In his book In the Fullness of Time, Paul Maier describes the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane at the Mount of Olives this way, “They were walking toward a grove of olive trees nestled in the lower reaches of the Mount of Olives, a favorite haunt of Jesus and the Twelve. It was called Gethsemane, meaning “oil vat” or “oil press” in Aramaic, and somewhere in the garden the contrivance likely stood, its stone wheels reflecting a ghostly blue-white in the moonlight.” And so the stage is set for Jesus to be confronted and arrested.
Jesus had just celebrated the Passover with His disciples. The Passover was that once a year meal in which the children of Israel celebrated the passing over of the angel of death in Egypt so they might escape their bondage in slavery. At the point of the breaking of the middle Matzah and the third cup of wine, the cup of redemption, Jesus had given them a new celebration, a new Sacrament, His own Holy Supper. Now that the meal was over and after the last song was sung, He and His disciples went to the Garden, a “favorite haunt” to pray. Certainly Jesus was in agony. This day had been before His eyes since His promise in the Garden of Eden to crush Satan’s head while bruising His own heel, and now the time to die quickly approached. Jesus entered the Garden and left some of His disciples at one spot to pray and He went a little further into the garden taking Peter, James and John. Again He stopped and at this place He left Peter, James and John with the instructions to keep watch and pray and then He went even further, “a stones throw.” He fell prostrate to the ground, that is He fell on His face in agony. Certainly we see that Jesus was truly human, that is why He was in agony and wavering and we might imagine He was even seeking a way out. The Gospel writer Luke, the doctor, adds the details, “his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 2:44). I have read that intense anguish may cause one to sweat drops of blood and indeed, Jesus was in anguish on the throws of death’s door.
And Jesus prayed. He prayed for an out, a different way to bring salvation, other than suffering and death. Here again we see His humanness, seeking another way. Yet, in His prayer He continually prayed, not His will, but God’s will be done. Yes, Jesus is also true God, but most certainly He is also true man and in His humanity, suffering and death on a cross did not look so promising and so He prays. He prays and He is consoled by angels. He prays and He is strengthened by His Father in heaven. He prays and His resolve is to do God’s will, even to go to the cross.
Jesus prays and when He completes His prayers He gathers His disciples as He looks to the events that are unfolding even as He speaks, because just then Judas enters the scene. Judas, the man many love to hate; the man who may have believed himself to be doing everyone a favor; a man who was chosen like the other eleven, to be one of Jesus disciples. Judas enters and according to the plan of betrayal, Judas betrays Jesus with the kiss of friendship. A common, friendly greeting becomes the signal for capture.
Judas gives the signal and the guards attempt to arrest Jesus. But Peter, brave Peter, Peter who swore eternal allegiance steps up to defend Jesus. He draws his sword and swings, cutting off Malchus’ ear. Poor Malchus, he was just a servant, probably forced to go with the mob and now he finds himself, ear in hand, bleeding. It’s the showdown at Gethsemane, at the Mount of Olives. Jesus versus Judas, Jesus versus Satan.
But, getting back to Jesus. Jesus had just been in prayer. He was pouring out His heart, sweating drops of blood and now He stands facing the crowd. And Jesus is calm. He is not riled. He is not tense. He is calm and calmly accesses the situation. Certainly we can see that He has been strengthened by His Father in heaven. Jesus, the only calm one in the bunch, calmly takes Malchus’ ear, touches his head and heals the servants ear.
And then Jesus calmly addresses the crowd. He knows why they are there. He knows Judas has betrayed Him with a friendly greeting and a kiss. He knows how this will all end and yet, He calmly address the group.
As for the mob, the riotous mob that came out with swords and clubs. They were not calm. They were rather in a frenzy. They did not know how this would turn out, they were simply running and acting on adrenalin. So, when the scene calms down and Jesus asks who they have come for and they tell Him they are looking for Jesus, notice that when Jesus answers they all move back and fall to the ground. Their reaction comes from the fact that Jesus answers that He is “I Am,” He is the one who appeared to Moses in the wilderness. Remember, Moses asked, “Who shall I say sent me?” and God answered, “Tell them I AM has sent you.” Jesus says, I AM, I AM Jesus. I AM the God of your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jesus is God Himself, so certainly they would react by falling to the ground.
