The Arrest of Jesus (Matthew 26:47-56)

In verse 46, Jesus had informed his disciples that Judas had arrived with his armed mob, with the intention of arresting his former Leader. It is evident from the words of Jesus that he wanted the disciples to go with him for he said, ‘Rise, let usbe going.’ He was not suggesting that they should run away from the mob and leave him by himself. Instead, just as he and they had gone together to Gethsemane, so they would go together to meet the mob. John does say in his account that after Jesus had revealed his glory in front of the mob, he told them to arrest him and let his disciples go. Obviously, he wanted them to have another view of his identity that was very different from what they had seen when he was distressed in Gethsemane.

The sign

Matthew says that Judas had agreed to identify who Jesus was for the mob. This action must have been required for one or more of several reasons. It may have been dark, but that is unlikely because Passover occurred at full moon and the mob probably had lights of some kind. A second option is that many in the mob did not know what Jesus looked like or else they did not know any physical characteristics by which to recognise him. Maybe he looked ordinary. A third option is that Judas and the priests wanted the matter disposed of as quickly as possible and therefore did not want any unnecessary delay caused by how Jesus was arrested. I suspect the third option is most likely because the authorities would have wanted Jesus dealt with before daylight came and before any support could gather on his behalf.

What can be said about the choice of sign that Judas selected? Normally, a kiss is a sign of affection and friendship. Maybe Judas wanted to deceive the disciples about his intentions to stop them causing trouble. Yet that is unlikely, given that he has a great mob with him. Instead, his action revealed his heart. The kiss that he gave to Jesus was an expression of contempt, of hatred. He was willing to use the symbol of love to indicate that the only gift Jesus deserved was to be arrested.

Yet the sad detail about Judas is that at one time he was an enthusiastic disciple of Jesus. We do not know why he had decided to identify with Jesus – he probably did so because he assumed that Jesus would provide political deliverance for Israel. Whatever the reason, he was serving the devil and did so in such a way that none of the disciples noted anything. Yet he never had true faith and he had never repented of his sins. He is a solemn warning that one can be in proximity to Jesus and not belong to his people. 

The speaking

In this incident in the garden, Jesus speaks three times and to three different listeners. First, he speaks with Judas; second, he speaks with his disciples; and third, he speaks to the crowd. In each interaction, he speaks in response to their actions, and provides an explanation. So we can say that even here he functions as a teacher, as the wonderful counsellor who knows what to say on each occasion. 

What does he say to Judas? 

We can see that Judas still has a low estimation of Jesus because he calls Jesus by the same title as he used when identified as the betrayer in the Upper Room. For Judas, Jesus was only as rabbi and not his Lord. But how did Jesus regard Judas? We can make at least two important deductions from what Jesus says to Judas.

First, he addresses him as ‘Friend’. It is possible that this word was only a polite way of speaking, and even if that is its usage here it would be a remarkable response to a betrayer. Yet given that Judas had been a companion of Jesus, it is more likely that Jesus used the word to indicate that Judas had been a close companion. 

Surely, we see here an example of how we should treat those who oppose us. Jesus had taught his disciples to love their enemies and to do good to those who mistreated them. The disciples would recall how Jesus addressed Judas at that time and no doubt would marvel at his love, but they would also recall that he had given them an example to follow in his steps.

We can also suggest that Jesus also gives to Judas a word of encouragement, not for what he was doing at that moment, but for what he would need after he had committed his act of treachery. The Saviour knew that Judas would soon be in great distress, such distress that would lead to remorse and then suicide. But if Judas had thought differently and reminded himself that Jesus had called him ‘friend’ even at that darkest of moments in Judas’ life, there could have been a different response. After all, the main reason why Judas is in a lost eternity is not because he betrayed Jesus but because he refused to repent of his actions, including that heinous sin of betraying the Saviour.

Jesus also told Judas to complete his intentions. Here we have another reminder that Jesus was in full control of what was taking place. Judas did not know that the One he had identified had recently received heavenly encouragement to proceed with the mission on which he had been sent from heaven.  

Addresses Peter

The second comment that Jesus made was to Peter (John 18:10), although Matthew does not say that it was Peter who used the sword against the high priest’s servant. Nor does Matthew mention that Jesus healed immediately the damage that Peter had caused to the man’s ear (Luke 22:49-50). Jesus said three things to Peter. 

