Personal Reflections on Jesus’ Arrest

from Bing Images

As Jesus was taken away, his only objection was how the Jewish authorities had come against him. They came under the cloak of darkness (Luke 22:53), just like so many of their deeds before (cf. John 7:53 and John 8:1-3). These men, who claimed to uphold the Law, unlawfully sought to arrest Jesus. They had plenty of opportunity to take him during the day (Luke 22:53), but they needed the cloak of darkness to hide their sin from the people. They were afraid. They were cowards, many people coming together to build up courage. Like a mob, they came against one Righteous Man. Jesus showed them their sin, but they continued in their evil deed unable to reply adequately.

 

Jesus’ Betrayal and Arrest

from Google Images

After his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane was over, and he was satisfied that his Father had reached out to comfort him through the presence of an angel, Jesus came to his disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow. Luke tells us that he told them to wake-up and pray, so they wouldn’t enter into temptation (Luke 22:45-46). The other Synoptics have Jesus telling his disciples to continue sleeping, but many scholars believe Matthew’s and Mark’s “Sleep on, now, and take your rest…” should be a question: “Do you sleep and take rest now?” (Matthew 26:45; Mark 14:41). If this is so, we have total agreement between the three records of Jesus’ prayer in the garden.