afford, and it is possible that this had been a much-prized possession of the woman. It was highly scented and was normally used on the hair as a perfume and oil together.

She ‘anointed the feet of Jesus’, John 12:3. Matthew 26:7 and Mark 14:3 tell us that she anointed His head also. Anointing the head was a way of honouring a special guest, Psalm 23:5 / Luke 7:46.

John recalls that Mary’s loving act went beyond the customary practice, John 12:3. A respectable Jewish woman wouldn’t let down her hair in public because in doing so, she might be regarded as a woman of loose morality, but Mary was forgetful of propriety under the compulsion of love.

This was the second time something such as this had happened to the Lord, Luke 7:38, and it was a great act of humility for Mary to wipe Jesus’ feet with her hair as the washing of feet was normally done by a servant, John 13:1-17 / Matthew 26:17-35.

The fact that John was present is proven by him remembering the strong scent filling the house, John 12:3. Note that each time we meet Mary in the narrative we find her at the feet of Jesus, we see that here, and in Luke 10:39 / John 11:32.

In John 12:4-6 we see Judas Iscariot objects to the ‘wasting’ of this expensive perfume. Matthew and Mark, both tell us that Judas found some support among the twelve for his objection, Matthew 26:8 / Mark 14:4, it seems that they too were more concerned with the value of material things.

At first glance we may even have some sympathy for Judas as the poor of the region would have benefited greatly from the money to be made by selling the perfume, Matthew 26:8-9 / Mark 14:4-5.

However, we see that it’s clear that Judas was the treasurer and John tells us that he wasn’t really concerned about the poor but more concerned with lining his own pocket, John 12:6.

Mary’s act is an act of love towards her Master, and she had her priorities right because she could have sold it and given the money to the poor. She chose instead to use it to anoint Jesus and seized an opportunity she would never have again.

It was a personal expression of her true feelings and her thanks for the raising of her brother Lazarus just a few weeks earlier, John 11:38-44. When we examine the motive behind Judas’ apparent indignation, one sees a rather sad picture.

Jesus demands total honesty from His followers and here, amid the group of believers is this thief. Judas, the man who was to sell the Lord for thirty pieces of silver was already guilty, Matthew 26:14-16.

The lesson to be learnt here is interesting, anyone, given the responsibility of keeping the ‘church finds’ needs to calculate the spending without error.

They must keep unquestionable account of all entrusted to them and they must be unscrupulously honest, ready to give account at all times.

A hint toward balance is given in Matthew 26:10-12 / Mark 14:6-8 / John 12:7-8. We must balance our giving as individuals as well as a church and we need to ensure we don’t squander the Lord’s money on trivialities such as expensive gardens and excessive buildings and decorations while people around the building are starving either physically or spiritually. Balance in all things is always demanded of the Christian.

Mary was being criticized by Judas, and if we seek the parallel account in the Gospels, by the other disciples present, Jesus comes to her rescue, He tells them to leave her alone, Mark 14:6. It’s clear from John 12:4, that Judas spoke directly to Mary about the waste and I’m sure they would have stepped in to stop her from wasting any more oil on Jesus if Jesus hadn’t stopped them.

I love it when Jesus speaks up and defends the innocent as He does here, He even pays her a high compliment.

Mary was more concerned about showing her love and appreciation of Jesus than the others were, and Jesus wasn’t about to stop her. Nothing was too valuable in her eyes for Jesus.

‘It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial’, Jesus says, Matthew 26:12 / Mark 14:8 / John 12:7. Mary believed that Jesus was soon to meet His end, and she knew she wouldn’t have the opportunity to show her love by being involved with the preparation of His body, so symbolically she did it now.

Nothing can take away from the great love that this act expressed to our Lord. Mary had taken her opportunity to express her love. Jesus was soon to depart, the poor were always present to give an expression of love, Matthew 26:11 / Mark 14:7 / John 12:8, but alas, Jesus did not. Jesus said that this act of love would be her memorial wherever the Gospel was preached, Matthew 26:13 / Mark 14:9.

When we think about the disciples, they have been with Jesus for over three and half years now but never seem to understand anything Jesus spoke about to them concerning His upcoming death, Mary on the other hand seem to have this great insight as to what is about to happen to Jesus.

I can imagine the heartbreak in Jesus’ mind when all this was going on, the disciples didn’t get it because they were too busy arguing amongst themselves as to which one of them would be the greatest, Matthew 18:1-4 / Mark 9:33-36 / Mark 10:35-45 / Luke 9:46-47 / Luke 22:24.

I believe that men like to look at the facts and the figures, while women seem to be more sensitive to what is going on around them.

What a marvellous acclamation Jesus gives Mary, it’s one of those prophecies which is often overlooked and dismissed, Matthew 26:13 / Mark 14:9. This humble act of servitude that Mary performed would become the memorial of her love for Jesus, Hebrews 11:4.

She had the right spiritual attitude by giving Jesus the very best she had to offer, which is a lesson we can all learn from. Her name will go down in history because of this one moment with the Christ, as the Gospel is spread throughout the world, her name and her deed will follow along beside.

This is just one of the things she will be always remembered for, but what about us today? What will people remember about us when we go to be with the Lord?

I’ve often said and believe this with all my heart that I could preach a hundred of the best sermons you’ve ever heard preached, and most people would forget them within a few days or weeks or months.

But if I were to do one act of kindness for someone, Matthew 10:42, they would remember that one act of kindness all the days of their lives.

Some people will be remembered for their Bible knowledge, some will be remembered because they were great preachers of God’s Word, some will be remembered as great cooks or bakers.

Some as great singers, great hosts but then there will always be some Mary’s around, who lovingly serve the Lord without making a song and dance about it. Those little acts of love speak louder than words. What will you be remembered for doing?

Conclusion

You can always tell when its election time in the UK as the political parties begin to promise many good things to come, especially for the poor.

In our world today, there are many countries who are really poverty struck, we read about it in the newspaper and see it in front of our eyes on the TV screen. We only have to walk down our city centres to see the hundreds of homeless people sleeping rough on the streets.

I guess the question is, what are we doing about it? What are we doing to help these people? We will always have the poor among us which means there will always be an opportunity for us to help meet some of those needs, Deuteronomy 15:11 / Mark 14:7 / John 12:8 / Galatians 2:10.

It’s so easy to focus on the negatives in this story, we could focus on Judas and his attitude, and we could focus on why the disciples seem to agree with Judas. But I’m wondering, what will people say about us when we leave this world? What will be written on your gravestone?

It’s so easy to focus on the negatives in this story, we could focus on Judas and his attitude, we could focus on why the disciples seem to agree with Judas. But I’m wondering, what will people say about us when we leave this world?

‘Here lies a Christian who loved God so much, they always gave God the very best of what they had to offer.’

‘Here lies a Christian who cared for the poor so much, they continually gave food, clothing and drink to the poorest on our streets.’

Passover

‘Now it was Passover and the feast of unleavened bread after two days.’ Mark 14:1 ‘Greek text.’

‘And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the Passover sacrifice.’ Mark 14:12

Both Mark and Luke are even more explicit than Matthew when they state that it was, ‘the first day of unleavened bread WHEN THEY KILLED THE PASSOVER lamb.’ Matthew 14:12 whilst Luke 22:7 states, ‘Then came the day of unleavened bread WHEN THE PASSOVER lamb MUST BE KILLED.’

Matthew 26:17 in the A.V., the verse reads, ‘Now the first day of THE FEAST OF unleavened bread’, but the words in capitals do not occur in the Greek text, and the verse should read, ‘On the first day of unleavened bread, the disciples; Where shall we prepare for thee to eat the Passover (supper)?’ ‘When even was come he sat down with the twelve.’ Matthew 26:20

The date was the 14th Nisan, called ‘Preparation’. The Passover (meal) was eaten in the evening.

l. The 14th of Nisan was the day when all leaven had to be put away.

2. It was the day on which the Lord was arrested after he had left the Upper Room with His disciples, and the day before the beginning of the Passover week.

3. It was still the 14th Nisan when the Jewish leaders took Jesus to Pilate, John 18:28.

Jesus to Judas Iscariot. ‘What you do, do quickly’. John 13:27

Note that when Judas left the Upper Room:

1. It was already night. John 13:30.

2. The other disciples thought that Judas had left to buy the things needed for the feast of Unleavened Bread, which began the next day, the first day of the Passover Week, Luke 22:1.

If Judas needed to buy anything it would have to be done on the 14th because the next day was a ‘Sabbath’, a rest day, when he could not possibly have bought anything. To buy or sell on the 15th Nisan would have been a violation of the Mosaic Law. And remember that the day was the very high ‘Sabbath’ of Passover Week.

Jesus had given Judas the opportunity of abandoning his plans but knowing that he was determined to go through with it, Jesus said, ‘What you intend to do, do quickly’, thus sending him to the Priests to agree with them on the price of betrayal. It is unlikely that Judas knew that Jesus was aware of his intentions, but the Lord’s words forced his hand, and in so doing Jesus took control of events.

Matthew 26:1ff records that Jesus said to his disciples, ‘After two days is THE PASSOVER and the son of man is betrayed to be crucified.’

Matthew 26:5 records that, at a meeting in the palace of the High Priest that same day, when they were planning to kill Jesus, they said, ‘Not on the feast lest there be an uproar’.

Jesus was always in control, in John 10:18 Jesus said, ‘No man takes my life from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it again.’

John 8:2-3 reveals that Judas was able to lead the Jews to where they could find Jesus. And Jesus knew they were coming to arrest him, but when He decided!

There are several mistakes that are made in trying to work out when the Lord was crucified.

1. For instance, the Passover MEAL, at which the instituted His own Supper. Should not be confused with the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Leviticus 23:5-6 very clearly states, ‘In the 14th day of the first month (Nisan), at even, i.e. Evening, is the Lord’s Passover: and on the 15th day of the same month is the Feast of Unleavened Bread’.

This means that commencing on the 15th day, the feast lasted for seven days, and just as the Israelites continued to eat unleavened bread after they had escaped from Egypt when God ‘passed over’ the land, so their descendants celebrated seven days of ‘the Feast of Unleavened Bread’, after eating the ‘Passover meal’.

Although they were required to eat unleavened bread during those seven days, it was a ‘Feast’ because the people were called upon to ‘rejoice.’

Numbers 28:16-17 reads, ‘In the 14th day of the first month IS THE PASSOVER OF THE LORD. And in the 15th day of the month is THE FEAST: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.’

And then the passage continues with the command to offer the prescribed sacrifice.

2. The several references to ‘sabbath’ are also a source of difficulty for many Bible students.

It is often overlooked that the word ‘sabbath’ does not refer to the weekly seventh-day alone. The word ‘sabbath’ does not mean ‘seventh’ as some seem to think. It simply means ‘separation’ or ‘rest’ and any day of the week, which was celebrated as a ‘high day’, was also called a ‘sabbath’, on which the law of the weekly Sabbath also applied.

The sabbath to which this verse refers was especially significant because, being Nisan 15th, it was the Sabbath of Passover Week.

Jesus and Judas

In the Upper Room, on the 14th Nisan, the Lord ate the Passover Meal, Matthew 26:19, but, when Judas rose and went out, the rest of the disciples thought he had gone to buy whatever the group would need to celebrate

‘THE FEAST’, which began the next, day, the 15th Nisan. John 13:29. It is also worth noting that, occurring in the first month of the religious year, the sacred year, and being the first major Feast of the year, the ‘Passover’ was regarded as an especially important occasion.

So, this is what we have seen so far: The Passover Meal was eaten during the evening of 14th Nisan, and the ‘Feast of Unleavened Bread, known as ‘the PASSOVER’, began the next day.

Summary

1. Jesus celebrated the Passover Supper on Nisan 14, Thursday. Matthew 26:19.

2. He was arrested later that night when Nisan 15 had begun, evening to evening.

3. The priests came together, ‘straightaway, in the morning,’ Mark 15:1, thus Friday.

4. He was crucified, and his body taken down from the cross because the next day was the sabbath, Saturday. John 19:31.

5. He rose on ‘THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK’, Luke 24:1.

The woman came to see the sepulchre, ‘in the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week’. Matthew 28:1

The heavenly messengers at the tomb quoted the Lord’s prediction of His resurrection, Luke 24:5-8.

An angel told the women, ‘He is not here, for he is risen. Come see the place where the Lord lay’. Matthew 28:6

The Jewish leaders themselves said that Jesus had claimed that He would rise ‘after three days’, and wanted the sepulchre to be guarded ‘until the third day’. Matthew 27:63-66.

‘Three days and three nights’. Reference is made to the statement which declared that, as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so also would the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the earth.

Then follows the observation that, if Jesus was arrested late on Thursday, 14th Nisan, died and was buried the next day, Friday the 15th Nisan, and raised early on the First Day of the Week, this cannot be reckoned as three days and three rights.

The problem arises because we fail to understand how the expression ‘three days and nights’ was understood in biblical times, Sir Robert Anderson, who was an eminent lawyer, made an interesting point when he observed that words and phrases are just ‘counters’ which have no value or significance in themselves, which must be understood in the light of the meaning they would have had to those who originally heard them.

In the scriptures, there are several places where we find mention of ‘three days and nights’, and, when we examine these passages, some interesting information emerges.

1. In 2 Chronicles 10, we read that when Rehoboam, the son of Solomon became Israel’s new king, certain of his subjects approached him, pleading that they might be relieved of the heavy burdens which Solomon, in his later days, had imposed on them in order to support his extravagant lifestyle. Rehoboam said to these people, ‘Come again to me after three days’. And then we read, ‘So Rehoboam and the people came to Rehoboam on the third day.’

2. In Esther 4:16, when Haman, the enemy of the Jews, plotted their wholesale destruction, Esther, the Queen, issued this command. ‘Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day’.

But Esther 5:1 then tells us, ‘Now it came to pass on the third day’, that Esther appeared before the king. And verse 4 records what she said to the king. ‘If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him’.

3. Matthew 27:63-64 tells us that, after the burial of the body of Jesus, the leaders of the Jews came to Pilate with a request. They said, ‘We remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive. After three days ‘I will rise again’. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made secure until the third day.’

It is obvious that, in Bible times, the phrase ‘three days and nights’ did not mean what we understand it to mean today. It is also obvious that, in those earlier times, people were not as concerned with the precise reckoning of time, as we are today.

