Jesus has prayed in the garden and now a crowd shows up with lanterns and torches and swords and clubs. They wouldn’t dare touch him in the temple courts where the people were, but this group from the chief priests and their officers came in the night to take him. So as they took him he asked them to let his disciples go and they fled into the night except John who was known by the high priest who followed along as they took Jesus and Peter who followed along behind as if he was part of the crowd. But Peter is recognized, and he is a Galilean, yet he denies three times that he is a disciple of Jesus. Then the cock crows as Jesus said would happen. Peter must confront his weakness, yet Jesus still accepts him.
Jesus is Arrested
Matthew 26:47-56
Mark 14:43-52
Luke 22:47-53
John 18:1-11
The One Whom I Kiss—He is the One
Matthew 26:47–56
They had plotted with Judas to take Jesus outside the city away from the crowds. They found Jesus waiting for them and in Matthew 26:49 “he (Judas) came up to Jesus immediately … and kissed him”.
A Crowd With Swords and Clubs
Mark 14:43–52
Judas didn’t come alone. There was a crowd with him and they didn’t come empty handed. They were ready to take Jesus by force, and thinking they would need to. You may have seen mob mentality in action before and it caused a reaction from one of Jesus disciples, but there was no resistance from Jesus, in
Mark 14:48–49 (LEB) And Jesus answered and* said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs, as against a robber, to arrest me? 49 Every day I was with you in the temple courts* teaching, and you did not arrest me! But this has happened in order that the scriptures would be fulfilled.
Stop! No more of this!
Luke 22:47–53
As the crowd came threatening Jesus, his disciples reacted, in
Luke 22:50–51 (LEB) And a certain one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered and* said, “Stop! No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him.
Jesus had not come to take anything by force and he intervened here to bring peace even as they were taking him to be tried and crucified.
The Cup That the Father Has Given Me
John 18:1–11
John includes two additional details about this event. When the crowd approached in John 18:4-8 Jesus asked “Who are you looking for?” and they said “Jesus of Nazarene.” then Jesus answered, “I am He.” and they all fell backward to the ground. There is power in the word of God. And the second detail is that it was Peter that had drawn the sword. Peter was often the first to react, a passionate man, ready to defend Jesus who needed no defense.
Jesus on Trial Before the Sanhedrin
Matthew 26:57-75
Mark 14:53-72
Luke 22:54-71
John 18:12-27
Many Gave False Testimony
Mark 14:53–65
The chief priests and the elders had already decided to kill Jesus, they just needed to be able to justify their action so in
Mark 14:55 (LEB) Now the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, and they did not find it.
They were frustrated that Jesus was not reacting to the accusations so finally in Mark 14:60-64 the high priest said “Do you not reply anything?” and finally the high priest asks, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” and Jesus responds in
Mark 14:62 (LEB) And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”
They knew the Christ would come but they refused to believe that Jesus was the Christ so they killed “the Son of the Blessed One”.
I Do Not Know This Man
Mark 14:66–72
Peter could not stay away even though he had been released with the other disciples. Peter followed along with the crowd as if he were one of them. But as he was warming himself by the fire, it was a cold night, one of them recognized him as Jesus disciple. Peter denies, and denies, and denies as Jesus told him he would.
You Will See the Son of Man
Matthew 26:57–68
This Man Was With Jesus the Nazarene
Matthew 26:69–75
The Lord Turned Around and Looked Intently
Luke 22:54–65
If You Are The Christ, Tell Us!
Luke 22:66–71
The Officers of the Jews Seized Jesus
John 18:12–18
The High Priest Questioned Jesus
John 18:19–27
Study Verses
- Mark 14:43–52 A Crowd With Swords and Clubs
- John 18:1–11 The Cup That the Father Has Given Me
- Mark 14:53–65 Many Gave False Testimony
Today’s Reading
- Matthew 26:47-75
- Mark 14:43-72
- Luke 22:47-71
- John 18:1-27
The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ – The Gospels
This series follows the order of readings from the Tyndale One Year Chronological Bible. Covering these events chronologically as they happened, gives a much different context and helps us understand the move of God as He is introducing the Saviour, the Light of the world, Jesus Christ. This series begins with Return To Me And I Will Return To You at the end of Malachi and introduces the “Witnesses” writing the Gospels.
Operation Exodus
is helping Jewish people return to their homeland. You might fund one that desires to go home. http://operationexodususa.org/Overview