As we are getting closer to Easter we find Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Lord’s supper with His disciples was finished, Judas had been excused, and Jesus had taught them many lessons they would need before He was crucified. Matthew 26:36-41 tells us of the sorrowful time of prayer that Jesus experienced.
As He enters the Garden He tells 8 of the disciples to sit at a distance from where He will be praying. He then tells Peter, James, and John to go with Him. Jesus is in such agony He tells them to pray as He goes a little further away and prays. His words in verse 38 convey His feelings of sorrow, and sorrow that Jesus describes “even unto death.” His mental anguish was extreme and indescribable. Matthew 26:39 tells us He was in such agony that He prayed “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Luke tells us in 22:43 an angel appears to Him to strengthen Him, as He continued to pray His sweat was as great drops of blood.
Matthew 26:36-41 “Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Luke 22:43-44 “And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
As He finished praying a multitude came to arrest Him. Judas came and kissed him to identify to the soldiers which man was Jesus. Impetuous Peter wants to help defend Jesus and in true form, He takes a sword and slices the ear of Malchus. Jesus tells Peter to put the sword away and He touches Malchus’s ear and heals Him. You would think seeing this would cause everyone to realize that Jesus was God in the flesh, but when you are deceived you don’t know you’re deceived or you wouldn’t be deceived. Think about that!
Luke 22:47-48 “And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?”
John 18:10-11 “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. Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?”
The soldiers bound Jesus and took Him to Annas who had great authority and influence among the Jews. He had been a high priest and it was important to gain his sanction. Then they took Him to Caiaphas who was the current high priest.
From Caiaphas’s home, they took Him to the judgment hall. This was the place where the Roman governor would decide the case against Jesus. The Sanhedrin had pronounced Him guilty of death, but they could not carry out their judgment. They wanted Pilate to condemn him to death. Pilate sees no guilt worthy of death and turns Him over to the Jews, but they insisted they could not put Him to death, but sought Pilate’s help. Pilate thinks they will let Jesus go because each year one prisoner could be released, but this angry mob swapped Jesus for a thief.
John 18:28-31 “Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover. Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man? They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee. Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:”
John 18:39-40 “But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.”
If you will read the accounts of this night in John chapters 18 and 19 you will get a clearer picture of the account of His persecution before His death, and how wicked men’s hearts can be. Pilate knows there is something different about this man Jesus. He doesn’t want to crucify Him, but he fears the crowd. He finds no fault in Jesus, yet he allows the crucifixion. Pilate tries to wash away the symbolic blood of Jesus from his hands and mind, but washing away guilt can only be done by the Master.
Jesus was beaten beyond recognition and finally murdered. He was betrayed on this night by Judas and denied by Peter. We read about Peter and Judas and wonder how anyone could deny the Savior, yet it happens every day and every hour. People would rather serve their own ideas of God rather than read and follow the commands of Christ. We are a people of pleasure and convenience. We say we love God but chose what we will obey. We make excuses for missing worship or not having enough time to study God’s word or pray. We deceive ourselves into believing all of this is ok and God will understand. It is time we understand our own hearts, and realize we are selfish people seeking to serve ourselves first, and then somewhere in the mix of life is our service to God. If we will be honest we will know that we too have been a Peter and a Judas. It’s time we sought Jesus with a committed heart to Him first, with everything in us.
John 19:1-7 “Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands. Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. Then saith Pilate unto him, Speake thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?”
John 19:11-12 “Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.”