This mob was more than likely, temple guards, not Roman Soldiers. As Roman Soldiers they would probably not have understood what Jesus said, but as temple guards, as a part of the Jewish nation, having been raised in the Jewish faith, in the Old Testament prophecies, they certainly would have understood the implications of Jesus answer that He was indeed I AM, God in flesh.
As for the eleven other disciples, the men who just a few hours earlier pledged their dying loyalty, when things began getting too much for them, they deserted Jesus and ran away. They did not hang around for fear that they too might be arrested simply for associating with Jesus. They were not in prayer with Jesus, remember, they were sleeping. They had not been strengthened for the events that were about to take place and so they frighteningly ran away.
The fear of the disciples was a great fear, as we are told that one disciple, John Mark was so frightened that he even left his clothes in order to get away. So much for the first commandment, we should fear, love and trust in God above all things.
What does this mean? The world of Jesus’ day was in just the right place, just the right frame of mind. The world in Jerusalem, the world of the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees and teachers of the law, even the world of the disciples was is an uproar. Life as they knew it was being challenged.
And Jesus is calmly ready to do what He came to do. Jesus does not put up a fight. He goes, willingly, obediently, calmly. As was the case at Palm Sunday, so it is now, Jesus has set His face to go to the cross.
We live in a world very similar to the world of Jesus day. Many in our world are living life as if this is all there is, eating, drinking, marrying and being given into marriage. Many in our world are oblivious to the real world to come. Many in our world enjoy living according to the “status quo.” They enjoy living their lives and they do not like anyone “ruining” their utopia. And yet, Jesus continues to invade our world. He continues to come to us, through His means of grace. He comes to us because of His love for us. He comes to us in order to give to us. Sometimes we run away. Yet, He continues to call us back. He continues to pour out on us all the good gifts and blessings He has to give, most importantly forgiveness of sins. And we rejoice in His patience with us and in His giving us forgiveness. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Jesus had just celebrated the Passover with His disciples. The Passover was that once a year meal in which the children of Israel celebrated the passing over of the angel of death in Egypt so they might escape their bondage in slavery. At the point of the breaking of the middle Matzah and the third cup of wine, the cup of redemption, Jesus had given them a new celebration, a new Sacrament, His own Holy Supper. Now that the meal was over and after the last song was sung, He and His disciples went to the Garden, a “favorite haunt” to pray. Certainly Jesus was in agony. This day had been before His eyes since His promise in the Garden of Eden to crush Satan’s head while bruising His own heel, and now the time to die quickly approached. Jesus entered the Garden and left some of His disciples at one spot to pray and He went a little further into the garden taking Peter, James and John. Again He stopped and at this place He left Peter, James and John with the instructions to keep watch and pray and then He went even further, “a stones throw.” He fell prostrate to the ground, that is He fell on His face in agony. Certainly we see that Jesus was truly human, that is why He was in agony and wavering and we might imagine He was even seeking a way out. The Gospel writer Luke, the doctor, adds the details, “his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 2:44). I have read that intense anguish may cause one to sweat drops of blood and indeed, Jesus was in anguish on the throws of death’s door.
And Jesus prayed. He prayed for an out, a different way to bring salvation, other than suffering and death. Here again we see His humanness, seeking another way. Yet, in His prayer He continually prayed, not His will, but God’s will be done. Yes, Jesus is also true God, but most certainly He is also true man and in His humanity, suffering and death on a cross did not look so promising and so He prays. He prays and He is consoled by angels. He prays and He is strengthened by His Father in heaven. He prays and His resolve is to do God’s will, even to go to the cross.
