WE ARE STUDYING THE FOUR GOSPELS MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN TO KNOW THE LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST.
TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM.

Matthew 26:47-56

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.
Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.
And Jesus said unto him,

“Friend, wherefore art thou come?”

Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.

And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear.

Then said Jesus unto him,

“Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?”

that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes,

“Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me.
But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.”

Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

Frederick Brotherton Meyer, a contemporary and friend of D. L. Moody and A. C. Dixon, was a Baptist pastor and evangelist in England involved in ministry and inner city mission work on both sides of the Atlantic presents it to us this way regarding Matthew 26:47-56.

BETRAYED AND FORSAKEN

We cannot fathom the secret thoughts of the traitor. Did he hope that his act would compel Christ to take the course of self-vindication, which His mighty acts appeared to make possible? It seems unthinkable that there was not some explanation other than mere greed! Yet, when we look into our own hearts, can we be altogether surprised? How often have we betrayed the Lord by our reticence, when we should have spoken; by the kiss of the lip, when we were selfishly exploiting our association with Him to our own advantage!
Our Lord did not die a martyr’s death. The martyr is led to the scaffold or stake because he is overpowered by superior force. But our Lord knew that the invisible world was full of help if only He had expressed the slightest wish. Others die because they are born; He was born that He might die. “He laid down His life that He might take it again.” He would not receive help from the Father, or the angels, or Peter’s sword, but poured out His soul unto death, because of a love that was stronger than death. See 1Pe_2:21, etc.

William MacDonald (1917-2007) Believer’s Bible Commentary on Matthew 26:47-56.

Jesus Betrayed and Arrested in Gethsemane

The betrayal of the sinless Savior by one of His own creatures presents one of the most amazing anomalies of history. Apart from human depravity we would be at a loss to explain the base, inexcusable treachery of Judas.
26:47 While Jesus was still speaking to the eleven, Judas arrived with a gang armed with swords and clubs. Surely the weapons were not Judas’s idea; he had never seen the Savior resist or fight back. Perhaps the weapons symbolized the determination of the chief priests and elders to capture Him without any possibility of escape.
26:48 Judas would use a kiss as the sign to help the mob distinguish Jesus from His disciples. The universal symbol of love was to be prostituted to its lowest use.
26:49 As he approached the Lord, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” then kissed Him profusely. Two different words for kiss are used in this passage. The first, in verse 48, is the usual word for kiss. But in verse 49 a stronger word is used, expressing repeated or demonstrative kissing.
26:50 With poise and convicting penetration, Jesus asked, “Friend, why have you come?” No doubt the question came with scalding power to Judas, but events were moving fast now. The mob surged in and seized the Lord Jesus without delay.
26:51 One of the disciples—we know from Joh_18:10 that it was Peter—drew his sword and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant. It is unlikely that Peter had aimed for the ear; he had doubtless planned a mortal blow. That his aim was as poor as his judgment must be attributed to divine Providence.
26:52 The moral glory of the Lord Jesus shines radiantly here. First He rebuked Peter: “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” In Christ’s kingdom, victories are not won by carnal means. To resort to armed force in spiritual warfare is to invite disaster. Let the enemies of the kingdom use the sword; they will eventually meet defeat. Let the soldier of Christ resort to prayer, the Word of God, and the power of a Spirit-filled life.
We learn from Dr. Luke that Jesus then healed the ear of Malchus—for that was the victim’s name (Luk_22:51; Joh_18:10). Is this not a wonderful display of grace? He loved those who hated Him and showed kindness to those who were after His life.
26:53, 54 If Jesus had desired to resist the mob, He would not have been limited to Peter’s puny sword. In an instant He could have asked for and been sent more than twelve legions of angels (from 36,000 to 72,000). But that would only have frustrated the divine program. The Scriptures predicting His betrayal, suffering, crucifixion, and resurrection had to be fulfilled.
26:55 Then Jesus reminded the crowds how incongruous it was for them to come out after Him with weapons. They had never seen Him resort to violence or engage in plunder. Rather, He had been a quiet Teacher, daily sitting in the temple. They could easily have captured Him then, but didn’t. Why come now with swords and clubs? Humanly speaking, their behavior was irrational.
26:56 Yet the Savior realized that man’s wickedness was succeeding only in accomplishing the definite plan of God. “All this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Realizing there would be no deliverance for their Master, all the disciples forsook Him and fled in panic. If their cowardice was inexcusable, ours is more so. They had not yet been indwelt by the Holy Spirit; we have.

Please pray the Holy Spirit-The Paraclete will use these sermons and studies to bring many to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

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Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus.

Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

BETRAYED AND FORSAKEN

Jesus Betrayed and Arrested in Gethsemane

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By Philippus Schutte