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The arrest of Jesus (Mk 14:43-52; Mt 26:47-56; Lk 22:47-53; Jn 18:3-12)
We have just seen the power and effect of prayer when Jesus prayed for three times in the garden of Gethsemane. Now, in this passage that records the whole process of arresting Jesus, we can see the power struggle among three parties--Jesus, his enemies and the disciples, as well as the power struggle between Satan and God behind the scene.
(the human power of enemies)
According to John 18:3, “Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.” Mark 14:43 says, “And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves (棒), from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.” Why would they come in such great force to arrest Jesus? They knew that Jesus had performed many miracles before. They believed that Jesus had some sort of supernatural power. Hence, they had to be heavily armed to arrest him. They chose to arrest him in dark night to avoid the objection of the Jewish people. They looked like a strong army but in fact they were very frightened when confronting Jesus, as we can see in the next section.
(the heavenly power of Jesus)
Jesus was only a rabbi. He was empty-handed, seemingly weak and helpless, but in fact he appeared to be very bold and powerful before the enemies. According to John 18:4-6, when Jesus saw the enemies, he asked, “ ‘Whom seek ye?’ They answered him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus saith unto them, ‘I am he.’ And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, ‘I am he’, they went backward, and fell to the ground.” The armed people suddenly felt the power sent from Jesus as he said, “I am he.” The power was strong enough to cause the whole army of strong men to move backward together and fall down instantly. At that moment, they were so scared that they dared not approach Jesus and arrest him.
When Peter attempted to use his minor strength to protect Jesus and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant with his sword, Jesus ordered him to put the sword back into the sheath. (John 18:10-11) Jesus didn’t want Peter to interfere with the Father’s plan of salvation. He then said to Peter, “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to the Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” (Matt 26:53-54) As the Son of God, he could at any time seek help from the heavenly army of angels. As for the high priest’s servant, Jesus “touched his ear, and healed him” (Luke 22:51), once again showing before the enemies that he had the formidable power of healing, and showing his mercy as well.
Jesus said to the enemies without fear, “Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not; but the scriptures must be fulfilled.” (v48-49) He defended himself by saying that he was indeed innocent for teaching in public at daytime. Since he was not a thief, they had no reasons to arrest him. It was merely the Father’s will that he be handed to the wicked people. Therefore, by showing his obedience to the Father’s will, he stayed passive and was not defiant to any force. He withheld from exercising any power to fight back but let them take him: “Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him.” (John 18:12)
(the helpless power of the disciples)
The eleven disciples had only two swords in hand before setting out for the garden of Gethsemane: “And they said, ‘Lord, behold, here are two swords.’ And he said unto them, ‘It is enough.’ ” (Luke 22:38). One of the swords was kept by Peter.
In the garden of Gethsemane, when the disciples saw the great multitude of armed people with swords and staves, they immediately asked Jesus, “Lord, shall we smite with the sword?” (Luke 22:49) “Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.” (John 18:10) He sought to resolve the conflict by human effort. Peter, who always took the lead to take prompt action, did not wait for Jesus’ instruction but dared to offend the enemies with his sword in hand. At this dangerous moment, he seemed trying to prove to his Lord that he was ready to die with him, as he said firmly some time ago, “If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise.” (Mark 14:31)
Jesus stopped Peter’s aggressive act right away and said, “Put up thy sword into the sheath; the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” (John 18:11) Jesus explained to Peter, “for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword (凡動刀的，必死在刀下).” (Matt 26:52) In other words, slaughter cannot solve any problem but will encounter the same fate in the end. Jesus continued, “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” (Matt 26:53-54) The violent opposition of the disciples was not only helpless but might interrupt God’s plan of salvation. He was also concerned for the safety of his disciples. Before Peter drew out his sword, Jesus had already said to the armed people, “if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way.” (John 18:8)
At last, “they all forsook him, and fled. And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him. And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.” (v50-52) Although the identity of this ‘young man’ was not known, we can perceive how frightened the disciples were as they fled away.
Peter still remained the bravest disciple among them all. According to John 18:15-16, “Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple (John); that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without.”
(the hypocritical power of Satan)
Before the last supper, according to Luke 22:1-4, “Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people. Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them.”
