Passion Week pt 5

I wanted to read the betrayal, arrest, trial, and crucifixion account by all 4 Gospel writers, and I love the different details and points of view that are written while still presenting the same event.

Matthew’s account of the betrayal includes this admonishment and encouragement from Jesus when Peter cuts off the ear of the high priest’s servant:

“Then they came up, took hold of Jesus, and arrested him. At that moment one of those with Jesus reached out his hand and drew his sword. He struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his ear. Then Jesus told him, ‘Put your sword back in its place because all who take up the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and he will provide me here and now with more than twelve legions of angels? How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?‘

At that time Jesus said to the crowds, ‘Have you come out with swords and clubs, as if I were a criminal, to capture me? Every day I used to sit, teaching in the temple, and you didn’t arrest me. But all this has happened so that the writings of the prophets would be fulfilled.‘”
Matthew 26:50-56

Jesus could have called down a legion of angels to save Him from this moment. He could have simply spoken the word and these soldiers would have been frozen and incapable of accomplishing the task which they came to accomplish. In fact, John’s account says that the soldiers fell back at the sound of Jesus answering the question of His identity. Jesus had the power to remove Himself completely from this situation, yet He did the will of the Father out of obedience and love.

I loved how in Luke’s account Jesus pulls Peter aside and tell him that He has prayed for Peter that his faith may not fail. Despite Peter’s insistence that he would never betray Jesus, Jesus knew what would happen, He knew that it would be a devastating blow to the pride Peter took in his loyalty to the Messiah, and yet He knew that it would be through this event that He would later encourage and appoint Peter to go and feed His sheep.

John gives the most detailed account of Jesus’ time before Pilate. I love His words to Pilate as he questions Him about His identity:

“‘My kingdom is not of this world,’ said Jesus. ‘If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.’

‘You are a king then?’ Pilate asked.

‘You say that I’m a king,’ Jesus replied. ‘I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.‘”

Jesus always knew why He has come: to testify to the truth and to be the Lamb that was slain since the foundation of the world.

After Jesus if flogged, He appears before Pilate again. Pilate arrogantly chastises Jesus for refusing to answer him, saying that he holds His life in his hands with the authority to hand Him over to be crucified; yet Jesus responds, “You would have no authority over me at all if it hadn’t been given you from above.”

In a final attempt to sway the people’s call to crucify Jesus, Pilate asks the mob, “Should I crucify your king?” to which they respond, “We have no king but Caesar!” One of our pastors did a great sermon on this on Good Friday, taking about how we as humanity reject our true King for the oppressive, destructive king of sin and self. It was a great reminder of how truly unworthy we are of God’s mercy and grace, and yet He calls us to be reconciled to Him through His Son.

And finally in John’s account, he writes, “After this, when Jesus knew that everything was now finished that the Scripture might be fulfilled, he said, ‘I’m thirsty.’ A jar full of sour wine was sitting there; so they fixed a sponge full of sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it up to his mouth.When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.”

Again, it’s reminding us that Jesus knew exactly what He was doing, why He had come, and what must happen in order for God’s will to be accomplished. The Jews did not kill Jesus. The Romans did not kill Jesus. Even my sin is not what killed Jesus. Jesus willingly gave up His own life on our behalf – choosing to bear the punishment we deserve – so that we could be reconciled to God. This is the simple, yet beautiful truth of the Gospel. I’m so thankful that we have these four men’s accounts to broaden our understanding of what Christ did for us. AMEN!