The scholarly Bishop Lightfoot, in his work, ‘Horae Hebraicae’, mentions a Jewish saying, which runs, ‘A day and a Night make an Onah, and a part of an Onah is as the whole’.

He refers to this Jewish saying when he comments on Matthew 12:40, where the Lord mentions Jonah’s terrifying experience. I suppose that, in an age of digital watches and chronographs, when we are offered time-pieces that are said to be accurate to the second, we would find this old Jewish saying very unsatisfactory. But Lightfoot says, ‘Therefore Christ may truly be said to have been in the grave three Onoth, the consent of the schools and the dialect of the nation agreeing thereunto’.

l think that it is surprising that, when this subject is discussed, it is the one passage in which the Lord uses the illustration involving Jonah that receives the most attention. I suggest that, even if we find this passage difficult to understand, we ought to consider that, the four Gospel records, reveal that, over and over again, the Lord declared in unequivocal language, that he would rise from the dead ‘on the third day’.

Matthew 16:21 / Matthew 17:23 / Matthew 20:19 / Matthew 26:44 / Mark 9:31 / Mark 10:34 / Luke 9:22 / Luke 13:32 / Luke 18:33 / Luke 24:7 / Luke 24:21 / Luke 24:46.

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

‘Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So, he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.’ Mark 14:10-11

After an incredible act of love for Jesus by Mary, we now read of the opposite. Although a lot of people speculate as why Judas would betray Jesus, but here we see that it was greed. He was willing to sell out Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, Matthew 26:15 / John 11:57 / John 12:6 / Luke 22:3-6.

Judas Iscariot is probably one of the most memorable disciples of Jesus, but sadly for all the wrong reasons. Now I think Judas could have got a lot more. I mean this shows how far Jesus has sunk in his eyes. He could have pushed for much more from the chief priests.

30 pieces of silver were just the price of a common slave, Exodus 21:32. The priests were very aware of what Zechariah wrote, Zechariah 11:12-13, but their anger toward Jesus clouded any objectivity they had in applying prophecy to what they were actually doing, Matthew 26:14-16.

Three times in the Gospel of John we read of the leaders sending guards to arrest Jesus and all three times the guards couldn’t do it. I think they were beginning to fear that Jesus was un-arrestable.

And they said, ‘we need someone on the inside, someone that can catch Him when his guard is down, someone that won’t surprise Him so that we can get Him before He knows what’s going on.’

And Judas said, ‘I’m your man.’ Judas got his bargain and the Jewish leaders got their insider.

Preparations For The Last Supper

‘On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, ‘Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?’ So, he sent two of his disciples, telling them, ‘Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.’ The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So, they prepared the Passover.’ Mark 14:12-16

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples want to know where they can go make the preparations to the Passover, Matthew 26:17 / Mark 14:12 / Luke 22:7 / Luke 22:7 / Luke 22:9.

Jesus tells His disciples, Peter and John, Luke 22:8, to go into the city and ‘man’ carrying a water jar will meet them, Matthew 26:18 / Mark 14:13 / Luke 22:10. This would be very unusual indeed because it was mainly women who carried the water jars.

Notice that Jesus tells them to ask the owner of the house, where is ‘My’ guest room, Mark 14:14 / Luke 22:11, which implies the owner of the house could well have been a disciple of Jesus. The disciples were to tell him that ‘the Teacher says, My appointed time is near’, Matthew 26:18.

Dummelow, in his commentary, says the following.

‘The Last Supper is here called the Passover, because in many respects it resembled it. It is not, however, certain that there was a lamb. Jesus himself was the Lamb; and, as he intended to supersede the type by the reality, it was not absolutely necessary for the type to be present.’

‘The disciples would doubtless be surprised at the proposal of Jesus to keep the Passover a day before the legal time. The disciples were therefore instructed to give the reason, ‘My time is at hand’. The meaning was, ‘My death will happen before the legal time arrives.’’

Jesus seems know that there is large room upstairs, already furnished and ready, Mark 14:15 / Luke 22:12. The disciples find everything just as Jesus said, and only had to make preparations for the Passover meal, Matthew 26:19 / Mark 14:16 / Luke 22:13.

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal By Judas

‘When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, ‘Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.’ They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, ‘Surely you don’t mean me?’ ‘It is one of the Twelve,’ he replied, ‘one who dips bread into the bowl with me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.’ Mark 14:17-21

Luke placed Jesus’ announcement of His betrayal after the institution of the Lord’s Supper, Luke 22:21-23, whereas Matthew and Mark located it before that event in their Gospels.

Ellicott, in his commentary, says the following.

‘On the whole, the order of the first two Gospels seems here the most probable. and agrees better with the fourth. The date before us do not enable us to say with certainty whether Judas partook of the memorial; but, if we follow the first two Gospels, it would seem probable that he did not.’

Judas

What kind of man would bargain for Jesus? The man is the man Judas and although he’s not a pleasant person to study, he gets a lot of attention in the Gospels and so we need to ask ourselves why?

I don’t believe that anybody suddenly becomes influenced. I don’t believe that Judas was ever a second-class disciple.

Remember he was chosen by Jesus to be numbered among the twelve after Jesus spent a full night in prayer, Luke 6:12-16. Judas was treated, he was taught just the same as all of the other disciples, and he was sent out by Christ to minister by the same apostolic authority.

Yes! Judas went out in the name of Jesus and healed the sick, imagine that? Imagine looking back years later and when you realise that your baby is alive because Judas healed him.

Yes! Judas went out in the name of Jesus and cast demons out of people. And yes, Judas went out and preached the good news of the kingdom of heaven to the multitudes. Judas was just as much a disciple as anyone else.

I think a lot of our portrayals of Judas are way off the mark. Every picture I’ve ever seen, an artist’s portrayal of the disciples, always has Judas away off in the corner.

I don’t know why, but he’s always a skinny looking guy. Kind of small and thin, he’s always got dark hair and a goatee beard, but I don’t know what that means. But he’s always a sinister-looking guy and when you take one look at the picture you will always say, ‘That guy is Judas!’

Because if he wasn’t Judas, he probably is a gang leader. How do we know that he wasn’t a big guy, with a big old smile on his face, how do we know that Judas didn’t have the heartiest laugh of any of the disciples?

This man was as zealous as any of the twelve. The other twelve trusted him enough that when they needed someone to take care of the money, they picked Judas.

I think Judas probably like the others was just as passionate in the beginning as any of them. He was a nationalist just like Peter, John and Simon. He thought Jesus was going to launch the political liberation of Israel, and he was on the ground floor to make it happen.

But what I think happened, I think sooner than the others, Judas was the one who realised that Jesus wasn’t willing to be the king, he wanted him to be.

I believe that Judas became disillusioned. Imagine that he is the treasurer of a nearly bankrupt movement, following a man that in Judas’ opinion cannot take advantage of the moment.

I think for Judas the real turning point is in John 6. Jesus feeds the multitude, and the crowd try to force Him to become king, John 6:15.

This is the moment all the twelve have been waiting for. ‘Let’s crown Jesus, let’s round up the troops, let’s ride into Jerusalem and let’s liberate Israel.’

Do you know what Jesus did? He refused, He withdrew from the multitude when they came to find Him the next day, and He preached one of the fieriest sermons He ever preached.

He says, ‘the only reason you’re here is for the food.’ He started talking about eating His flesh and drinking His blood and the Bible says that after that many people turned away, John 6:66. And in Judas’ mind, Jesus blew it.

And that’s when Jesus said something very interesting that he hadn’t said yet. He chose the twelve but one of them would later betray Him, John 6:70-71.

I don’t know if at this moment Judas plans to betray Jesus, that’s still two years away. But at this moment already in the heart of Judas is frustration and disillusionment that Satan is going to start to work on. From that moment on, Judas began to live more and more of the life of an impostor.

I think for some time, Judas started to live that way. He started to do the stuff but not listen to the music. In fact, at some point, it says that every now and then he would put his hand in the money to get a little out. He was determined to get something out of his association with Jesus. And with every small act of treachery, his heart grew a little bit harder.

When we get towards the last week of Jesus’ life, He’s anointed at Bethany by Mary. Who opens a bottle of perfume, which is worth a year’s wages, her life’s savings and she just extravagantly pours it on Jesus. And the Bible says Judas wasn’t happy about it, because he used to help himself to the money in the money bag, John 12:4-6.

For Judas, the final straw was for Jesus giving a blessing to Mary for her extravagance. In Matthew 26:14-16, we find Judas making his agreement with the leaders to hand Jesus over for thirty pieces of silver.

I think Judas could have got a lot more. I mean this shows how far Jesus has sunk in his eyes. He could have pushed for much more from the chief priests. Thirty pieces of silver were just the price of a common slave.

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal By Judas

And so, we shift now to a few days later and we go to the upper room. All the disciples are gathered together to have a Passover meal, Exodus 12:18-20. The disciples suggest that they prepare for the Passover by finding a place to have the meal together, Luke 22:15.

Jesus knows His time to go to the cross was nearing, Luke 9:51, but His disciples never really understood what He meant. They didn’t understand Jesus Himself was the Passover lamb, Luke 22:7-13.

As they were getting on with the meal, Jesus interrupts and announces that one of them would betray Him, Matthew 26:21 / Mark 14:18, which sent shockwaves through the disciples.

Jesus hints at the coming events and He reminds the disciples present of Psalms 41:9, in which it is prophesied that one close to the Lord would betray Him and so He ensures that the men know when the incident occurs, ‘He who ate my bread’ etc., Psalm 41:9 / John 13:18-19.

They’re, introduced to ‘even my close friend, someone I trusted’, Psalm 41:9 / John 13:18. This is a picture of a close, personal friend, enjoying a relationship of trust, betraying his host. Sharing a meal was more than a social occasion, guaranteed mutual trust between host and guest.

The disciples now know that one of them will betray Jesus. And John says something very interesting, ‘the evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus,’ John 13:2.

We have to wonder was the blood money on Judas that night? Were the thirty silver coins in his pocket when he sat down to have supper with Jesus? Something else I think about, is this, what was going on in the minds of both men when Jesus washed the feet of Judas? John 13:5 / John 13:11.

Judas knew what he was going to do, and Jesus knew he was going to do it, John 13:11. What were both men thinking when Jesus washed his feet?

I think Jesus was about to get really personal with this battle. I think the Lord was about to make one last appeal to His deserting disciple. I want to show you what happened at the Supper because it was a real battle, John 13:18-30.

Notice that Jesus basically said three things. A prediction, an answer and a command.

Jesus said, ‘one of you is going to betray me’, Matthew 26:21 / Mark 14:18. Can you imagine the gulp that Judas had to restrain when Jesus said that? Can you imagine the shock that he had to try and keep from registering when Jesus said that?

This text makes us face the sovereignty of God and the free will of men. Jesus predicted His betrayal but predicted doesn’t mean predestined. In other words, Jesus’ awareness of Judas’ betrayal doesn’t excuse Judas from responsibility for his actions.

God does not design treachery, but God can design treachery in His plan. God doesn’t make men do evil, but God can use evil men. Later Judas’ remorse is evident that betrayal was his choice, Matthew 27:3. He did not have to betray Jesus, but God used that betrayal to save the world.

The reason Jesus made the prediction was to let the other disciples know that He was in control. The situation wasn’t out of hand. Later, looking back, the apostles would remember that Jesus’ betrayal and death were exactly what He had predicted, John 12:16 / John 13:19.

In other words, later they were going to reflect, they were going to look back on that night. And they are going realise that Jesus saw that coming, it was all part of a plan, He knew what was about to happen.

And they were going to realise He really is the Son of God, He really is in control, He really is the Lord. That’s why Jesus made that prediction.

He wasn’t the helpless victim of superior forces; He was totally in control of the situation. One sent by God to effect God’s purpose going forward calmly and unafraid, to do what God had planned for him to do.

It will re-enforce their conviction that He is the one written about so many years before. He shows that even at this late stage He is concerned about the spiritual well-being of the men who are to carry the message to all the world.

He uses this opportunity to assure the disciples that all who accept the word they are to bring accept Jesus and therefore accept God as well, John 13:20.

Again, in John 13:20 we find the words, ‘very truly,’ which is solemn assurance, ‘and one whom I send’, an apostle, Matthew 10:40 / Luke 10:16. These men are to be His inspired representatives, John 14:26 / John 15:26-27 / John 16:13. To receive them, heed their teaching is to receive the Lord Jesus and to receive Him is to receive the Father who sent Him.

Notice that Jesus ‘was troubled in spirit,’ John 13:21 / John 11:33 / John 12:27. His prediction ‘one of you will betray me,’ is His third reference to the betrayer in John 13. One terrible thing lay in the heart of the Lord, He knew the time was coming close, so He needed to tell of this thing, John 13:21.

The Bible says, ‘He testified’ as opposed to ‘He told’, John 13:21. This infers more of a declaration, a speech of significant importance, something that He had seen, or been witness to. Thus, this was a prophecy that of course, was soon to be seen to be trustworthy.

The words, ‘one of you is going to betray me’, Matthew 26:21 / Mark 14:18 / John 13:21, must have cut to the heart of this group of men. The disciples were perplexed, ‘at a loss to know which of them he meant’, John 13:22. They looked at each other, each wondering who was to be guilty of this most hideous crime, Matthew 26:22 / Mark 14:19.

The one whom Jesus loved John 13:23 / John 19:26 / John 20:2 / John 21:7 / John 21:20, is a reference to John. Tradition has always understood this to be John.

All the Gospels describe this event, and all show concern to ensure the individual would not be the guilty party. In his humility, John never names himself in the account and the other accounts describe John as the one Jesus loved.

In John 13:24, we see that each guest was reclining at a low table, John was next to Jesus. When Jesus said, ‘one of you will betray me’, Matthew 26:21 / Mark 14:18 / John 13:21. Peter made a sign or gesture to John, asking, ‘who is it he means?’ John 13:24.

John merely leaned back and asked Jesus, ‘Lord who is it?’ John 13:25. The way he recounts the incident with John 13:27-29, suggests that this was a private interchange, question and answer not heard by the others.

Notice that all the other disciples address Jesus as Lord, Matthew 26:22 / John 13:25, but Judas simply addressed Jesus as Rabbi, meaning teacher, Matthew 26:25. Jesus was more than a teacher, He was the Son of God, John 20:30-31.

I think the disciple’s amazing lack of suspicion about Judas tells a us couple of things.

