Days 314—We are in the ELEVENTH month of Bible reading and studying the New Testament Gospels.

NOTE:  THIS WEEK, the Sunday and Monday studies will be posted separately because they are lengthy.

Day 314 – Luke 22, John 13. (Judas’ betrayal, Passover/Lord’s Supper, Jesus foretells Peter’s denial, Gethsemane, Arrest and trial, Peter’s denial)

Luke’s passage is similar to yesterday’s Matthew and Mark but has a few other details. Verse 3 mentions that Satan entered into Judas. Verse 8 reveals that it was Peter and John who acquired the room for the Passover meal. Verses 24-29 show that the disciples are STILL vying for the chief spots in the Kingdom. Jesus tells them they must be servants first, and that He and the Father have indeed assigned them to sit at His table and on thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.

John describes how Jesus illustrates how to be a servant. He removes his robe, kneels, and does the job of the lowest slave: He washes their feet.  Peter objects at first but then tells Jesus He may wash his whole body. Jesus tells the eleven they are “clean” already and just need the dust of the world removed.  Judas, however, is NOT included in this “clean” group.

John also reveals how, when Jesus says one of them will betray Him, Peter signals to John across the table to find out from Jesus who it is, as John is sitting next to Him.  Jesus tells John – and Peter, who is watching – that the next person He gives a portion to is the one. Jesus hands it to Judas. Then, Jesus dismisses the traitor from the group to “do what he must.”

Before Peter can get puffed up, Jesus tells him that HE will deny his Lord that very evening. Peter violently objects, but Jesus tells him He has prayed for Peter, but, before the rooster crows, he WILL deny Jesus THREE TIMES.

(John 14 – 17 recounts the intimate time of teaching and prayer Jesus has with the eleven in the upper room, which we’ll read tomorrow.) 

Then, the company goes to the Mount of Olives – as was Jesus’ custom – to the Garden of Gethsemane. While the disciples sleep, Jesus prays three times that “the Cup” He is meant to drink to the dregs might be removed, But three times, he acquiesces to the Father’s will.

It is Jesus’ human body that shrinks from the coming torture and bearing the sin of the world. His divine nature willingly accepts the plan of salvation that He and the Father planned before the world was created.

Afterward, while his three close disciples joined the others in a post-meal/wine nap, God sent an angel to strengthen Jesus, whose sweat had become bloody with stress and agony.

Then…. it begins. The traitor, Judas, leads a pack of 600+ men/soldiers to the customary place where he knows Jesus will be.  Confirming the sign he’d planned with the Jewish leaders, Judas goes to Jesus and gives Him a welcoming kiss. Jesus calls him “friend.”

Impetuous Peter, perhaps thinking to dispel Jesus’ prediction that he will deny Him, grabs his short sword and attacks the chief priest’s servant, Malchus. He misses the man’s throat and slices off an ear.  Jesus, probably loving Peter even with his misled and violent ways, says to stop. Then He calmly replaces the ear back on Malchus’ head.

Jesus tells Peter that if He chose to, He could ask His Father for 10,000 angels to rescue Him (who could in a single night kill the entire world’s population!).  But how would all be fulfilled? (How would salvation be bought?)

Jesus, knowing what was happening, then asks the crowd WHOM they seek. He is protecting his disciples from arrest, even as they are poised to flee. He wants the mob to state clearly the only person they want. The answer comes, “We seek Jesus of Nazareth.”

“I AM He,” Jesus says, stating His Sovereign-God name. The crowd falls to the ground at its power and awesomeness.  Scrambling to their feet again, Jesus repeats that He is Jesus of Nazareth and willingly surrenders to them, stating that He had been daily in the Temple. They didn’t need to make this midnight raid to arrest Him. (He and they both know that they would NOT have arrested Him during the daylight because they feared what the crowds would do.  Cowards!!)

As they lead Jesus away, the eleven vanish into the trees. One young man (perhaps Mark) is caught by his tunic, which comes off and makes him flee away naked!  It seems John followed the mob at a distance to see what would happen to Jesus.  Peter followed him at a greater distance.  Both men observe the horrendous ordeal that begins for their Master in Caiaphas’s palace….the accusations, spitting, slapping, verbal and physical abuse to which Jesus says not a word. (Only that He IS the Son of God, which causes them to nail down the verdict — guilty of blasphemy.)

Meanwhile, in the courtyard, Peter watches in horror and anguish.

“This man was also with him,” says a servant girl, pointing at Peter. “Woman, I do not know Him.”

“You also are of them,” said another a little later. “Man, I am NOT!”

“Certainly, this man also was with Him, for he too is a Galilean,” accused a third.  “Man, I do not know what you are talking about!” (Mark tells us that Peter begins to invoke a curse on himself and to swear he isn’t a follower of this Jesus.)

AND IMMEDIATELY, WHILE PETER WAS STILL SPEAKING, THE ROOSTER CROWED.

And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. (Oh, what a look!!)  And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord.  And he went out and wept bitterly. 

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(We will backtrack a little tomorrow to read about Jesus’ teaching & priestly prayer before they all leave the upper room.)