The Life and Ministry of Christ, Part 50
Passion Week – Thursday
After His intercessory prayer in Gethsemane, Jesus spoke to Peter, James, and John and told them His betrayer was at hand, (Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:3-13).
John 18:2–3 NKJV And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples. Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.
In Matthew 26:14, Judas Iscariot contracted with the chief priests to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Luke said the chief priests, elders and captains of the temple were in the multitude who came to take Jesus. Two groups of troops and the religious leaders came out to Gethsemane to take Jesus. A detachment of Roman soldiers was between 200 and 600 men. The temple guard were Levitical officers responsible for guarding and maintaining order in the temple. The temple officers were under the command of the Sanhedrin or Jewish council.
Mark 14:44 NKJV Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely.”
Matthew 26:49 NKJV Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.
Luke 22:48 NKJV But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
Matthew 26:5 NKJV But Jesus said to him, “Friend, why have you come?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him.
John adds some additional information.
John 18:4–5 NKJV Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
Knowing everything that was to happen, Jesus still went forward and although He was unarmed, He was in control.
John 18:6 NKJV Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
Jesus’ statement “I am He,” was a manifestation of His deity and power. The revelation was so powerful that the multitude went backward and fell to the ground. The sovereign Lord is surrendering to the determined will of the Father in heaven when He allowed them to take Him. Notice how much power and authority is in His voice when He said, “I am He.”
John 18:7 NKJV Then He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.”
John 18:8–9 NKJV Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,” that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.”
John 18:10–11 NKJV Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”
We cannot fight spiritual battles with carnal methods. By saying “Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?”, Jesus indicated that He was ready to fulfill everything required to do the Father’s will. Jesus had foretold this to the twelve, but they didn’t understand until now and were unsure how to deal with it.
Luke 22:51 NKJV But Jesus answered and said, “Permit even this.” And He touched his ear and healed him.
“Permit even this” referred to the way He was treated by the crowd. Literally, Jesus was saying: “No more of this!” or “Stop, no more of this, let them have their way!” Jesus was fulfilling His mission and His disciples did not understand. Even in this intense moment, Jesus’ nature and character did not change so He healed Malchus’ ear.
Matthew 26:52–53 NKJV But Jesus said to him, “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?
Matthew 26:54 NKJV How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?”
Matthew 26:55 NKJV In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me.
Matthew 26:56 NKJV But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.
Everything the multitude was doing fulfilled the prophecies. At the Passover meal, Jesus told them they would all forsake Him, but they did not believe Him. Now in the moment when a multitude of armed men came to take Him, they all fled.
Luke 22:52–53 NKJV Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”
Mark 14:50–52 NKJV Then they all forsook Him and fled. Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.
Mark gives the only account of this young man. Some suggest that it was a personal testimony of abandoning Jesus and depicts the image of shame.
Upon taking Him they led Jesus before Caiaphas the high priest, (Matthew 26:57-68; Mark 14:53-65; Luke 22:54-68).
The high priest’s courtyard was part of his palace. Simon Peter and another disciple followed the procession at a distance and went into the high priest’s courtyard, (John 18:15-16). That other disciple was known to the high priest and went into the courtyard while Peter stood at the door outside the courtyard. Then the other disciple spoke to the servant girl who kept the door and brought Peter in. Peter was probably attempting to remain true to his statement that he would never forsake the Lord. He then sat among those gathered around a fire in the courtyard. A servant girl noticed him sitting by the fire and identified him as one who had been with Jesus, but Peter denied knowing Him, (Luke 22:54-62). A short time later a second person said the same thing and Peter again denied knowing Jesus. About an hour later, a third person insisted that he had been with Jesus and said his Galilean accent gave him away, but Peter denied it again. Immediately after that third denial, the rooster crowed and the Lord turned and looked at him.
Luke 22:61–62 NKJV And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” So Peter went out and wept bitterly.
After this the text shifts to Christ’s suffering. The men holding Jesus mocked and beat him. After blindfolding him, they struck him on the face and demanded, “Prophecy! Who is the one who struck You?” (Luke 22:59-68). They spoke many blasphemous words against him.
After dawn on Friday, Jesus was condemned by the Sanhedrin, (Matthew 27:1; Mark 15:1; Luke 22:66-71).