1. It tells us that Judas hid his dishonesty very well.

You can be a bargainer for Christ and other people will never know it.

2. Jesus must have treated Judas as well as any of the other disciples.

If they had seen over the years that Jesus had a problem with Judas, they would have suspected Judas, but they didn’t. Because there was nothing about the way Jesus loved Judas that gave them any hint that Judas would sell his Lord.

Why do you think Peter wants to know? Peter wanted to take preventative action. Peter’s got a sword, Matthew 26:51-55 / Luke 22:49-51 / John 18:10-15. And all he needs to know is who in this room would sell out Jesus.

With the lifting one finger, Jesus could have saved His life and ended Judas’ like that. Peter would have jumped up and cut off his head so fast, Judas wouldn’t know about it until he sneezed. Jesus didn’t do that.

Instead, He gave an answer that only Judas could respond to. He said in John 13:26 ‘It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.’ We might ask, well why didn’t they figure it out then?

How many of you have seen a copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous portrait of ‘The Last Supper’? It’s a magnificent work but it’s so wrong. They didn’t sit at a long table, in chairs, with a white tablecloth. Passover was eaten lying on the floor, John 13:13 / John 13:23.

They would have a U-shaped table, with the host up at the front, in the very middle. There was someone on the right in a special place of honour. And someone on the left in a very special place of honour. And everybody else would be down the sides. They would lie down on their left elbow and eat with their right hand.

That’s why the Bible says that ‘John was up against the breast of Jesus,’ John 13:25. He didn’t have bad table manners, John was right here, to the right of Jesus. Right up against His breast as they ate. Now let me ask you, who would have been right to the left of Jesus in the very special place of honour?

Somebody so close to Jesus could take a piece of bread and hand it to him. Jesus gave Judas the place of honour at the Passover. And all that the disciples thought that was happening, in fact, we know later from Matthew that Jesus and Judas were able to have a very private conversation.

We read that although Judas was aware of the decision he had made to betray the Lord, he didn’t want to reveal himself, Matthew 26:25.

We see a piece of bread or meat dipped in the sauce, which was bitter herbs, Matthew 26:23 / Mark 14:20 / John 13:26. Giving a piece of bread to a guest was a sign of friendship or special favour, this would mean that Jesus wasn’t only identifying the traitor to John but also assuring Judas of His love for him.

It was love’s last appeal, He knew what Judas planned, but in the end, he held out the opportunity to turn from the wickedness of his heinous crime. I believe He was making a special appeal to Judas’ heart. He was holding that piece of bread there and He was looking right into his eyes.

And both men knew what He was saying, ‘Judas I know it’s you, I know what you’re struggling with, I know what you’re thinking about doing to me Judas, can you go through with it? Can you turn on me like that? Can you sell me out?’

Jesus was knocking at the door of his heart and Judas threw open the door and told Jesus to stay outside and he invited Satan in, John 13:27 / Luke 22:3. As someone once said, ‘it was Judas’ Gethsemane.’

Just like in Gethsemane when Jesus made His decision, and the angels came to give Him strength. Judas made his decision, and the dark angel showed up that quick, to make sure he didn’t change his mind. And at that moment Jesus knew that He had lost him.

The whole betrayal of Jesus was foreordained, Jesus would suffer the death of the cross, Isaiah 53 / Psalm 22 / Acts 2:23. Jesus says it would be better for His betrayal to have never been born, Matthew 26:24 / Mark 14:21 / John 17:12.

When we read John 13:28-29, we need to ask, why didn’t John expose Judas? He and other disciples knew nothing of Judas’ plans, and he may not have thought that the betrayal was imminent. All the apostles said, ‘Is it I?’, Matthew 26:22, so probably they were thinking not of deliberate, calculated treachery, but involuntary betrayal, e.g. Peter’s denial.

Also, the apostles refused to accept that Jesus was going to a cross. On the other side of Cavalry, it must have seemed incredible that Jesus should urge Judas to do his work of betrayal quickly, John 13:27.

This is the only time in Scripture where God and Satan gave a man the same command. Judas was arranging for Jesus’ crucifixion, John 13:27 / Luke 12:50.

Jesus was thinking, ‘I have a baptism to undergo, what tension I must suffer, till it is all over! As if He said to Judas, Get on with it. I must get it over with!’ Matthew 26:24 / Mark 14:21.

The disciples think Jesus is referring to some act of kindness, John 13:29, but the most extreme opposite is true. He is referring to the most terrible crime ever committed against man or God, Matthew 26:24 / Mark 14:21.

Judas casts aside all hesitation and gives himself up wholly to Satan’s work. Up to this point, he had doubts and impulses to do better, but now he plunges headlong into the bottomless pit. Judas rejects Jesus’ last plea of mercy and Judas goes out into the night, John 13:30.

Although it was night, I’m sure that John was referring to more than the obvious, Jesus is the light, John 8:12 / John 12:46. It’s always dark when you leave Jesus!

The word ‘night’, John 13:30, marks the time, but probably symbolic also, the forces of darkness were gathering around Jesus, Luke 22:53. Also, Judas deliberately rejected the Light of the World, John 8:12, and went out into total spiritual darkness.

He ceases to follow and loses the light of life, the picture painted is gloomy and intensely sad, Matthew 26:24 / Mark 14:21. He had a chance to repent for his betrayal, but his worldly sorrow led him to hang himself, Matthew 27:5 / 2 Corinthians 7:10.

Conclusion

The problem with reading about Judas is that over the centuries, he has been so despised that we can’t relate to him, but the disciples could.

The question they asked when Jesus said, ‘one of you is going to betray me’ is ‘Is it I?’ ‘Could it be me?’

I think that’s the question we’re supposed to ask ourselves because I think if we look deep into our hearts, we will admit that there have been times in our lives when we have made some hard bargains for Jesus.

Judas sold out Jesus for thirty pitiful pieces of silver, but I’ve sold Jesus out for less than that, haven’t you?

The Lord’s Supper

‘While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take it; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,’ he said to them. ‘Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.’ Mark 14:17-25

Constable, in his commentary, says the following.

‘This is the seventh of nine meal scenes that Luke recorded in his Gospel, Luke 5:29-32 / Luke 7:36-50 / Luke 9:12-17 / Luke 10:38-42 / Luke 11:37-54 / Luke 14:1-24 / Luke 22:14-20 / Luke 24:28-32 / Luke 24:36-42.’

Jesus desired to eat this Passover with His disciples before He suffers, Luke 22:15. Jesus knew exactly what was to come and He was well aware of the suffering He needed to endure to fulfil the will of the Father. He tells His disciples that He won’t eat it again until it finds fulfilment in the kingdom of God, Luke 22:16.

In other words, He won’t eat another Passover until His own death happened, 1 Corinthians 5:7. Some believe this means that Jesus won’t eat the Passover again until we all get to heaven.

However, I believe it could also have reference to the time when His kingdom was established on earth, that is the church, Matthew 3:2 / Mark 9:1 / Luke 9:31 / Acts 2.

Notice that Luke records that there were two cups, Luke 22:17 / Luke 22:20.

Constable, in his commentary, says the following.

‘There were four times that participants in the Passover meal drank together, commonly referred to as four cups. The Passover opened with a prayer of thanksgiving followed by the drinking of the first cup. Then the celebrants ate the bitter herbs and sang Psalms 113-114. Next, they drank the second cup and began eating the lamb and unleavened bread. Then they drank the third cup and sang Psalms 115-118. Finally, they drank the fourth cup. The cup in view in this verse may have been the first of the four. If it was, Jesus evidently did not participate in the drinking of the following three cups, Luke 22:18.’

‘The other Gospel writers did not refer to the first cup, so this may have been the third cup, the so-called cup of redemption. This view assumes that Jesus did participate in the drinking of the first and second cups, which would have been normal.’

Jesus takes this first cup, thanks God for it and then asks the disciples to take it and divide among themselves, Luke 22:17. He tells them that He won’t drink again until the Kingdom of God comes, Luke 22:18 / Matthew 3:2 / Mark 9:1 / Luke 9:31 / Acts 2.

Jesus now institutes His memorial that had more significance than the normal Passover meal that the Jews ate at this time of the year, Exodus 12:11 / Mark 14:17-26 / Luke 22:14-20 / 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.

Jesus took bread, Matthew 26:26 / Mark 14:22 / Luke 22:19 / 1 Corinthians 11:23-24, probably unleavened bread, Exodus 12:15 / Exodus 13:3 / Exodus 13:7 / Deuteronomy 16:3, gave thanks to God for the bread and gives it to His disciples.

A traditional Jewish prayer for giving thanks for food was as follows, ‘Blessed are you, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.’

Jesus tells His disciples that the bread represents His body, Mark 14:22 / Matthew 26:26 / Luke 22:19 / John 10:7, that is, metaphorically speaking.

Paul later tells us that Jesus also spoke about the bread as His spiritual body, the church, 1 Corinthians 10:16-17. The ‘breaking of bread’, is often used in the Scriptures to speak of the Lord’s Supper, Acts 2:42 / Acts 20:7 / 1 Corinthians 10:16-18.

After supper, Jesus then takes another cup, Matthew 26:27 / Mark 14:23 / Luke 22:20 / 1 Corinthians 11:25, gave thanks to God for the contents of the cup, that is, the fruit of the vine, Mark 14:25, and then passed it to His disciples to drink, each one of them, Mark 14:23 / Acts 20:7.

This was to become a symbol of the blood of Christ, Matthew 26:28 / Mark 14:24 / Luke 22:20, who offered up His own life for others, Leviticus 7:26-27 / Acts 15:20 / Colossians 1:20 / Hebrews 9:12 / Hebrews 9:14 / Hebrews 9:20 / 1 Peter 1:2 / 1 John 1:7.

Jesus’ blood of the covenant was poured out for the forgiveness of sins, Jeremiah 31:31-34 / Exodus 24:8 / Acts 2:38.

Jesus tells them He won’t drink of it again until that day when He drinks it new in His Father’s kingdom, Matthew 26:29 / Mark 14:25 / Luke 22:17 / Matthew 3:2 / Mark 9:1 / Luke 9:31 / Acts 2.

Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.

‘Christ made the Lord’s Supper the solemn sign and seal of the covenant for the forgiveness of the sins of his disciples in all ages. Christians who forsake the Lord’s Supper are described in the New Testament as having ‘trodden underfoot the Son of God’ and as having ‘counted the blood of the covenant wherewith (they) were sanctified an unholy thing’ and as having ‘done despite’, insulted, unto the Spirit of grace, Hebrews 10:29.’

Why Was Wine Used?

Have you ever considered why wine is being used in the Passover? God never commanded the use of wine for the Passover, there’s no mention of it in Exodus 12. There are a few reasons for drinking four cups of wine according to the Jews.

When promising to deliver the Jews from Egyptian slavery, God used four terms to describe the redemption, Exodus 6:6-8.

1. ‘I shall take you out.’

2. ‘I shall rescue you.’

3. ‘I shall redeem you.’

4. ‘I shall bring you.’

They were freed from Pharaoh’s four evil decrees.

1. Slavery.

2. The ordered murder of all male progeny by the Hebrew midwives.

3. The drowning of all Hebrew boys in the Nile by Egyptian thugs.

4. The decree ordered the Israelites to collect their own straw for use in their brick production.

The Jews believe that the four cups symbolise their freedom from our four exiles.

1. The Egyptian.

2. Babylonian.

3. Greek exiles.

4. And their current exile which they hope to be rid of very soon with the coming of the Messiah.

The reason this is important is that in Luke’s account, we read that there were two cups used, one on either side of the bread, Luke 22:17 / Luke 22:20. In Jewish history, the cup of the Passover was likely four cups of wine, which is the number found in the Mishnah, interspersed throughout the meal.

Jesus says He won’t drink from this fruit of the vine from now on, until that day when He drinks it new with them in His Father’s kingdom, Mark 14:25 / Luke 22:18.

This is either speaking of the time when Christ’s kingdom was established, Matthew 18:20 / Acts 2:42, and He will partake of the new supper with His people, or it could be speaking about the time we get to heaven.

Smith, in his commentary, says the following.

‘Now I look forward to that day when I drink of it in His Father’s kingdom with Him. I am going to have a glorious Lord’s supper someday. And we’re going to just be there with Jesus in the kingdom of God.’

Dummelow, in his commentary, says the following.

‘These mysterious and beautiful words are a well-known ‘crux’ of interpreters. It seems clear, however, that they are to be taken as referring to the whole rite of the Lord’s Supper, and not simply to the ‘fruit of the vine’, or cup. This is evident from Luke 22:16, ‘I will not any more eat thereof’, that is, of the Christian Passover or Supper, ‘until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’ Interpretations fall into two main classes, according to as ‘the kingdom of God’, that is, ‘My Father’s kingdom’, is understood to refer to the period after the Resurrection, or the period after the Judgment.’

‘According to the first interpretation, the sacred rite which Jesus now institutes, and which He will not again celebrate until He has triumphed over death and sat down a conqueror on the throne of His Father’s kingdom, will, after the Ascension, and especially after the descent of the Spirit, be to the disciples a new thing. No longer will the shadow of disappointment and seeming failure hang over their meetings. The sin of the world will have been atoned for, death will have been conquered, the Spirit will have been given, and Jesus will be present at the feast, not, as now, in the body of His humiliation, but the power of His risen and glorious life.’

‘According to the other interpretation, the Lord’s Supper is regarded as a type and prophecy of the eternal marriage supper of the Lamb, Revelation 19:9. These two views do not exclude one another. The title ’this fruit of the vine’ which Jesus applies to the sacred cup even after consecration, would seem to exclude the mediaeval doctrine of Transubstantiation.’

The Lord’s Supper

I would like for us to consider a few things concerning the Lord’s Supper.

Firstly, the prayer for the bread and the wine, too often I hear people asking God to bless the bread and the wine, but this isn’t what Jesus did, He simply thanked God for them, Matthew 26:26-27, He blessed God, not the bread and the wine because He knew that God was the One who supplied the bread and the wine and supplied everything for them to have it, i.e., the rain and sun which caused them to grow so that they could make bread and wine.

Secondly, we must remember that we don’t come to the Lord’s table looking for forgiveness, Matthew 26:28, I’ve lost count of the number of times I hear someone asking God to forgive us our sins as if we only have our sins forgiven once a week. Our sins have already been forgiven at our baptism Acts 2:38 and when we confess our sins to Him, 1 John 1:9.