First, Jesus stated that his kingdom would not be fought with non-spiritual weapons. People cannot be converted by the edge of a sword. As Paul was to remind others, the weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but they are mighty to the pulling down of strongholds (2 Cor. 10:4). Indeed, the Saviour was going to the cross so that the mighty weapon of the gospel would be available for Peter and the other apostles, and all their successors, to use. 

Second, he reminded them that the armies of heaven were at his disposal and were only a prayer away. A legion contained six thousand soldiers, so more than twelve legions is a large number, far larger than the number of men mustered by the high priests and the elders. In making this point he also reminded his disciples that he was the servant of the Father and would need to pray to him for such angelic intervention. Further, the description of the angels indicates that they are always ready for participation in whatever way they are called to do so by God.

We can also see in this statement of Jesus the immediate benefits of prayer. If he had wanted to, he could have sent a quick prayer to heaven when he saw the crowd approaching and received a rapid response that would dealt with the situation. 

The third detail that Jesus mentioned was the primacy of scripture. His desire was to obey what the Old Testament said would happen at this time. Moreover, he knew that prophecies about subsequent events to the cross were dependent on him being arrested here and tried and condemned. The disciples had found themselves in interesting classrooms, but they could look back to the garden and recount some of the crucial lessons taught to them there.

We can ask ourselves if any particular prophecy would not have been fulfilled if Jesus had allowed his disciples to fight. One that had been mentioned is that of Isaiah who predicted that the Messiah would be led like a lamb to the slaughter. If he had allowed his disciples to fight or called for angelic help, he would not have fulfilled that prediction.

The words to the mob

Jesus also rebuked the mob for the way that they were treating him, and he reminded them that until now they had no power to arrest him. There had been many possible opportunities, such as when he was teaching in the temple, but they had been unable to arrest him. They should have wondered at that. The reason why they could arrest him now was not because they had a large number of men, but because Jesus was submitting himself to the scriptures. Since the men had come from the religious leaders they should have been familiar with what the Old Testament had predicted. But they were blind to the fact that they were fulfilling its prophecies about the death of the Messiah.

The flight

The initial responses from the disciples when Jesus had predicted their denial were strong assertions to the contrary (Matt. 26:35). They had made that assertion despite the fact that Jesus had told them that Zechariah had predicted that they would be scattered when Jesus was on the cross. How cheap such assertions can seem at times! They were prepared to leave him in the hands of his enemies.

Jesus was now alone, and he would be alone for the rest of this momentous day as far as human comforters were concerned. He would be alone in the trials that he faced, he would have no disciples to help carry the cross, he would have no friends near when he was nailed to the cross. No doubt, he was encouraged by the words of the penitent thief and probably by the sight of the man forced to help carry the cross. But as was predicted, ‘Of the people, there was none with him.’

Lessons

There are several lessons that we can take from this incident. The first that I would mention is the importance of the Scriptures in the life of Jesus. Throughout his life on earth he had lived by the Old Testament and he had seen his mission plainly described in it. Now as he draws near to the destination to which he has been travelling, his mind is still on what the Scriptures had said about them.

The second lesson is the kindness of Jesus to his opponents. We see his affection even in the way that he addressed Judas when he came into the garden and we see it in the way he healed the injury caused by Peter to the servant of the high priest.

A third lesson is that we can do the wrong thing when trying to defend the Lord’s cause. It is not enough to be zealous, and the zeal that Peter had shown with the sword did not last long because he fled with the other disciples. Wrong zeal may look good, but it does not bring good.

A fourth lesson is that we should not be surprised at those who come together to oppose Jesus. In the crowd that came to arrest Jesus, we see a false disciple, servants of the Jews and, as John records, soldiers of the Roman army. The religious and the political combined to bring the ministry of Jesus to an end, but all they managed to do was further it.

A fifth lesson is that Jesus became alone in order that those who trust in him for mercy would not be alone. Paul, when he was on trial and abandoned by his acquaintances, said that the Lord stood with him. There is a sense in which his people will be with Jesus throughout the days of his glory even although they were not with him in the depths of his suffering. They are united to him by faith, they will be with him when they die and go to heaven, they will be with him when he returns, they will be with him when he sits on the judgement seat, and they will be with him in the new heavens and new earth. And they will never forget that there was a time when he was alone.