Betrayed with a Kiss

Hey.

Today, our story continues on the Mount of Olives.  Continuing in Luke 22:47-53, we will the betrayal by Judas, some swordsmanship from Peter, and compassiona and healing from Jesus.  Here is my translation: 

47 Suddenly, as he was saying this, a crowd appeared. One of the Twelve, the one called Judas, was leading it. He came to Jesus and kissed him.  48 Jesus said to him, “Judas, do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”  

49 Seeing what was happening, those with him said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” 

50 One of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 

51 Jesus responded, “Enough of this!”  then touching the man’s ear, he healed him. 

52 Then speaking to those who had come from the chief priests, the captain of the temple guard and the elders, Jesus said, “ Am I such a dangerous criminal, that you come after me with swords and clubs? 53 I was there with you every day in the temple, but you did not reach out a hand against me, but your time and your authority is of the darkness.”

A mob appears as Jesus is waking his apostles for the third time.  The mob is led by Judas.  I can’t imagine how this must have felt for Jesus, knowing that one of his own had betrayed him and handed him over to his enemies to be killed.  Of course, Jesus was aware that Judas had betrayed him, and he understood intellectually that it was necessary for him to be killed in this way, but to see Judas leading this mob, that has come for his arrest, and then to approach him as a friend and kiss him, must have been incredibly painful.  

Jesus comments on the kiss, “Do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”  The audacity of Judas.  Isn't it enough that he is betraying the Savior of the world?  Does he have to do it while still pretending to be a friend?  In his question to Judas, Jesus refers to himself again as the Son of Man.  Remember that the Son of Man has been given all authority and power.  Jesus has all authority and all power, but chooses not to use it. 

Jesus makes no attempt to avoid arrest.  He has just prayed three times that his Father would take this cup from him.  The cup remains.  It is the Father’s will that he goes through with this.  Jesus, in spite of his recent agony, is resolved to finish out this plan. 

Jesus poses no threat to the state.  He has had opportunity to engage them in armed conflict and he has declined.  He demands his disciples, who are eager to defend him, to let it go.  The apostles have brought along two swords.  They wonder out loud whether now was the time to attack.  They ask, in verse 49, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?”  Peter apparently does not wait for an answer.  He strikes with the sword and cuts off a man’s ear. 

Jesus stops the sword attack immediately.  Perhaps saving Peter’s life.  Let's give Peter some credit here.  He said that he was ready to die for Jesus, and now he is ready to go.  He must have been very confused when Jesus stopped him.  

I have no doubt that what was happening here did not fit the script that Peter had written in his mind.  Life usually doesn’t fit the script that we write in our minds.  At least I have found that to be the case.  The question becomes, what do we do when things don’t go the way we expect them to go?  Do we remain faithful? 

Robert Stein says this about Jesus regarding the attack on the servant of the high priest.  “He rebuked the use of force by the disciples and healed his enemies, for his kingship was not of this present world. He furthermore is a perfect model of his teachings concerning love for enemies.” (Stein, 562-563.)

Jesus questions his accusers.  He asks if he is such a dangerous criminal that they need an armed mob to arrest him.  The Greek word λῃστὴν (lēstēn) is the same word Jesus uses in the parable of the Good Samaritan to describe those who attack the man and leave him for dead.  Is that what they think of Jesus?  Probably not.  They are probably just so afraid of him and they want to leave nothing to chance, so they overdo it.  

Jesus is bold.  He challenges those who have come to arrest him.  He points out that he had been in the temple every day teaching.  They had ample opportunity to arrest him.  He knew that  it was out of fear that they did not arrest him.  But, now, here, in the darkness, there was no crowd of people.  He declares to them that this, the darkness, was their time and their authority.  These men came from the chief priests and the elders, men who were supposedly godly men, but who were actually doing the bidding of the devil. 

Stein points out that Jesus gives the mob a stinging rebuke, pointing out their cowardice for not openly arresting him, but doing it under the cover of darkness, as they play their role in “the last desperate attempt of the power of darkness to thwart God’s plan.” (Stein, 560.)  

So, Jesus, the Son of Man, chooses to be led away by his captors, while those who just hours before had pledged their complete devotion to Jesus, and argued over who was the greatest among them, flee in fear.