Is it a time of celebration or mourning? Well, possibly both, it saddens us when we remember what we did to cause Jesus to have to go to the cross but it’s also a time of celebration because Jesus has conquered death and dealt with our sins and promises to come back again, whilst we remember what He did for us.

Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper in order for us to remember the great sacrifice He made for us and that we rely on Him and His sacrifice for our salvation.

He gave us this memorial, so we would not forget Him and what He did for us. In Luke 22:19, when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper, He said, ‘Do this in remembrance of Me.’ This is done to help us remember the Lord and what He did for us.

The death of our Lord wasn’t an accident. It was in God’s eternal plan of redemption for Christ to come to this earth and take our punishment for our sins by dying for us, so God can now be just in saving us. In several places in the Old Testament, God foretells the death of His Son for us, Isaiah 53:5-6.

God and Christ are loving and wonderful for what they have done for us. We read of Jesus instituting the Lord’s Supper, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.

This is how we remember the great suffering that our Lord did for us. We proclaim our faith in this great and wonderful deed to the world each time we partake of the Lord’s Supper.

Some partake of only the bread and their priest partakes of the fruit of the vine, this is a perversion of the Lord’s Supper. This isn’t doing it the way the Bible instructs.

But notice each Christian is to partake of both the bread and the fruit of the vine. When we partake of the unleavened bread, we picture our Lord’s body hanging there, suffering in anguish and pain, taking the punishment that was rightly due us.

As we drink of the fruit of the vine, we envision His precious blood which was poured out for us to cleanse us from all our sins. What great love and concern God and Christ have for us!

The Lord wants us to remember what He did for us every first day of the week as the church did in the first century.

We are to remember that our Lord gave up heaven to come to this earth for thirty-three years, and then died for us.

We remember the humiliation of the mock trial, the crown of thorns and the terrible scourging that left His back raw and bleeding.

We remember the soldiers gambling for the Lord’s only earthly possession, the clothes on His back.

Then we remember the nails as they were driven into His hands and feet, and the cross as it was raised and dropped into the hole.

We also remember the spirit of forgiveness of our Lord, as He was being crucified, Luke 23:34.

We remember our Lord’s loud cry of victory, Matthew 27:46.

We remember as our Lord hung on the cross, how the people mocked, shamed, and made fun of Him as He was dying not only for their sins but the sins of all mankind, 1 Peter 2:24.

We remember the sun refused to shine, and the earth shook because of the death of the Son of God, Matthew 27:45 / Matthew 27:51.

We must first examine ourselves to determine whether we have the right attitude to partake in this memorial. We must put all else from our minds. We should make sure we have our minds centred on what Christ did for us.

We must clear our minds of all other thoughts and centre our minds on the sacrifice of our Lord, 1 Corinthians 11:27-29, or otherwise as 1 Corinthians 11:29 (KJV) says, ‘We eat and drink damnation to ourselves.’

There are four things we need to look at before and whilst we participate in the Supper.

1. We need to look back to the cross, 1 Corinthians 11:23-25.

2. We need to look forward to His return, 1 Corinthians 11:26.

3. We need to look within ourselves, 1 Corinthians 11:27-29.

4. We need to look at each other, 1 Corinthians 11:33.

Many Christians today refuse to partake of the Supper because they feel they are ‘unworthy’. The truth is all of us are ‘unworthy’, but this isn’t Paul’s point.

Paul is speaking about the Christian’s attitude towards the Supper, do they partake without really thinking about what the bread and wine symbolise?

Do they partake without thinking about what Christ did for them on the cross? If not, they are spiritually crucifying Jesus all over again, hence the need to self-examine first to avoid judgment.

Many Christians today refuse to partake of the Supper because they have a problem with a brother or sister in Christ and, so they believe they would be partaking in the Supper in an ‘unworthy manner’.

I find this tragic that Christians refuse to partake of the Supper because they have a problem with someone else. The truth is, Christians shouldn’t be participating in ‘worship’ as a whole, not just the Supper if they have a problem with their brothers or sisters, Matthew 5:23-24.

I’ve often heard Christians say that we should refuse non-Christians the Lord’s Supper because they will bring ‘judgment on themselves’.

First of all, Paul is writing to Christians and its Christians who should be ‘examining themselves’, Paul doesn’t deal with non-Christians participating in the Supper.

Secondly, if non-Christians partake of the Supper, how much more ‘judgement’ can a non-Christian come under?

I find it fascinating that some Christians will refuse any non-Christian visitor the Supper but will happily take their money for the offering! I believe the Supper is for Christians but if a non-Christian begins to come regularly to our assemblies, then someone should go and explain to them what the Supper is all about and who it is for.

Many people don’t want to remember the Lord’s death for us very often since they only partake of the Lord’s Supper monthly, quarterly, annually, or not at all.

The excuse is given that they do not want to partake of it more often because it will become too commonplace and lose its meaning. But the very opposite is true.

The Lord’s Supper loses its meaning when we choose not to partake and think about it. This would be like saying that we should only pray two or three times a year, for if we prayed more often, then prayer would lose its meaning.

This would be absurd. Does the Lord’s death really mean anything to us? But Jesus requested in Luke 22:19, ‘Do this in remembrance of Me.’ Do we really care to regularly remember the death of our Lord?

People seem to be turned off by the death of Jesus and the shedding of His blood. They don’t care to remember it. But it is His blood that cleanses us from our sins, Revelation 1:5.

They would rather remember Him as a babe in a manger than a crucified Saviour. It is an insult to Jesus to celebrate His manger and then ignore His cross. Many people seem to be ashamed of the death of Jesus, Mark 8:38.

This memorial of our Lord is called ‘the Lord’s Supper’ in 1 Corinthians 11:20 and ‘the Lord’s table’ in 1 Corinthians 10:21. In 1 Corinthians 10:16, it is referred to as ‘the breaking of bread’ and ‘communion’. But the church in the first century met every first day of the week to observe the Lord’s Supper, Acts 20:7.

Why did they come together on the first day of the week? Here we see the church in the first century came together on the first day of every week to break bread, which is the Lord’s Supper.

Their primary reason for coming together on the first day of the week was to partake of the Lord’s Supper. We cannot be pleasing to the Lord if we observe the Lord’s Supper only a few times a year or not at all.

Are we really interested in proclaiming the Lord’s death to the world until He comes? 1 Corinthians 11:26. People today don’t seem to have a problem with the example to give on the first day of each week, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2.

One of the things they were to do when they came together was to give. What else was the church at Corinth to do every first day of the week when they came together? They were condemned for making a gluttonous feast out of the Lord’s Supper, 1 Corinthians 11:20.

When did they come together in one place? Every first day of the week. What were they doing when they came together every first day of the week? Perverting the Lord’s Supper by making it into a glutinous and drunken feast.

What were they supposed to be doing every first day of the week? Partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Two of the things the church at Corinth did every first day of the week were to give and partake of the Lord’s Supper.

Why shouldn’t we be like those in the first century who assembled on the first day of every week to remember the Lord’s death by partaking in the Lord’s Supper?

But many people seem to have a problem in seeing the importance of partaking in the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week as the church in the first century did when it was under inspired apostolic guidance.

When the Jews, who lived under the Old Testament, were commanded to remember the Sabbath Day, that is the seventh day of the week, to keep it holy, they kept all 52 Sabbath Days of the year holy. The first day of the week also occurs 52 times each year.

When Christians today observe the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week, they are following the Biblical example of Acts 20 of the disciples who came together on the first day of the week to partake of the Lord’s Supper, Acts 20:7.

We also read in Acts 2:42 concerning the church at Jerusalem, ‘And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in breaking of bread and in prayers.’ Again, we see the first-century church was steadfast or regular in the breaking of bread which is their observance of the Lord’s Supper.

But later men in denominational groups chose to partake of the Lord’s Supper less frequently. Should we be any less regular than the church in the first century? According to what we have seen in the scriptures, we are to both give and partake of the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week.

Could the Bible be any clearer concerning the Lord’s Supper? Another perversion of the Lord’s Supper occurred when men introduced the absurd doctrine of transubstantiation in the Decrees of the Council of Trent, which met from 1545 to 1563 A.D.

This decree devised by men stated that the bread and the fruit of the vine are converted miraculously into the literal body and blood of Jesus when we partake of it. Sadly, men would dare to pervert the Lord’s Supper into such a mockery.

It’s ridiculous to place literal interpretations on symbolic language. In John 15:5 Jesus says, ‘I am the vine, you are the branches.’ Here Jesus is using figurative language because we know He isn’t a literal vine, and we aren’t literal branches. In John 10:9 Jesus said, ‘I am the door.’ But again, He uses symbolic language.

Concerning the Lord’s Supper, Jesus said in 1 Corinthians 11:25, ‘this do in remembrance of Me.’ The Lord’s Supper is designed to help us remember what the Lord did for us.

And as we partake of it as 1 Corinthians 11:26 says, ‘You proclaim the Lord’s death till He Comes’. We are showing the world that we believe that Jesus died for our sins.

One Cup Or Many!

It’s hard to believe that churches years ago split over the issue of ‘one cup or many’, even today there are some divisions within the Lord’s body over how many cups should be used for the Lord’s Supper.

I find it heart-breaking when divisions arise within the Lord’s church, but I find it even more heart-breaking when some go as far as to make it a salvation issue.

Let’s go ahead and see some of the arguments that are used to ‘prove’ that we should only use ‘one cup’.

The Bible refences cited next are the passages, some Christians use to argue for the use of ‘one cup’ only, Matthew 26:27 / Mark 14:23 / Luke 22:20 / 1 Corinthians 10:16 / 1 Corinthians 10:21 / 1 Corinthians 11:25 / 1 Corinthians 11:26 / 1 Corinthians 11:27 / 1 Corinthians 11:28.

When we’re dealing with any Biblical text, we must think carefully about what is being said, keep it in context and be consistent with the outcome.

When it comes to the Lord’s Supper, we know that the ‘bread’ represents the ‘body’ of Christ, Matthew 26:26. When it comes to the Lord’s Supper, we know that the ‘wine’ represents the ‘blood’ of Christ, Matthew 26:27-28.

And so, if the ‘bread’ represents His ‘body’ and the ‘wine’ represents His ‘blood,’ what does ‘the cup’ represent? Most Christians who argue against more than ‘one cup’ maintain they are following the example of Jesus, but we need to ask ourselves the question, is every part of an example binding?

Look at Acts 20:7-8, the text says they met in the ‘upstairs room’, are we going to say that the church today must meet in an ‘upstairs room’? Look at Matthew 3:13, the text says that ‘Jesus was baptised in the River Jordan’, are we going to say that we must follow Jesus’ example and be baptised in the River Jordan?

If Jesus was baptised in a river, does this mean that anyone who’s been baptised in a baptistry or a lake hasn’t received a Biblical baptism? ‘Then Jesus came from Galilee to John to be baptized by him in the Jordan River.’

When we think about the ‘bread’ which was used in the first century, it looks nothing like the unleavened crackers we use today, does this mean we must use a ‘loaf’ for the Lord’s Supper?

Those who insist on one cup only argue that they’re following Jesus’ example, and they say if churches use more than one cup, they have gone beyond what is written, 1 Corinthians 4:6 and therefore it is sinful.

The bulk of the argument is based on the that there is no Biblical evidence that authorises the use of more than ‘one cup’. They do agree though that the Bible authorises by command, example, direct statement and expediency which basically means something useful.

Expediency involves the right of choice, within the realm of that which is authorised in the New Testament and is not itself a source of authority. A basic example is that we are commanded to teach, and the use of overhead projectors would be useful for doing so.

Those who argue for the use of ‘one cup’ only always ask the question, where is the command, example or direct statement that authorises the use of individual cups for the Lord’s Supper?

It seems to me they have forgotten about the expediency part. And like most people who make everything a salvation issue, they fail to be consistent with their arguments.

The same people who argue for the use of ‘one cup’ only, have no problems authorising things like a church building, songbooks, seats etc. because they say those things are expediency. Surely if those things are expediency, then so is the use of ‘multiple cups’ for the Lord’s Supper!

With all the arguments about ‘the cup’, what about the bread? The consistent argument would be to ask, where is the Scripture that authorises the use of two or more plates for the bread to be served on? There is none! Yet these same Christians use more than one plate for the bread to be served on.

I also find it interesting that these same Christians, understand that the expression ‘one bread’ just means that all are to partake of the bread, and they understand that the number of plates for the bread doesn’t change anything, in other words, they are all taking the bread.

You see, there is just as much Bible authority for more than ‘one cup’ as there is for more than ‘one plate’ for the bread. The point is that the ‘container’ isn’t important but what is important is ‘the fruit of the vine’ and ‘the bread’.

A cup is an expedient or aid to taking the fruit of the vine just as a plate is an aid to taking the bread. The number of cups or plates isn’t specified.

Think about this, when the Samaritan women spoke to Jesus and said in John 4:12 ‘Surely, you’re not greater than our ancestor Jacob, are you? For he gave us this well and drank from it himself, along with his sons and his livestock.’

Does this mean that each of them put their lips on the well and drank? Surely it means all of them drank from it but not all from the same container.

Jesus says in Matthew 26:27 ‘Drink from it, all of you.’ When said this, did He mean for them to drink the cup or its contents? This was a figure of speech known as a metonymy.

Metonymy is a figure of speech in which a thing or concept is referred to by the name of something closely associated with that thing or concept.

We all agree that one plate or many plates don’t violate the command to eat the bread, why? Because the plate isn’t significant, it’s the bread which represents the body of Christ which is significant.

It’s heart-breaking to hear how some Christians take things to the extreme and turn things into a salvation issue whilst being inconsistent with their arguments.

The number of cups used in partaking of the Lord’s Supper should no more divide the church than whether we meet in an upper room or ground floor, whether we baptise people in the Jordan River or a bath in someone’s house, Ephesians 4:3.

The Blood Of Christ And Baptism

Many people dismiss baptism as necessary for salvation because they don’t understand the connection between the ‘water’ used in baptism and the ‘blood of Christ’. Many Christians, as I once did, struggle to understand how they are connected.

To see and understand the connection between the water and the blood of Christ, we need to go back to Jesus’ words when He instituted the Lord’s Supper. The text tells us the reason why Christ shed His blood; He says it was for ‘the forgiveness of sins’. Matthew 26:27-28.