Jesus prays and when He completes His prayers He gathers His disciples as He looks to the events that are unfolding even as He speaks, because just then Judas enters the scene. Judas, the man many love to hate; the man who may have believed himself to be doing everyone a favor; a man who was chosen like the other eleven, to be one of Jesus disciples. Judas enters and according to the plan of betrayal, Judas betrays Jesus with the kiss of friendship. A common, friendly greeting becomes the signal for capture.
Judas gives the signal and the guards attempt to arrest Jesus. But Peter, brave Peter, Peter who swore eternal allegiance steps up to defend Jesus. He draws his sword and swings, cutting off Malchus’ ear. Poor Malchus, he was just a servant, probably forced to go with the mob and now he finds himself, ear in hand, bleeding. It’s the showdown at Gethsemane, at the Mount of Olives. Jesus versus Judas, Jesus versus Satan.
But, getting back to Jesus. Jesus had just been in prayer. He was pouring out His heart, sweating drops of blood and now He stands facing the crowd. And Jesus is calm. He is not riled. He is not tense. He is calm and calmly accesses the situation. Certainly we can see that He has been strengthened by His Father in heaven. Jesus, the only calm one in the bunch, calmly takes Malchus’ ear, touches his head and heals the servants ear.
And then Jesus calmly addresses the crowd. He knows why they are there. He knows Judas has betrayed Him with a friendly greeting and a kiss. He knows how this will all end and yet, He calmly address the group.
As for the mob, the riotous mob that came out with swords and clubs. They were not calm. They were rather in a frenzy. They did not know how this would turn out, they were simply running and acting on adrenalin. So, when the scene calms down and Jesus asks who they have come for and they tell Him they are looking for Jesus, notice that when Jesus answers they all move back and fall to the ground. Their reaction comes from the fact that Jesus answers that He is “I Am,” He is the one who appeared to Moses in the wilderness. Remember, Moses asked, “Who shall I say sent me?” and God answered, “Tell them I AM has sent you.” Jesus says, I AM, I AM Jesus. I AM the God of your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jesus is God Himself, so certainly they would react by falling to the ground.
This mob was more than likely, temple guards, not Roman Soldiers. As Roman Soldiers they would probably not have understood what Jesus said, but as temple guards, as a part of the Jewish nation, having been raised in the Jewish faith, in the Old Testament prophecies, they certainly would have understood the implications of Jesus answer that He was indeed I AM, God in flesh.
As for the eleven other disciples, the men who just a few hours earlier pledged their dying loyalty, when things began getting too much for them, they deserted Jesus and ran away. They did not hang around for fear that they too might be arrested simply for associating with Jesus. They were not in prayer with Jesus, remember, they were sleeping. They had not been strengthened for the events that were about to take place and so they frighteningly ran away.
The fear of the disciples was a great fear, as we are told that one disciple, John Mark was so frightened that he even left his clothes in order to get away. So much for the first commandment, we should fear, love and trust in God above all things.
What does this mean? The world of Jesus’ day was in just the right place, just the right frame of mind. The world in Jerusalem, the world of the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees and teachers of the law, even the world of the disciples was is an uproar. Life as they knew it was being challenged.
And Jesus is calmly ready to do what He came to do. Jesus does not put up a fight. He goes, willingly, obediently, calmly. As was the case at Palm Sunday, so it is now, Jesus has set His face to go to the cross.
We live in a world very similar to the world of Jesus day. Many in our world are living life as if this is all there is, eating, drinking, marrying and being given into marriage. Many in our world are oblivious to the real world to come. Many in our world enjoy living according to the “status quo.” They enjoy living their lives and they do not like anyone “ruining” their utopia. And yet, Jesus continues to invade our world. He continues to come to us, through His means of grace. He comes to us because of His love for us. He comes to us in order to give to us. Sometimes we run away. Yet, He continues to call us back. He continues to pour out on us all the good gifts and blessings He has to give, most importantly forgiveness of sins. And we rejoice in His patience with us and in His giving us forgiveness. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.
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