43 Immediately while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, *came up accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs, who were from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now he who was betraying Him had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him and lead Him away under guard.” 45 After coming, Judas immediately went to Him, saying, “Rabbi!” and kissed Him. 46 They laid hands on Him and seized Him. 47 But one of those who stood by drew his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me, as you would against a robber? 49 Every day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me; but this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures.”
Message: Arrested Under The Cover of Night
Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.
What the Lord is Saying:
Preface - Jesus is praying in the garden of Gethsemane, preparing for it is ahead, death and dying which he knows will include being beaten and scourged. Whether the will of God or not, he is to go through it and he asks for the cup of wrath to find another way. In the process, he asks the disciples to keep watch, but instead they go to sleep, despite them saying during their meal time they would never deny Him.
Jesus has just pronounced to his disciples as he had been asking them to keep watch and pray that the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners and now it is coming true before their eyes, for a large group of religious leaders were coming for him. Immediately while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, *came up accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs, who were from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
I have previously talked about Judas' betrayal and how this last act of his would define him for his life. This act made everything he had done before not believable. Jesus had called men to follow Him and he had risen up to do that, but in light of this betrayal is the wonder of what his motives were in following Jesus. Was it really a heart decision? For Judas betrays Jesus in an emphatic way here. As if the leaders didn't know who Jesus was, Judas stated that he who was betraying Him had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him and lead Him away under guard.” After coming, Judas immediately went to Him, saying, “Rabbi!” and kissed Him. They laid hands on Him and seized Him.
Judas' Kiss is now the sign of betrayal. It accented the betrayal of Jesus. Jesus knew it would occur as he had also told the disciples but it was being fulfilled with complete clarity with Judas referring to Jesus as Rabbi or teacher. Rabbi was a title of honor. And Judas gives him a sign of affection. It almost looks like Judas has been put up to a double dare. He shows that no matter what his words or actions may have been his heart was in a different place. Again, Judas' act was necessary as Jesus will say - but this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures but Judas is still responsible for his actions. The decree of God and the responsibility of man are separate, thus God is sovereign over everything in our lives. He will carry out his actions even if that means through the disobedience (or obedience) of His children. God can work independently of man, but he also works through man.
During this process of arrest one of those who stood by drew his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. The gospel writer John records this as Simon Peter who did this. Peter is providing these words to Mark and yet Mark shows it as one of those so perhaps Peter didn't want to state that it was him or Mark didn't want to state this. This is obviously not what Peter wanted to see and he was bothered that this man that he had been with for years now had betrayed Jesus.
And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me, as you would against a robber? Every day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me; Jesus reveals something about those that have come to seize him wondering maybe why this is such a scene but also partially embarrassing them for the way in which they have done it. Jesus has made him self available many times to them. But instead of doing it where he was at, they come after him like they would come after a robber. Luke reports that Jesus healed the man that Peter had struck. They came at night upon Jesus, not during the day, not in front of everyone, not at the Temple where the crowds were. They are seizing Jesus somewhat in a secret manner. They were really only doing this because Judas was helping it all happen, providing further motivation for it to happen.
Summary - Jesus was now being taken away. It was happening. His death had been predicted but the way it was happening he had not necessarily been mentioning. The disciples had been tasked to keep watch, but they failed. Judas had said he would follow Jesus, but he failed. Jesus was being arrested like he was a criminal, under the shroud of darkness, in a hidden way. But Jesus went willingly. The scriptures were being fulfilled.
Promise: Jesus was being treated as a sinner, even at this point, though He would have no sin of His own.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for sacrificing for me. Thank you for experiencing this humiliation on my behalf and going willingly. Many have betrayed you but I am chief among sinners. Thank you for forever making me free and clean before God. On this day I want to do things your way.
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