We know that if there was no blood shed, there would be no forgiveness of sins available to anyone, Hebrews 9:22. To this very day, all sinners need the blood of Christ in order to be forgiven for their sins, Hebrews 9:13-14.

When we read Acts 2:38, we learn that people were baptised in the Name of Christ ‘for the forgiveness of their sins’. This demonstrates that Christ’s blood is connected to baptism in water.

John tells us that it is Christ’s blood that ‘washes our sins away’, Revelation 1:5. When Paul met Ananias, Ananias told Paul to ‘be baptised to wash away his sins’, Acts 22:16. This also demonstrates that Christ’s blood is connected to baptism in water.

Paul tells us that it is ‘in Christ’, that Christians have ‘redemption, through the blood of Christ for the forgiveness of sins’, Ephesians 1:7.

The word ‘redeem’ carries with it the idea of being bought out of slavery. Christians have been bought out of slavery by the blood of Christ and when they are baptised, they have the forgiveness of sins, 1 Peter 1:18-19.

The Hebrew writer tells us, ‘having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water’. Hebrews 10:22.

The sprinkling is a clear reference to the blood of Christ, 1 Peter 1:22, and the water is a clear reference to baptism, Ephesians 5:25-26. Peter speaks of our baptism as a pledge of a clear conscience toward God, 1 Peter 3:21. This again demonstrates that Christ’s blood is connected to baptism in water.

It’s the blood of Christ that reconciles people into a relationship with God, Ephesians 2:13 / Ephesians 2:16. For a person to be reconciled to God, they need the blood of Christ, and they come into contact with the blood of Christ at baptism.

Christians have been justified by the blood of Christ and because they have been justified by His blood, the result is salvation, Romans 5:8-9.

The word ‘justify’ means simply means to make righteous (right before God, just as if one has never sinned). Yes, everyone has sinned, but it’s only Christians who can appear before God as though they haven’t sinned. Christians are justified by the blood of Jesus when they have their sins washed away in the waters of baptism.

The Connection

1. Jesus shed His blood in His death on the cross, John 19:33-34, sinners are baptised into His death, Romans 6:3.

2. Jesus shed His blood for the forgiveness of sins, Matthew 26:28, sinners are baptised for the forgiveness of sins, Acts 2:38.

3. Jesus shed His blood to clean our conscience, Hebrews 9:13-14, sinners are baptised as a pledge for a clear conscience, 1 Peter 1:21.

4. Jesus shed His blood so that we can be washed of our sins in it, Revelation 1:5, sinners are baptised to have their sins washed away, Acts 22:16.

Conclusion

The Bible clearly tells us that Jesus’ blood saves us, but the Bible also tells us that His blood can only be accessed by being baptised in water for the forgiveness of our sins, Acts 2:38 / Acts 22:16.

It’s through the waters of baptism that God washes us clean from our sins, Colossians 2:11-13, and gives us a pledge of a clear conscience towards Him, 1 Peter 3:21.

We come into contact with the blood of Christ in the waters of baptism, it’s then that we become ‘in Christ’ and all of our past sins are forgiven, and we receive a new life, Romans 6:1-5.

After we’ve been baptised, His blood will continue to cleanse us and purify us from all unrighteousness, if we remain faithful to Him and confess our sins to Him, 1 John 1:6-9.

Have you been baptised for the forgiveness of your sins? If not, why not? Acts 22:16.

‘When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.’ Mark 14:26

After instating His memorial, Jesus and His disciples sang a hymn and went to the Mount of Olives, Matthew 26:30 / Mark 14:26. The word ‘sung a hymn’, is actually ‘hymning’ in Greek and is a reference to the Hallel Psalms which they would have sung.

Barnes, in his commentary, says the following.

‘The Passover was observed by the Jews by singing or ‘chanting’, Psalm 113-118. These they divided into two parts. They sang Psalm 113-114 during the observance of the Passover, and the others at the close. There can be no doubt that our Saviour, and the apostles also, used the same psalms in their observance of the Passover. The word rendered ‘sung a hymn’ is a participle, literally meaning ‘hymning’, not confined to a single hymn, but admitting many.’

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

‘You will all fall away,’ Jesus told them, ‘for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.’ Peter declared, ‘Even if all fall away, I will not.’ ‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.’ But Peter insisted emphatically, ‘Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.’ And all the others said the same.’ Mark 14:27-31

The Lord was about to foretell the denial of Peter and the flight of the twelve, but He began by appealing to the prophecy, Matthew 26:31 / Mark 14:27, quoted from Zechariah 13:7.

God had revealed Himself in the Old Testament under the extensive use of the metaphor of ‘the shepherd of Israel’, Psalm 23 / Ezekiel 16, but here it was stated that the Shepherd would strike the Shepherd, thus God laid upon himself, in the person of the Son, the iniquity of us all. Inherent in this was the failure of all human support.

Christ here went far beyond the detailed prophecies of His passion and calmly set up an appointment to meet the twelve in Galilee after the Great Sacrifice had been offered, Matthew 26:32 / Mark 14:28. Christ promised to meet them after His resurrection, and He did it, Matthew 28:7-10 / Mark 16:7 / John 21:1-6 / Luke 24:6.

Jesus told the disciples that they would all fall away. The disciples still didn’t fully realise what was soon to occur and so, Peter asks where Jesus is going, John 13:36.

Jesus answered him and tells him he can’t follow Him now, but he will later, John 13:36. Jesus was going voluntarily to death, but it wasn’t yet time for Peter to die, he would eventually ‘follow’ his Master to death by crucifixion, John 21:18-19.

Peter retorted that though the others might, he would never abandon Him, Matthew 26:33 / Mark 14:29.

Peter asked why he cannot follow Jesus immediately shows three things about Peter’s personality.

1. His devotion, he wants to be with his Master.

2. His impatience, ‘why cannot I follow you right now?’

3. His self-reliance. ‘I will lay down my life for you’.

All of these are shattered for that time when he was guilty of denying the one, he loved. Even though Peter wasn’t perfect, he made mistakes as we do.

Christ replied that he would deny Him three times that very night, Matthew 26:34 / Mark 14:30. It’s important to see that Peter was sincere in this assertion, he meant it, but he didn’t know himself as well as Jesus knew him.

He revived and became a great apostle for the Lord. Peter promises all for Jesus, but Jesus knows better, Peter would deny his Lord three times that evening, Matthew 26:34 / Mark 14:30 / John 13:38.

Matthew referred to the event of the cock-crow, a phenomenon taking place every morning, Matthew 26:34, Mark and John had reference to the beginning of a cockcrow, Mark 14:30 / John 13:38, which always starts with one or two roosters leading all the rest.

Matthew referred to the event of the cock-crow, a phenomenon taking place every morning, and Mark had reference to the beginning of a cockcrow, which always starts with one or two roosters leading all the rest.

Again, Peter denied it saying that he would even be willing to die with Him, Matthew 26:35 / Mark 14:31. Perhaps Peter’s overconfidence was one reason he fulfilled this very prophecy a few hours later.

Jesus knew the truth of what was to happen. Peter wouldn’t lay his life down for the Lord, but the Lord for him, Peter wouldn’t follow, he would deny.

The prophecy Jesus gives in this regard tells of three great truths of Jesus.

1. Jesus the great prophet.

2. Jesus the great sufferer.

3. Jesus the great Saviour. ‘The cock will not crow’ etc., Matthew 26:34 / Mark 14:30 / Luke 22:34.

Mark 13:35 indicates that it marked the third of the four ‘watches’ ‘evening’ 6-9, ‘midnight’ 9-12. ‘Rooster-crowing’ 12-3, ‘morning’ 3-6, hence, what Jesus means seems to be that before 3 am Peter will deny him three times.

The prediction shattered Peter, throughout the Upper Room discourse afterwards he is silent. Jesus just moments before His departure takes time to teach Peter, who was in many ways the leader in the future this great lesson. This lesson is recorded so we can learn from its experience.

Peter wasn’t alone in rejecting the idea of their failure, for both Mark and Matthew relate how ‘all the disciples’ made the same affirmation of loyalty, Matthew 26:35 / Mark 14:31.

What none of them realised was that the source of true spiritual strength hadn’t yet been provided through the death of Christ and that it was, therefore, impossible for them to have stood without that strength.

It was at this time that the events and statements of Jesus in John 13-17 took place. Jesus had a private meeting with the apostles as recorded in John 13-17.

There were actually two meetings going on at the same time, this one where Jesus said He was about to be crucified during Passover and the other meeting when the chief priests were saying He can’t be killed during Passover, Mark 14:1-2, but as usual Jesus’ plans are always first, He will die when He chooses to die.

In the John 13-17 meeting, Jesus made specific promises to the apostles that applied only to them. In John 17, He made a specific prayer for the apostles and for those who would not believe in Him through their preaching.

Gethsemane

‘They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” Mark 14:32

Apart from His upcoming crucifixion, this must have been one of the most agonising events in Jesus’ life, and as we go through the account, we can only imagine the emotional and spiritual pain Jesus is going through.

Gethsemane

The name Gethsemane means ‘oil press’, which suggests that the garden was a grove of olive trees in which was located an oil press. The Garden of Olives as it is also called is located to the east of the Kidron Valley, between the path up the mountain and the busy Jericho Road.

John tells us that when Jesus had finished praying, He and His disciples went and crossed the Kidron Valley and went to a garden on the other side, John 18:1.

The Kidron valley east of Jerusalem, separating the Mount of Olives from the Temple Mount, was the route taken by David when he fled from the city because of Absalom, 2 Samuel 15:23 and it has a significant place in the history of the nation, in 1 Kings 15:13, it’s where Asa burned the ‘abominable image’, in 2 Kings 23:4ff it’s where Josiah burned the idolatrous vessels out of the temple, in 2 Chronicles 29:16ff it’s where it involved in the cleansing of the temple by Hezekiah.

From the altar of sacrifice in the temple, there was a channel down to the brook Kidron, and through that channel, the blood of the lambs drained away.

When Jesus crossed the brook Kidron it would still be red with the blood of the lambs which had been sacrificed. The ‘valley’, ‘cheimorrhos’, literally means, ‘winter-flowing’, a stream which flowed only in winter or after heavy rain. A ‘garden’, ‘Gethsemane’ means ‘oil press’, Luke 22:39.

It was a private garden, Mark 14:32. ‘Place’, ‘chorion’, an enclosed piece of ground, so the owner must have given permission for Jesus and the disciples to use it. The owner was probably a friend of Jesus as Jesus often went there. Notice Luke 21:37, this probably means that Jesus and His disciples used to shelter there, sleeping in the open air, and probably in this very garden.

The Garden

Located on the slopes of Mount of Olives, precise location unknown, the present ‘Garden of Gethsemane’ is very old, and the original garden must have been close by, but nobody can say with certainty exactly where it is.

This wasn’t the first time Jesus came here to pray, Luke 22:39 / John 18:2 and so, it’s easy to understand why Judas knew exactly where Jesus would be when it comes to Him being arrested.

‘He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.’ Mark 14:33

Mark tells us that whilst they were in the garden, Jesus left the other eight disciples at a distance, but took Peter, James and John, in their inner circle of friends with him to a quiet isolated place in order for Him to pray, Mark 14:32-33 / Matthew 26:37 / Matthew 4:21 / Matthew 17:1.

“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”, Mark 14:34

Matthew and Mark tell us a little more detail about Jesus’ emotional state, ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,’ Matthew 26:38 / Mark 14:34.

While Jesus went to pray, they were to stay and keep watch, and pray that they won’t fall into temptation, Mark 14:34 / Luke 22:40.

It’s clear that even though the disciples seem to be oblivious to what Jesus was going through and about to go through, Jesus Himself knew exactly what was coming up. He knew that the cross was awaiting Him, and He knew He was about to carry the sin of the world on His shoulders, John 12:27 / Hebrews 5:7.

It was time to express exactly what was going through His mind, it was time and go and pour His heart out to His Father, and so He asked Peter, James and John to stand guard and keep watch because He knew that the mob was coming with Judas, His betrayer, to arrest Him.

Jesus First Prayer

‘Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Mark 14:35-36

Luke only records Jesus first prayer, Luke 22:41-42. Jesus’ outpouring of His heart towards His Father, shows the real love He had for His Father, Matthew 26:39 / Mark 14:35-36 / Luke 22:41-42 / Matthew 6:9. This highlights the closeness of their relationship, a Father and Son relationship.

Remember earlier Jesus taught the disciples to pray, ‘our Father’, Matthew 6:9, but notice here that Jesus addressed the Father as ‘My’ Father, if this doesn’t show us that God the Father was the unique Father of the Son, and the Son was the unique Son of God the Father, I don’t know what will, John 3:16.

We know that all things are possible for God, but if mankind was to be saved, then this couldn’t possibly be removed. Jesus knew exactly what was coming up, ‘the cup’ symbolised suffering and He knew the eternal destiny of mankind was upon His shoulders, Matthew 20:22. We know that He gladly went to the cross but not without expressing very real human emotions about it, He was fully Deity, but He was also fully human.

His choice which on the surface seems simple enough, was either His Father’s will or His own, Mark 14:36 / Luke 22:42 / John 6:38, but His human side was full of sorrow, as God in the flesh He knew what the plan was but as a human, the thought of it was overwhelming, Hebrews 5:7, He knew He had to be obedient even unto death, Philippians 2:8 / Hebrews 5:8.

‘Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Mark 14:37-38

The disciples were sleeping when Jesus returned, Matthew 26:40-41 / Mark 14:37 / Luke 22:45-46. He specifically asks Simon a question and seems surprised that he was asleep, Matthew 26:40 / Mark 14:37.

Notice why the disciples fell asleep, they were ‘exhausted from sorrow,’ Luke 22:45. Scientists have actually proven that sleeping really helps relieve stress and anxiety.

Jesus asks them to watch and pray, Matthew 26:41 / Mark 14:38 but notice He didn’t ask them to pray for Him, they had to pray for themselves as they were about to go through their own spiritual ordeal.

We often get the impression that Jesus’ left the disciples, prayed and a few moments later comes back to the disciples, but notice that Jesus actually prayed for ‘one hour’, Matthew 26:40 / Mark 14:37, which implies, that the words we have recorded for His prayers were all that He actually said, He obviously must have waited on some kind of reply from the Father and was in agony for that period of time.

