Reflection

Jesus’ disciples in yesterday’s passage were found sleeping and again Jesus

told them to continue to pray but then he was interrupted by his betrayer.

Judas comes into the scene with a crowd. This was one of the twelve, one of

Jesus’ closest friends, closest followers but here he is betraying Jesus.

He comes to him to kiss him as if greeting him as a friend. The greek word

for ‘kiss’ has the same root as the word ‘to love’. Judas’ kiss was far

from a kiss of love though. But Jesus isn’t surprised in the slightest. He

is completely in control and knows that this was all to happen. He even

questions Judas.

His disciples though don’t know what is happening though. They begin to do

what any human would do to try and defend their leader. They prepare for a

fight. One even cuts off the ear of a servant! So does Jesus go with them

and run free and take advantage of the distraction?! Most certainly not.

Jesus rejects their violent impulses and even heals the servant of the one

who wanted him dead. Even in the midst of his arrest, Jesus has immense

love his enemies. Even in the mess of this evening, God’s plans are

completely and utterly on track.

Jesus then turns to the mob who came to him. He hasn’t done anything wrong,

he had no plans to overthrow the authorities, and yet they still came to

arrest him. Jesus was innocent and this crowd are the ones who are in the

wrong. But Jesus submits and tells them that this is their hour. This is

the time when the world can do the worst to God, when the world can go with

every sinful desire, and do the ultimate act of rejection by putting him to

death. But at the very same time, this is the hour that God had in mind

since before the foundations of the earth were laid. For when humanity puts

Jesus to death, this is when Jesus will take the sin of the world upon

himself, drink the cup of God’s wrath, and secure us for eternity and

snatch us from death’s jaws. MC

Questions

How is this one of the most tragic but one of the greatest moments in

history?

Prayer

Lord God, thank you for the sure and certain promise of forgiveness of sins

through Jesus. We are sorry for the times when we reject you and your rule.

Please keep us from sin and grant us true repentance. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.