During the last supper, Jesus revealed who the betrayer was: “And when he had dipped the sop (餅), he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop (他吃了以後) Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, ‘That thou doest, do quickly.’ ” (John 13:26-27) Satan was indeed very crafty, enticing one of Jesus’ twelve disciples to betray his master, as Psa 41:9 said, “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”
Now Judas was entirely controlled by Satan to plot against his master. He used a very crafty and hypocritical motion to betray his master: “he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, ‘Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.’ ” (v44) Judas guided the armed people to come to the garden to arrest Jesus. John 18:2 tells us, “And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither (屢次上那裡去聚集) with his disciples.” Without the guidance of Judas, these people could not have found Jesus in such a late hour at night. “And as soon as he (Judas) was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, ‘Master, master’; and kissed him.” (v45) Matt 26:49 says, “And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, ‘Hail, master’ (請拉比安); and kissed him.” The rest of the disciples were surely deceived by his friendly kiss in such scene! But Jesus once again disclosed the craftiness of Judas: “But Jesus said unto him, ‘Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?’ ” Then he continued, “Friend, wherefore art thou come? (NRSV, ‘do what you are here to do.’)” (Matt 26:50) “And they laid their hands on him, and took him.” (v46)
Judas’ behavior perfectly reflects the crafty nature of Satan, who always pretends to be an angel to deceive the believers. Jesus had already warned previously concerning the end of ages, “false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall show signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.” (Mark 13:22) Satan can even disguise as Christ through the deceivers to steal the hearts of the faithful believers.
Now, Jesus yielded himself to the servants of Satan as this was the moment of the power of Satan. He said to those who arrested him: “When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me; but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” (Luke 22:53)
(the hidden power of God)
While God allowed Satan to carry out its evil scheme on His Son, everything was well under His control because the events all happened so that ‘the scripture might be fulfilled’:
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Jesus said in the last supper, “the Son of man indeed goeth (人子必要去世), as it is written of him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed.” (v21) Many places in the Scripture prophesied the death of Jesus for the sinners.
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Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. (Matt 26:15) This was fulfilled in the Book of Jeremiah: “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders…And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, ‘It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.’ And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, ‘And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value. And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.’ ” (Matt 27:3,6-10)
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Jesus said to those who arrested him, “I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not; but the scriptures must be fulfilled.” (v49) Here, the timing of his arrest was in concern. He was handed to the wicked people in God’s perfect time—the day of the Passover feast—in order to become ‘the Passover lamb’. “The chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. But they said, ‘Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.’ ” (v1-2) The Jewish leaders wanted to avoid killing Jesus on the day of the Passover feast. However, it was precisely the Passover night that Jesus was handed over to the wicked people and was nailed on the cross on the same day, thus becoming ‘the Passover lamb’ for mankind.
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To ensure the safety of his disciples, Jesus requested the armed people to let them leave: “ ‘if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way.’ That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, ‘Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.’ ” (John 18:8-9) Jesus prayed to the Father before he left for the garden of Gethsemane, “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name; those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.” (John 17:12) The eternal fate of the betrayer has been determined in the scripture.
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After Peter had struck the ear of the high priest’s servant, Jesus said to him, “Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” (Matt 26:52-54) He disallowed Peter from using violence to interrupt the Father’s plan of salvation. Even he himself withheld from using any force to defend himself for the same reason.
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After Jesus was arrested, the disciples scattered away: “they all forsook him, and fled.” (v50) This fulfilled what Jesus said in the last supper, “All ye shall be offended (你們都要跌倒了) because of me this night: for it is written, ‘I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.’ ” (v27) This is indeed the prophesy from the Book of Zechariah: “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.” (Zech 13:7)
All these stages from Jesus’ betrayal to his arrest were fulfilled in the scripture, proving that everything was within the Father’s plan and control, up to the resurrection of His Son, which signified the victorious power of God. When Jesus was interrogated by the high priest, he foretold his resurrection and his return one day: “the high priest asked him, and said unto him, ‘Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?’ And Jesus said, ‘I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power (權能者的右邊), and coming in the clouds of heaven.’ ” (v61-62) As the events developed in the way prophesied and fulfilled in the scripture, God’s hidden power of monitoring everything was being demonstrated.
(implication)
The Satanic power is displayed anywhere around us and even within ourselves. Some powers are as apparent as our enemies of faith who openly oppose to biblical truth and even persecute the believers publicly or privately. Some are disguised as our friends of faith but approach us with vicious motives, such as the cult believers. Some can even take advantage of the sinful nature of our old self that tends to go against God’s will by doing things by flesh and not by spirit.
While holding fast the truth that God’s power always triumphs over Satanic power, we must be able to discern and beware of the Satanic power that keeps influencing our minds and pulling us away from the obedience of faith.
Jesus is our perfect example of the obedient child of God, who obeyed the Father from childhood to crucifixion. When faced with enemies of various kinds, he has submitted to the Father’s will and worked according to His subtle plan. Nothing can shake his faith in God—the faith that the final victory lies firmly in God’s hand.