Falling into temptation is a real danger for all Christians because the flesh is weak, Matthew 26:41 / Mark 14:38. This is the reality of sin, we may not want to sin or purposely get involved in sin, but we should never underestimate the power of those temptations which can lead us into sin, Galatians 5:17 / James 1:13-14.

Jesus Second Prayer

‘Once more he went away and prayed the same thing.’ When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.’ Mark 14:39-40

Jesus now prays for the second time and pray the same prayer as before. Once again, His choice which on the surface seems simple enough, was either His Father’s will or His own, Mark 14:36 / Luke 22:42 / John 6:38.

The first prayer of Jesus was asking God if it was possible to remove the cup of suffering which was coming His way but here, He acknowledges that it’s not possible, in other words, there is no other way to save mankind, so His Father’s will, will be done, Mark 10:38-39 / Isaiah 50:5.

Because the disciples ‘eyes are heavy’ Matthew 26:43 / Mark 14:40, tells us they were under a lot of stress too, probably because of everything which has happened up to this point, especially during the Last Supper. They too were emotional, physically and spiritually exhausted. The disciples were so tired they didn’t know what to say to Jesus.

Jesus Third Prayer

‘Returning the third time.’ Mark 14:41

‘Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” Mark 14:41-42

Jesus now prays for the third time and prays the same prayer as before, Matthew 26:43-44 / Mark 14:41.

Why did He repeat His prayer in Gethsemane?

Plummer, in his commentary, says the following.

‘We may reverently suppose that He Himself knew that the first utterance of the prayer hadn’t been complete in its success. His human will wasn’t yet in absolute unison with the will of his Father and, in this way, we may trace progress between the first prayer and the second.’

‘In both cases, the prayer is made conditional, but in the first the condition is positive, and in the second it is negative. ‘If it is possible’ has become ‘If it is not possible’, and there’s no longer any petition that the cup be removed. We may believe that in the third prayer, even if the same words were used, the ‘if’ has become equivalent to ‘since’, ‘since this cup cannot pass from me, thy will be done.’

While they were sleeping Jesus was receiving another kind of strength, He received strength from an angel, Luke 22:43-44 / Matthew 4:11 / Hebrews 1:14.

Theory

There is a theory about what’s going on here in reference to ‘drops of blood,’ Luke 22:44. Although this medical condition is relatively rare, according to Dr Frederick Zugibe, it’s well known, and there have been many cases of it, the clinical term is ‘hematohidrosis.’

Around the sweat glands, there are multiple blood vessels in a net-like form and under the pressure of great stress, the vessels constrict.

Then as the anxiety passes ‘the blood vessels dilate to the point of rupture. The blood goes into the sweat glands.’ As the sweat glands are producing a lot of sweat, it pushes the blood to the surface, coming out as droplets of blood.

Now I said that this was a ‘theory’ and I’m not denying this condition exists, however, I don’t believe this is what’s happening here with Jesus.

Notice Luke the physician’s words, he says, ‘his sweat was like drops of blood,’ he uses the word, ‘like’ which tells us that it wasn’t actually drops of blood but ‘like’ drops of blood. In other words, His sweat wasn’t literal blood, but the sweat fell from His face as if it were blood.

When writers of the Bible are trying their best to describe something which they find difficult to explain, they often use words like, ‘seems like’, ‘looks like’, ‘sounds like’, Acts 2:1-3.

If this text shows us anything, it shows us the intensity of His anguish, He knew exactly what was coming up and as a result, he’s sweating so hard, Luke writes that it looked like blood falling to the ground. No wonder an angel came to strengthen Him.

‘Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” Mark 14:41-42

When Jesus returned, He asks if the disciples were still sleeping and reasting, Matthew 26:45 / Mark 14:41 / Luke 22:45-46. The betrayer, that is Judas, is coming with the mob, Matthew 26:46 / Mark 14:42, and they need to be alert, this isn’t the time for sleeping but a time for spiritual warfare preparation.

As Christians we must always be on our guard, we must always watch and pray because our enemy the devil is seeking to destroy us, 1 Peter 5:9.

While the disciples are still sleeping, the time has now come for Jesus to eventually go to the cross, it was the time of the betrayal, the trial and the crucifixion of the Son of God, John 2:4 / John 12:33.

The time had come to fulfil the eternal scheme of redemption that God had planned before the foundation of the world, Ephesians 3:8-11 / Revelation 13:8.

It was time for Jesus, the head crusher to fulfil the promise of Genesis 3:15. Satan would be crushed by the sacrifice of the Son of God.

However, the heel of the Son would be bruised by the necessity of His death on the cross. It was time for Jesus to pay a sacrificed price for our deliverance from sin.

As predicted by Jesus, the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified, Matthew 26:1-5. Jesus has no intention of trying to run away and hide, He’s headed straight towards the mob like a man who’s fully embraced the will of His Father. Jesus chose the will of His Father whilst Judas chose the will of his own pocket, John 12:6 / Matthew 26:15.

What exactly was Jesus struggling with? Have you ever wondered what Christ’s struggle was all about? What was the source of Jesus’ great stress and anguish?

Clearly, He was in intense spiritual agony, but the reason for that anguish is because He has to make a decision. The same decision that Adam had to make and the same decision that you and I have to make.

Will I do what I want? Or will I do what God wants? God asked such a small thing of Adam, He put him in a beautiful paradise, and told him to have anything he wanted, but just don’t touch that one tree, Genesis 2:17, that’s all He asked of Adam.

But what did He ask of Jesus? He asked Him to go and hang on a tree. That’s what Jesus was wrestling with and when He left Gethsemane, we know what His decision was because He didn’t back down.

Do you know why? Jesus died before He was killed. He died to self, He died to personal ambition, He died to personal desire. He died before He was killed, Jesus didn’t moan, He didn’t walk to the cross like a victim. He marched to the cross as a man who had fully embraced the will of His Father, John 10:17-18.

Jesus had to make that decision, but He didn’t have to choose to carry it out. Throughout His ministry, He could have stepped back into heaven at any time.

Even the devil knew that, as you know from Matthew 4 after Satan had failed to tempt Jesus, God sent angels to care for Jesus, Matthew 4:11. I believe Jesus could have returned to His Father right there and then. And again, in Matthew 17 when Jesus spoke with Elijah and Moses, He could have returned with them.

He could have avoided the cross, but not if He wanted to accomplish the longing of His Father’s heart. His Father loved the lost children of the world and their only hope, was a perfect substitute, to take the penalty that they deserve. Jesus loved His Father and He knew what His Father wanted.

Conclusion

We only get a tiny glimpse, and we can only but imagine the agony which Christ went through here in Gethsemane, but we must never forget that He went through it all and chose His Father’s will in order for sinners to be saved, even today. When He was faced with a difficult decision, and His closest friends let Him down, He poured His heart out to His Father.

As Christians today, we too will have many times in our lives when we’re faced with our Gethsemane moments, there will be times when we feel let down by our family, friends, and even brothers and sisters in Christ, but it’s then, we need to fall on our knees and pray from the depths of our soul for guidance from our Father.

Crucifixion certainly was an agonising experience, the victim slowly suffocated as he grew gradually weaker and finally unable to pull his body up against the nails to breathe.

But others have suffered similar executions with less dread than Jesus. There must be something Jesus feared besides pain. Several passages teach that Jesus bore the sins of the world on the cross. Isaiah 53 / 1 Peter 2:24 / 2 Corinthians 5:21.

The question is, will we accept His will for our lives or will we resist and chose our own?

If Jesus Is God, Does That Mean He Was Praying To Himself?

The question is a common question which some Christians struggle to understand or explain to others and it’s a question that other religious groups such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Oneness Pentecostals use to try and ‘prove’ that Jesus couldn’t have been God in the flesh.

The simple fact is that God is a Spirit, John 4:24, and Jesus was and is a physical being. So, while the two are one, John 10:30, they are also separate entities. Think of Jesus as the physical form of God, Colossians 1:15.

When Jesus said that He and His Father are One, He was saying that though He has the form of a man, He also has the same divine nature as God the Father, this is exactly what Paul stated in Philippians 2:5-8. Jesus, therefore, has two natures, He is both God and man.

It’s clear from Paul’s words that while Jesus was on Earth, He put aside His Godly powers and made Himself only human, working through the power of the Holy Spirit, in submission to God’s will for Him, and praying to the Father for guidance.

He did this to give us an example of how we should live, working through the power of the Holy Spirit, in submission to God’s will for our lives, and praying to the Father for guidance.

According to the New Testament, there were several people who knew that Jesus was God in the flesh, the Gospel writer John knew that Jesus was God, John 1:1, the apostle Paul knew that Jesus was God, Colossians 1:15, the Hebrew writer knew that Jesus was God, Hebrews 1:3 and of course Jesus Himself knew that He was God, John 10:30 / Hebrews 1:8.

Remember we’re speaking about the humanity of Jesus, as a man, He like the rest of us, got tired and hungry, He cried, He got angry, saddened etc, all these references speak of His humanity, that is Jesus being a real man.

Passages of Scripture which describe Jesus’ limitations are referring to His humanity. He lived His life as a true man, depending upon His heavenly Father day by day, just as we are expected to do. Even His miracles and supernatural knowledge were enabled by the Holy Spirit, not accomplished by switching back and forth between His divine and human natures.

Jesus was completely human, but He also has a divine nature, notice the following:

AS GOD

Jesus is worshipped. Matthew 2:2 / Matthew 2:11 Matthew 14:33 Matthew 28:9
Jesus is prayed to. Acts 7:59 / 1 Corinthians 1:2
Jesus was called God. John 20:28 / Hebrews 1:8
Jesus was called the Son of God. Mark 1:1
Jesus is sinless. 1 Peter 2:22 / Hebrews 4:15
Jesus knew all things. John 21:17
Jesus gives eternal life. John 10:28 / John 17:2
The fullness of deity dwells in Jesus. Colossians 2:9

AS A MAN

Jesus worshipped the Father. John 17
Jesus prayed to the Father. John 17:1
Jesus was called man. Mark 15:39 / John 19:5
Jesus was called the Son of Man. John 9:35-37 Jesus was tempted. Matthew 4:1
Jesus grew in wisdom. Luke 2:52
Jesus died. Romans 5:8
Jesus has a body of flesh and bones. Luke 24:39

Why did Jesus pray to the Father despite being God Himself? Like so much of Jesus’ life as a man He left us an example to follow, which includes praying, remember the disciples didn’t know how to pray so Jesus had to teach them how to pray, Matthew 6:10-14 / Luke 11:1.

While on earth He modelled dependence on God and that prayer is more important even than food or rest. God is our source of life and strength and hope and we must remain connected to Him, we must remain connected to God the Father through Christ. Jesus demonstrated this by remaining in visible fellowship with the Father, Philippians 2:8 / Hebrews 2:17-18.

Jesus was fully God and fully man and He left us an example of what we must do when we hunger, thirst, get weary and sorrowful, just like Jesus we should cry out to our Father in Heaven. It’s all about our relationship with the Father and Jesus gave us the supreme example in prayer, John 13:15.

As a man, Jesus needed to pray and when He was praying, He wasn’t praying to Himself but to God the Father. Jesus prayed to God the Father because it was an appropriate, natural, and essential part of His mission on earth. His prayers set an example for us to grow in intimacy with our Heavenly Father.

Jesus Arrested

‘Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: ‘The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.’ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Rabbi!’ and kissed him. The men seized Jesus and arrested him. Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. ‘Am I leading a rebellion,’ said Jesus, ‘that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.’ Then everyone deserted him and fled. A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.’ Mark 14:47-52

Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley and went into a garden, John 18:1.

The Kidron Valley

The Kidron valley east of Jerusalem, separating the Mount of Olives from the Temple Mount, was the route taken by David when he fled from the city because of Absalom, 2 Samuel 15:23, and it has a significant place in the history of the nation, in 1 Kings 15:13, it’s where Asa burned the ‘abominable image’, in 2 Kings 23:4ff, it’s where Josiah burned the idolatrous vessels out of the temple, in 2 Chronicles 29:16ff, it’s where it involved in the cleansing of the temple by Hezekiah.

From the altar of sacrifice in the temple, there was a channel down to the brook Kidron, and through that channel, the blood of the lambs drained away. When Jesus crossed the brook Kidron it would still be red with the blood of the lambs which had been sacrificed.

The ‘valley’, ‘cheimorrhos’, literally means, ‘winter-flowing’, a stream that flowed only in winter or after heavy rain. A ‘garden’, ‘Gethsemane’ means ‘oil press’, Luke 22:39. It was a private garden, Mark 14:32.

‘Place’, ‘chorion’, an enclosed piece of ground, so the owner must have given permission for Jesus and the disciples to use it. The owner was probably a friend of Jesus as Jesus often went there.

Notice Luke 21:37, this probably means that Jesus and His disciples used to shelter there, sleeping in the open air, and probably in this very garden.

The Garden

Located on the slopes of Mount of Olives, precise location unknown, the present ‘Garden of Gethsemane’ is very old, and the original garden must have been close by, but nobody can say with certainty exactly where it was located. It seems as if the disciples and Jesus had stopped for Jesus’ prayer somewhere in Jerusalem.

Now that the prayer was completed, they continue to the edge of the city, out one of the gates on the Western side of the city and towards the Kidron valley which runs to the West of the city along the length of the temple.

They crossed the valley and entered the garden of Gethsemane, which was on the Mount of Olives, this Mount was so-called because of the olives grown on it.

Some of these olive trees still exist today, and they are believed to be the same as those mentioned in Jesus’ time. It seems that Jesus slept here on the Mount of Olives each night of the last week of His life.

We see that this was commonplace for Jesus and the disciples to go for prayer and meditation, as a result, Judas the traitor knew where to find Jesus, and it was common for them to go there after the evening meal, John 18:2-3.

Judas brought an entire detachment of soldiers with him to capture Jesus. Judas brought with him, ‘a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees’. The word ‘detachment’ of soldiers is ‘speira’, and was the term used for a Roman Cohort, a body of 600 men.

Sometimes used to describe a group of 200 soldiers, it’s impossible to say how many on this occasion, but it’s certainly used for a large number, Matthew 26:47 / Mark 14:43 / Luke 27:47.