Luke 22:66 NKJV As soon as it was day, the elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, came together and led Him into their council, saying, “If You are the Christ, tell us.”
Luke 22:67-69 NKJV But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will by no means believe. And if I also ask you, you will by no means answer Me or let Me go. Hereafter the Son of Man will sit on the right hand of the power of God.”
Luke 22:70–71 NKJV Then they all said, “Are You then the Son of God?” So He said to them, “You rightly say that I am.” And they said, “What further testimony do we need? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.”
After witnessing Jesus’ condemnation, Judas was filled with remorse and cast the thirty pieces of silver at the feet of the chief priest and elders, (Matthew 27:3-10; Acts 1:18-19). He confessed, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” And they said, “What is that to us? You see to it!” Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple, departed, and went and hanged himself, (Matthew 27:3-10).
It is believed that Judas hanged himself with a rope and the tree limb broke and he fell into a plot of land that is called Akel Dama or the Field of Blood in Hinnom Valley. The chief priest determined they could not put the money into the temple treasury, so they purchased a potter’s field that became known as the field of blood. Acts 1:18-19 indicates the field of blood was purchased with the ill-gotten wages, and that Judas falling headlong and bursting open and his death was made known to everyone in Jerusalem. As a result, the field was called the Field of Blood. The two accounts of Judas’ death have different details, but demonstrate the terrible result of his betrayal.
Matthew 27:9–10 NKJV Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of Him who was priced, whom they of the children of Israel priced, and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord directed me.”
Jesus was then taken by the chief priests and elders to Pilate the Roman governor for the first time, (Matthew 27:2-14; Mark 15:1-5; Luke 23:1-5; John 18:28-38).
John 18:28 NKJV Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, and it was early morning. But they themselves did not go into the Praetorium, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.
Luke 23:2–3 NKJV And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.” Then Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered him and said, “It is as you say.”
Luke 23:4–5 NKJV So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no fault in this Man.” But they were the more fierce, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.”
John 18:29–30 NKJV Pilate then went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?” They answered and said to him, “If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you.”
John 18:31–32 NKJV Then Pilate said to them, “You take Him and judge Him according to your law.” Therefore the Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death,” that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled which He spoke, signifying by what death He would die.
During Pilate’s questioning, Jesus made it clear that His kingdom was not of this world. He did not understand what the Lord was saying, especially when Jesus said, “For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
John 18:38 NKJV Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all.”
When Pilate heard that Jesus was from Galilee and belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad because he had heard many things about Him, and hoped to see some miracle done by Him. It was not that he believed, but was fascinated by the novelty of a miracle worker. As Jesus was being questioned, the chief priests and scribes stood and passionately accused Him. Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him. They put a purple robe on his back, and sent Him back to Pilate, (Matthew 27:15-26; Mark 15:6-15; Luke 23:13-25; John 18:39-19:16)
Luke 23:13–14 NKJV Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, said to them, “You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him;
Luke 23:15–17 NKJV No, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. I will therefore chastise Him and release Him.”
It was customary for one prisoner to be released at the feast. The crowds began crying for him to release Barabbas and crucify Jesus.
Mark 15:15-17 NKJV So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified. Then the soldiers led Him away into the hall called Praetorium, and they called together the whole garrison. And they clothed Him with purple; and they twisted a crown of thorns, put it on His head,
The Bible does not specify the number of stripes that Jesus received. Isaiah prophesied, “He was wounded for our transgressions and by His stripes we are healed.” It was customary by the Jews that a person would not receive more than forty stripes, however Jesus was scourged by the Romans and not by the Jews. Psalms 22:17 describes His bones being visible and countable. The soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and a purple robe on His back.
John 19:3–4 NKJV Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands. Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.”
Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!” When the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.”
John 19:7 NKJV The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.”
When Pilate heard that, he was the more afraid and went back into the Praetorium, and asked Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus did not answer. Pilate could not understand why Jesus refused to speak to him and said, “I have power to crucify You, and power to release You.”
John 19:11 NKJV Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”
These words terrified Pilate and he looked for some way to release Jesus, but the crowds cried out, “If you release this Man, you are not a friend of Caesar.”
John 19:13 NKJV When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.
He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!” Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified.