47 While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
Judas arrived with a great crowd carrying swords and clubs and betrays Jesus with the prearranged sign of a kiss. A kiss was a customary greeting. Judas feigns his friendship as he greets Jesus (see Prov 27:6) but Jesus responds with genuine affection calling him “friend”. Peter (John 18:10) responded by drawing his sword and began to attack the crowd but Jesus stopped him to keep him safe. Peter initially responded exactly as he had said he would, prepared to die rather than desert Jesus but his impulsiveness didn’t last. Jesus responded completely calmly, ready to go with his arresters showing that His coming trial and death were never forced on him. He voluntarily submitted to them. He could have called on twelve legions of angels (seventy-two thousand) to His defence, instead, He went willingly. Jesus asked why they came out to Him in the night with swords and clubs when He had been in the Temple everyday teaching and they didn’t come to arrest Him there. Everything that happened to Jesus was done in a way that fulfilled the prophecies of Scripture proving repeatedly that Jesus is indeed the Messiah. In the end, all the disciples left Jesus just as He had predicted they would.
Jesus’ life was not taken from Him. He didn’t have to die because men arrested Him and crucified Him. He had to die because that was the only way to deal with our sin. Jesus died willingly in your place.