‘Their officers’, ‘chiliarchos’, the Roman commander of a cohort, Luke 22:52-53, and the temple guard were carrying ‘lanterns and torches’, perhaps expecting that Jesus and disciples would hide, Luke 22:52, the chief priests and elders were also present, Luke 22:52.

The chief priests had no jurisdiction over Roman soldiers and would need Pilate’s permission to use them. He later doesn’t seem keen on the whole event, so it isn’t likely that he would give his permission to use his men to capture Jesus.

The torches were sticks tied together, wrapped in cloth, dipped in pitch or oil, the lantern was an open dish or oil lamp. This seems likely because of their reaction when Jesus uses the term ‘I AM’, John 18:5.

Why Did They Need Judas?

The religious leaders didn’t need Judas to recognise Jesus. They didn’t need Judas to find out where Jesus was. Three times in the Gospel of John they sent guards to arrest Jesus and all three times the guards couldn’t do it. I think they were beginning to fear that Jesus was un-arrestable.

And they said, ‘we need someone on the inside, some that can catch Him when his guard is down, someone that won’t surprise Him so that we can get Him before He knows what’s going on.’ And Judas said, ‘I’m your man.’

The Kiss

Under normal circumstances, the kiss was a brotherly kiss of affection, Romans 16:16 / 1 Corinthians 16:20 / 2 Corinthians 13:12 / 1 Thessalonians 5:26 / 1 Peter 5:14, but it seems like Judas had other plans.

His kiss was more like a kiss of betrayal, his kiss signalled to the mob who Jesus was, remember the religious leaders who were in attendance knew exactly who Jesus was, Matthew 26:48-49 / Mark 14:44-45, as they had many dealings with Him up to this point.

This shows us the extent Satan had been working on His heart, he even had the audacity to greet Jesus first, Matthew 26:49 / Mark 14:45.

When Jesus asked him the question about betraying the Son of man with a kiss, Luke 22:48, this tells us that Jesus knew Judas’s motives. I’m sure Judas once again would have been taken back by Jesus’ question.

Remember these are the final days of Jesus and He was well aware of everything which was about to happen, Revelation 13:8, and Judas coming to Him was no surprise either, Psalm 41:9 / Matthew 20:18 / Luke 9:44 / Acts 1:16-17.

Jesus was well aware of His eventual destination, He knew that His time had now come but still He asked, ‘Who is it you want?’ They specify Jesus, John 18:5.

He replies, ‘I am he’, John 18:5, this is the old statement used as a reference to God. Jesus knew everything that was about to happen, John 2:24 / John 5:6 / John 6:64 / John 13:1 / John 13:3.

Notice it was when Jesus said, ‘I am he,’ ‘they drew back and fell to the ground,’ John 18:6, why? The word ‘he’ is merely supplied in the text, Jesus said ‘Ego Eimi’, ‘I AM,’ John 8:58 / Exodus 3:14, which is the Greek equivalent of YHWH, Exodus 3:13-14 / John 5:18. He is Eternal, Psalm 135:13, and self-existent, Psalm 88:6-7.

The expression ‘Ego Eimi’ also occurs in John 6:35 / John 8:12 / John 8:58 / John 10:9 / John 10:11 / John 11:25 / John 14:6 / John 15:1. The Jews understood perfectly well what was alluded to by the term ‘I AM’ used by Jesus, Leviticus 24:16 / John 5:18.

Just as a side note I remember studying with the Jehovah’s Witnesses and brought this text to their attention, at first, they said, ‘oh you guys are always making a big deal out of the ‘I AM’ statements’ and then they went on to explain that everyone present ‘drew back and fell to the ground’, simply because Jesus openly admitted that He was Jesus and everyone was surprised when He did!

Really!

Imagine 200-600 Roman soldiers and all the religious leaders, armed with torches, lanterns, clubs and swords and who knows what else, coming to Jesus and Jesus asks, ‘who are you looking for?’ and they reply, ‘Jesus of Nazareth’.

Imagine, Jesus replies, ‘Yep, I’m your man’, and because He said, He is the one they are looking for, 200-600 soldiers and everyone else in their company, not only ‘drew back’ but they also ‘fell to the ground.’ That simply doesn’t make any sense unless there was something about the words Jesus used.

The ‘I AM’ statements are a big deal, but they fail to see the significance of them because if they did, they wouldn’t come out with such dribble to explain passages like this.

After declaring to the mob that He is the ‘I AM’, for the second time, Jesus pleads for His disciples to be released, John 18:8. This was to fulfil a prophecy He previously made which prevented any from being captured with Him, John 18:9 / John 6:39 / John 18:8.

The Ear

Peter’s reaction which isn’t surprising, He was always the impulsive one, who often said things without thinking first, John 13:37 / Matthew 26:33.

He draws his sword and cuts off the ear of Malchus who was the high priest’s servant, Matthew 26:51 / Mark 14:47 / Luke 22:50 / John 18:10.

The fact that Peter is carrying a sword, possibly for protection, tells me that maybe He still didn’t understand the nature of God’s kingdom, he was still thinking in terms of a physical kingdom. We know that Jesus never wanted or never intended physical force to establish His kingdom, John 18:36 / Revelation 13:10.

Before Jesus restores Malchus’ ear, Jesus rebukes Peter, this isn’t the first time he has rebuked him, Mark 8:33 / John 18:11, and it certainly won’t be the last time he’s rebuked, Galatians 2:11-21.

The cup which Jesus refers to is the cup of agony, Matthew 26:39. He reminds Peter if he’s going to fight with a sword, then he will certainly die by the sword, Matthew 26:52 / Romans 13:4.

We must wonder what those who were present were thinking when Jesus restored Malchus’ ear back to normal, Luke 22:51. Surely after Jesus claimed to be the ‘I AM’, and then performed this ‘sign’, John 20:30-31, those present would have noticed what He just did!

I often wonder if Malchus himself ever went on to believe that Jesus was indeed, the Christ, the Son of God? If no one else believed within the mob, who Christ was on that day, I’m sure Malchus would have believed and who knows maybe later He came to become a Christian. At the very least, it was certainly one of those moments, in his life, that he would never forget.

Peter, still thinking in human terms thought Jesus needed help but little did he know how much help Jesus had at His call. If it wasn’t for the love of Christ for mankind, He could have easily brought all this to an end, but He wasn’t about to play into the devil’s hands, He wasn’t about to blow His whole mission this close to the end, John 18:11 / John 10:17-18.

Twelve Legions Of Angels

Matthew tells us Jesus could have called numerous angels to rescue Him, Matthew 26:53, but He knew by doing that, wouldn’t fulfil Scripture, Matthew 26:54 / Isaiah 50:6 / Isaiah 53:2-11.

Twelve legions of angels are estimated to be around 36,000 angels, but notice Jesus says He has ‘more than’ that number at His disposal, Matthew 26:53.

Remember one angel wiped out 185,000 of God’s enemies in one moment, 2 Kings 19:35, how much more would these many angels, affect those who were present?

The mob were armed with swords and clubs, Matthew 26:55 / Mark 14:48 / Luke 22:52, this tells us that both Roman soldiers and the temple police were present to arrest Jesus.

Luke is the only account which tells us the chief priests were present too, Luke 22:52. You have to wonder, how many people does it take to arrest one man? John 18:12.

The Time Has Come

Jesus tells them they’ve had ample opportunity over the past three and half years to arrest Him, but they didn’t, Matthew 26:55 / Mark 14:51 / Luke 22:52-53. Now was the time because it was God’s timetable they were working under, not theirs.

The commander was usually in charge of a thousand men, but on this occasion, he doesn’t have a thousand men with him, but John simply tells us about him to help us understand that he was a man of high ranking, John 18:12.

It was now time to carry out the death sentence on Jesus, John 18:12 / Luke 22:53. Satan has been working through these people because He wanted Jesus out of the picture, little did he know that the cross was a part of God’s plan from the beginning, Genesis 3:15 / Romans 8:28.

The devil had no idea what God’s plan was, he had no idea that he was actually putting God’s plan into effect, 1 Peter 1:10-12 / Acts 2:23.

Christ knew the Scriptures, He knew moment by moment they were to be fulfilled, Matthew 26:56 / Mark 14:49. Jesus is saying that He must die, but He is also saying all these things must happen to fulfil prophecy, Matthew 18:7 / John 10:35 / 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. He knew His sheep would be scattered, Zechariah 13:7 / Matthew 26:56 / Mark 14:49.

Why the disciples deserted Jesus and fled, Matthew 26:56 / Mark 14:50-52, is uncertain, probably because they were afraid, John 20:19, and didn’t want to be arrested along with Jesus.

Jesus didn’t try and run away, He surrenders Himself to the authorities and no attempt is made to capture the disciples, He voluntarily handed Himself over to them, John 18:12.

I don’t believe there was any need to bind Him, John 18:12, but such is the nature of Satan and the people he was using to rid the world of Jesus.

There was no escaping for Jesus, but Jesus had no intention of even trying to escape, He only had one thing on His mind, to lovingly fulfil the will of His Father, Luke 22:42.

Jesus was in full control of everything which was happening around Him and He has always been in control of everything going on around Him and will continue to be in control of everything, even to His resurrection and beyond.

As Christians, it’s so important to remember, that as long as we remain under His control, He will protect us, from harm, John 10:28-29.

We must also remember that it’s so easy to abandon Him, especially when people criticise us for being Christians and abuse us for the faith we hold onto so dearly, 1 Timothy 6:12.

We know that Peter and John stayed kind of close to Jesus during His trial, John 18:15, but we don’t know why the others fled. One thing to notice is that Matthew includes himself as one of those deserting and fleeing from the scene, Matthew 26:56.

The young man who was left naked could have possibly been John Mark, Mark 14:51-52. Mark makes this brief statement here in order to identify himself as the writer of the document. I can imagine this event being both sad for the disciples later but also humorous as they remember Mark running away naked.

From this time on, things begin to happen quickly in reference to the trials, crucifixion, burial and resurrection. Throughout the next three days, the disciples would experience the greatest trauma of their lives. Expectations would be crushed. Their hopes in Jesus would be dashed.

They would be in a state of disillusionment until Jesus redirected them through several appearances that would take place after the resurrection. After the trauma of all these events, they would be prepared to go forth for Jesus.

What Date Was Jesus Arrested?

Coffman, in his commentary, says the following.

‘We should note that if Jesus was arrested on the night of Passover, as some suggest then none of the chief priests or the temple guards, would have been permitted to carry weapons after sundown of Nisan 14th.

And so, this must-have happened the night before, on Nisan 13th, technically the 14th, that Jesus was arrested. If it had been Nisan 14th after sundown, it would have been technically Nisan 15th, the night of the Passover meal, Luke 22:2.’

The Trails Of Jesus

Jesus went through six trials before His execution. There were six parts to Jesus’ trial, three stages in a religious court and three stages before a Roman court.

On the night of His arrest, Jesus was brought before Annas, Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrin, a group of religious leaders. In these trials He was charged with blasphemy, claiming to be the Son of God.

He was imprisoned at Caiaphas’ palace. The Jewish High Priest and the Jewish High Court, the Sanhedrin, effectively asked Jesus two questions.

‘Are you the Messiah? and Are you the Son of God?’ To both of these, Jesus answered, ‘I AM’. This was enough to condemn Jesus for blaspheming God by claiming to be God. The Jews understood perfectly well what was alluded to by the term ‘I AM’ used by Jesus, Leviticus 24:16 / John 5:18.

The Preliminary Hearing

Matthew, Mark and Luke don’t mention the preliminary hearing, only John. Jesus was first taken before the powerful Annas, the ex-high priest and the power behind the current one, these verses remind us of the important prophecy made by the current high priest, John 11:49-51, which he had said without realising the truth behind his statement. Perhaps he’s also underlining the fact that with two such scoundrels involved, Jesus had no hope of a fair trial.

Jesus Before Annas

Jesus was on trial by the Jews. So, Jesus was first taken before the powerful Annas, the ex-high priest and the power behind the current one, John 18:12-13.

John 18:14, reminds us of the important prophecy made by the current high priest, John 11:49-51, which he had said without realising the truth behind his statement. Perhaps he is also underlining the fact that with two such scoundrels involved, Jesus had no hope of a fair trial.

While Jesus is on trial, we find Peter is about to deny Jesus three times just as Jesus said he would, Matthew 26:33-35 / Mark 14:29-31 / John 13:37-38.

In John 18:15-18 we read that Peter, and it appears John follow the group including the Lord to the house of the high priest, it’s most likely that Annas and Caiaphas lived at the same address. John is known at the gate and allowed into the courtyard and seeks permission for Peter to come in also.

The Court Of The High Priest

When we compare this with Matthew 26:57-58, and with John 18:13 / John 18:15 / John 18:24, it suggests that the same court or courtyard is in view in each case.

It’s probable that Annas lived in a part of the official palace of his son in law. The sending of Jesus to Caiaphas would be merely sending him across the courtyard.

As Peter is denying the Lord, the Lord is making his first defence, He’s being questioned by the high priest, either Annas or Caiaphas, about His teaching and His apostles, John 18:19.

It may have been that the authorities wanted the apostles as well to make sure that this sect was completely crushed, this would further explain Peter’s denials.

His wasn’t a judicial trial, but rather a preliminary investigation, it would be in character for Annas to try to pin something on Jesus. Jesus is questioned ‘about His disciples and His teaching’, surely the questioner was well informed about both!

Jesus’ answer shows that the high priest’s questions were evilly motivated, John 18:20. What Jesus means is that He didn’t have two kinds of teaching, a harmless one for the general public and a very different one for the secret revolutionaries. The essence of His teaching was public property, John 18:21.

Jesus defends Himself by explaining the openness of all His actions, never did He hide behind someone or conspire in a closed room, His entire statement had been in the open, for all to hear, John 18:21.

Because of this answer, one of the officials struck Jesus, who then seeks the reason why He was struck, John 18:22. Annas was acting illegally because Jewish law required that evidence be heard from witnesses and that their testimony is shown to be in agreement, then a prisoner might be cross-examined.

The official who slapped Jesus was a member of the temple guard. Jesus is saying, ‘if I have said anything wrong, let it be revealed by proper legal procedures. If not, why hit me?’ John 18:23.

Jesus Sent To Caiaphas

Notice that Jesus was bound, John 18:24, Jewish custom was for a prisoner’s hands to be tied behind His back, after being bound Jesus is sent by Annas to Caiaphas as, the official high priest, John 18:24. Evidently, the preliminary hearing before Annas has allowed the Sanhedrin time to assemble.

This was for the official ‘trial’ narrated by the Gospels, Matthew 26:57-67 / Mark 14:53-65. If Annas and Caiaphas lived in the same palace, and the Sanhedrin met there for this ‘trial’, then John 18:24, would merely involve Jesus being led across a courtyard. Jesus is sent to Caiaphas’s quarters where the entire council of the Sanhedrin had gathered to seek cause to have Jesus put to death.

Jesus Before the Sanhedrin

‘They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together. Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree. Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: ‘We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days will build another, not made with hands.’ Yet even then their testimony did not agree. Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?’ But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again, the high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?’ ‘I am,’ said Jesus. ‘And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.’ The high priest tore his clothes. ‘Why do we need any more witnesses?’ he asked. ‘You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?’ They all condemned him as worthy of death. Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, ‘Prophesy!’ And the guards took him and beat him.’ Mark 14:53-65

Matthew, Mark and Luke record the account of Jesus before the Sanhedrin, but John doesn’t.

The Official Trial Begins

Though it was very late at night, Jesus was brought before the Jewish supreme court and tried Mark 14:53 / Matthew 26:57. Peter was following Jesus from a safe distance, he went into the courtyard and sat down beside some guards next to a fire, to see what was going to happen, Matthew 26:58 / Mark 14:54.

The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for any excuse to put Jesus to death, Matthew 26:59 / Mark 14:55. They bribed false witnesses who told contradictory stories about Him, Matthew 26:60 / Mark 14:56.

For a time, it appeared that the court would be unable to find consistent testimony by which to convict Jesus. Another group stood and gave false testimony, Mark 14:57, they accused Jesus of plotting to destroy the temple and in three days He would build another one, Matthew 26:61 / Mark 14:58.

Their testimony was untruthful because Jesus actually said, ‘You’ destroy this temple, referring to His body, and in three days I will raise it up, that is, rise from the dead, John 2:19.

In context, Jesus’ words were a prediction that the religious leaders would take His life and that He would rise from the dead three days later. There was no suggestion whatever of such a thing as the false witnesses alleged.

Even such a misrepresentative and malicious garbling of Jesus’ words, however, was useless to the chief priests, because there was no coherent account of such an alleged statement. One said one thing, and another declared something else, Mark 14:59.

All night long, the preliminary investigation had gone forward, and nothing had come of it. In desperation, Caiaphas, who was beginning to find the judge’s bench a very uncomfortable place, forsook the judicial status, usurped the role of a prosecutor, placed Jesus under oath, and demanded an answer, Mark 14:60, but he would ask a question first. Jesus remained silent, Matthew 26:63 / Mark 14:61.

Finally, the high priest asked Him if He were the Christ, Matthew 26:63 / Mark 14:61. When Jesus said, ‘I AM,’ they used this statement as evidence of blasphemy and convicted Him, Mark 14:61. Christ’s, ‘I AM’ claim here speaks of His Deity, John 6:35 / John 8:12 / John 8:58 / John 10:9 / John 10:11 / John 11:25 / John 14:6 / John 15:1.

Each of His ‘I AM’ claims are claims that He is God, EGO EIMI, is the Greek equivalent of YHWH, Exodus 3:13-14 / John 5:18. He is Eternal, Psalm 135:13, and self-existent, Psalm 88:6-7. The Jews certainly understood that Jesus was claiming to be God, John 8:57-59.

I used to think that sitting at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven refers to the final judgment when all men shall stand before the throne of God for sentencing, Matthew 26:64 / Mark 14:62. However, notice it says, ‘He’s sitting at the right hand.’ It doesn’t say He’s standing or He’s riding a horse, it says, He’s sitting.

I think what Jesus is saying there is, ‘Caiaphas, this day you are my judge, you and your people are judging me, but the day is coming and you’re going to see it when I’m sitting at the right hand of God and I’m sending my judgement to you.’ And Caiaphas’ generation saw that prophecy come true.

In this text, Jesus is bringing the news of the passing of one era and the establishment of another in which the glory of God isn’t going to be in the temple made by hands anymore.

The high priest had heard enough, he tore his clothes in anger and didn’t need any more witnesses and accused Him of blasphemy, Matthew 26:65-66 / Mark 14:63-64.

Guards Mock Jesus

They spat on Jesus, they blindfold him, punch Him, and mock Him and beat Him up, Matthew 26:67-68 / Mark 14:65 / Luke 22:63-65. There were six mockeries of Jesus in all, all of which were designed to totally humiliate Christ.

We would expect this kind of behaviour from the Romans but since this took place in the court of the high priests of Israel, this tells us just how far from God they had come. The religious leaders allowed this to happen right in front of their very eyes.

This was the second of Jesus’ six trials, the first having been the arraignment before Annas, perhaps in the same palace where apartments for both Annas and Caiaphas were located around the courtyard.

The meeting of the Sanhedrin was probably not at full strength, its more noble members, such as Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, having already withdrawn. It may well be doubted that even a quorum was present, but, on the other hand, it may be assumed that every effort was made to attain one.

Jesus went through six trials before His execution. There were six parts to Jesus’ trial, three stages in a religious court and three stages before a Roman court. On the night of His arrest, Jesus was brought before Annas, Caiaphas, and the Sanhedrin, a group of religious leaders.

In these trials He was charged with blasphemy, claiming to be the Son of God. He was imprisoned at Caiaphas’ palace. The Jewish High Priest and the Jewish High Court, the Sanhedrin, effectively asked Jesus two questions, ‘Are you the Messiah? and Are you the Son of God?’

To both of these, Jesus answered, ‘I AM.’ This was enough to condemn Jesus for blaspheming God by claiming to be God, John 8:57-59.

The Whole Trial Of Jesus Was Illegal

1. No formal change had been made against Him.

2. The arrest was made by the men who would be His judges. The High Priests and the Sanhedrin were also the ones who accused Him which violating the Law which said that the Council was not permitted to lay charges.

3. The trial was held, at night. Forbidden by the Law, because it was believed that the darkness might bind the mind of the accused a cause him to testify against himself.

4. His questioning by the High Priest was alone forbidden by the Law. The Judges were not allowed to question the accused, because he might be led into providing evidence against himself.

5. The law required the High Priest to ‘search, enquire and ask diligently’, if the charge against the accused was true, Deuteronomy 13:14.

6. A trial could not be held before sunrise. So that potential witnesses for the defence could be present.

7. A guilty verdict could not be pronounced on the same day as the trial. A night must intervene between trial and sentence so that the Judges could meditate on the verdict.

8. After the verdict, a period of nine hours must be allowed for potential objections to be made to the verdict.

9. The verdict must be pronounced in the Chamber of Stones, the room in the Temple, where the Sanhedrin held its Meetings, before being made public.

10. The death sentence was invalid because it was not the unanimous verdict of the full Council. Joseph of Arimathea was not present, Luke 23:50-51.

11. The testimony of the witnesses, procured by the Priests, on which the ‘Guilty’ verdict was based, was false. They claimed that Jesus said, ‘I will destroy this Temple’.

12. The Law forbade the holding of a trial on a Friday. The trial was illegal because it was held on a day that was followed by an Annual Sabbath, the Passover, John 18:28.

Peter Denies Knowing Jesus

‘While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of  the high priest came by. When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. ‘You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,’ she said. But he denied it. ‘I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,’ he said, and went out into the entryway. When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, ‘This fellow is one of them.’ Again, he denied it. After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, ‘Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.’ He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, ‘I don’t know this man you’re talking about.’ Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.’ And he broke down and wept.’ Mark 14:66-72

While Jesus is on trial, we find Peter is about to deny Jesus three times just as Jesus said he would, Matthew 26:33-35 / Mark 14:29-31 / John 13:37-38.

Here we read about Peter’s first denial, but who is the ‘other disciple’ mentioned in John 18:15? Traditionally this has been accepted as John himself, this would be consistent with John’s habit of not naming himself, John 1:40 / John 13:23-25 / John 19:26 / John 20:2-8 / John 21:20-24. Also, Peter and John appear to have been constant companions, Luke 22:8 / Acts 3:1 / Acts 4:13 / Acts 8:14.

This unnamed disciple ‘was known to the high priest’, which means he was well enough known for the servant girl to admit him. Peter and it appears John follow the group including the Lord to the house of the high priest, it’s most likely that Annas and Caiaphas lived at the same address. John is known at the gate and allowed into the courtyard and seeks permission for Peter to come in also.

The girl at the gate sees Peter and recognises him as one of Jesus followers, she asks him about this and Peter makes that first terrible denial but Peter and John both enter, Peter and John find a fire with people around and go to it to keep warm, John 18:17-18. It appears as if the other disciples had fled back to ‘his own’, in accordance with Jesus prophecy of John 16:32.

In John 18:17, we see the question asked by the maid is phrased to anticipate a negative answer, ‘you aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you? Remember that the ‘other disciple’ was known to be one of Jesus’ followers, he had openly entered along with Jesus, John 18:15.

How easily Peter fell!

Questioned by a maid, ‘paidiske’, girl, he said, ‘I am not,’ John 18:17 / Luke 26:69-70. The other disciple was apparently in no danger, why didn’t Peter own up?

Perhaps he was taken by surprise when a mere girl challenged him, maybe he was afraid he would be recognized as the one who wounded Malchus, we know that nearby are the ‘officers,’ John 18:18, who had been involved in the arrest of Jesus, John 18:13-14.

A few hours ago, he had said he would die for Jesus, John 13:37, but now, a frightened man, he denies his Master.

Peter’s Second And Third Denial

In John 18:25-27 we see Peter’s second and third denial. It’s difficult to harmonise the accounts of the denials in the Gospels with that of John. This was during Jesus’ trial before Caiaphas, John 18:24-28.

Matthew and Mark relate that before this Peter had gone out to the ‘porch’ or ‘gateway’, Matthew 26:71 / Mark 14:68. Perhaps, deeply ashamed by his first denial, he wanted to slip away unseen, but was unable to escape unobserved.

Matthew and Mark both tell of his being accosted in the porch by a ‘maid’. Accused of having been with Jesus, ‘he denied it with an oath’, Matthew 26:71-72 / Mark 14:69-70.

Peter ‘was standing and warming himself’ at a charcoal fire, John 18:18. This charcoal only mentioned only by John would provide much heat but little light. And he is challenged by bystanders, ‘you aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?’ again he answers, ‘I am not’.

Then he is challenged by a slave of the high priest, who is also a kinsman of Malchus, ‘Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?’ John 18:26.

The Gospels tell what was said both to and about Peter regarding his speech, Matthew 26:73, the bystanders, ‘certainly you are also one of them, for your accent betrays you’. Mark 14:70, the bystanders, ‘certainly you are one of them; for you are a Galilean.’ Luke 22:59, another bystander, probably a maid, ‘certainly this man was with him; for he is a Galilean.’

So, we see he was twice challenged about his presence with the Lord. First by a slave girl, one of the most unimportant persons imaginable, her question expected a negative answer and Peter takes the easy way out. Next, by a relative of the servant whose ear Peter had cut off.

Peter again denied any link with Jesus, as he concluded his statement, the crowing began. John’s account is more discreet than the other Gospels, he merely states, ‘Peter again denied it; and at once the cock crowed’, Matthew 26:34 / John 13:38 / Mark 14:30.

Alleged Contradiction

‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.’ Matthew 26:34

‘Then Jesus answered, will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!’ John 13:38

Notice that Matthew and John both say that, ‘before the rooster crows’, Peter will have denied the Lord three times.

‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows TWICE you yourself will disown me three times.’ Mark 14:30

And now notice that Mark says that ‘before the rooster crows ‘twice’, Peter will deny Christ three times. Although some see this as a contradiction, when we actually take a moment to slowly read the text itself, we will soon realise there’s no contradiction.

Notice how Matthew and John don’t expressly state how many times the rooster will crow. They both simply say that Peter will deny Jesus three times, ‘before the rooster crows’, but they don’t tell us how many times it will crow.

I believe it’s reasonable to accept that Mark is being a little more specific in terms of how many times the rooster will actually crow.

In fact, if you look at the word, ‘twice’ in Mark 14:10 and Mark 14:72, you will notice that it has a footnote, which tells us that ‘some early manuscripts do not have ‘twice’.

In other words, it’s possible that different accounts are due to an early copyist error in Mark, that resulted in the insertion of the word, ‘twice’ in early manuscripts.

Peter Wept Bitterly

Luke records in his account that at this moment Jesus was outside, probably on his way from Annas’ quarters to Caiaphas’s and he looked straight at Peter, who broke down and cried, Matthew 26:74-75 / Mark 14:71-72 / Luke 22:61-62.

We can’t help but sympathise with Peter at this point, as he saw Jesus and then remembered what He prophesied about his denying Him three times. He literally was sobbing his heart out.

Conclusion

This was probably one of the lowest points in his life and it was an event he wasn’t going to forget for the rest of his life. It’s interesting that things seem to happen in threes for Peter from this point on, John 21:15-17 / Acts 10:9-16 / Acts 10:17-19.

What Peter was demonstrating here was genuine godly sorrow, which was the opposite of what Judas was demonstrating, as he went on to hang himself, Matthew 27:5 / 2 Corinthians 7:10.

If we learn anything from Peter, we should learn that he didn’t allow this occasion to affect the rest of his life, he went on to become a powerful apostle for the Lord and became bolder when he spoke more openly about the Christ, Acts 2.

As Christians we too will make many mistakes, some out of fear of being persecuted but we must learn to draw a line under those occasions and move on.

Think back upon contributing factors in their failure.

1. They hadn’t listened when Jesus had frequently warned them of His impending suffering. They had been too eager to argue about who would be the greatest in the kingdom.

2. They were overconfident. Earlier that evening, Jesus warned them that they would flee, but they didn’t believe it.

3. They didn’t watch and pray in the garden as He instructed. Thus, they were not mentally prepared to face the challenge. We could fail in the hour of temptation for these same reasons.

Peter did deny Jesus, but he repented. Judas was remorseful and returned the pieces of silver, Matthew 27:3. But he later hung himself. There was a difference between the reaction of the two men to their discovery of what Jesus said each would do.

Peter’s reaction led him to return to faithfulness with a stronger conviction. Judas’ reaction led him to further guilt, and subsequently, to his own suicide, Matthew 27:5 / Acts 1:18.

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