Learning Jesus | Week 38
Learning Jesus Week 38
Best engagement = complete all five days at home. Next best = read central passages & answer Days 1-3 highlighted questions & Day 5 Q’s
Key Word – control >> Central Passages – John 18:2-11; Matt 26:47-56
Day 1 – Jewish Authorities and Roman Authorities attempt to control Jesus.
Background Information – We will be reading the story of Jesus’ arrest in three divisions. With each reading we will contrast how Jesus the Son of God remained in control of His destiny regardless of how any one person or group tried to control it. On today, day 1, we will focus on the arresting party.
We learned last semester that the chief priests bribed Judas so that he would help them have Jesus arrested by Roman authorities. One way Judas earned his money was he went to Pilate, the governor, to accuse Jesus of a crime punishable under the law. In this passage we shall see that as a result of Judas’ accusation, the governor ordered a Roman cohort to arrest Jesus. The ESV translation that we are using today uses the word “band” instead of cohort, but keep in mind that a cohort implies 400-600 soldiers. If Pilate sent merely a representation or “maniple,” then it would have been anywhere from 60 to 200 soldiers. An unknown number of officers from the chief priests also accompanied this band of soldiers (Luke 22:53). These officers were Jewish temple police who maintained order in the inner courts of the temple where Roman soldiers were not allowed.
As you read below, focus on the details of all the authorities from both the Jewish and Roman sides. Underline the details each writer includes that differ from the other’s. Consider the purpose for each.
John 18:2-11
Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
7 So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.”10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”
Matthew 26:47-56
While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; seize him.” 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you came to do.” Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.
On the topic of the arresting authorities’ interactions with Jesus only, list the differing details John includes on the left and those Matthew includes on the right. List the details both include in the center.
Background Information – One detail we see in Matthew’s account of the arrest is that Jesus questioned the manner of His arrest. In fact, so far, the Pharisees have broken three of their own Mishnaic regulations regarding arrests and trials: 1) Religious authorities could not offer a bribe to affect an arrest. 2) Arrests and trials could not occur after sunset. 3) Judges and members of the Sanhedrin could not be part of the arresting party. Jesus acknowledges how these transgressions further God’s purposes when He says to the arresting party: “But this is your hour, and the power of darkness” (22:53b).
2. Review your details in the Venn diagram above. How do you see the arresting authorities seeking power and control? (Day 2’s focus is on Judas, so here just focus on Jewish and Roman authorities.)
Background Information – One startling detail from John’s account is that the arresting party drew back and fell to the ground after Jesus said, “I am he.” The ESV has added the word “he.” The Greek simply reads “I am.” When Moses asks God to reveal His name, God said, “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14). John recorded seven “I AM” statements in His gospel such as “I am the bread of life” and “I am the light of the world” (6:35, 8:12). Some scholars believe that here Jesus is intentionally claiming to be God, the I AM. Those arresting Jesus did not believe He was God, but we know that when Jesus returns in all His Shekinah glory, every knee will bow before the Son of God (Philippians 2:10-11). That the arresting party drew back and fell to the ground perhaps foreshadows how we shall see even God’s enemies bow before Christ the King.
3. Having studied Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer and His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane last week, we know that through prayer Jesus prepared for this hour when the power of darkness would attempt to thwart the will of God. Review your details in the Venn diagram above.
o How do you see the Fully God Fully Man Jesus retaining all control of His arrest?
o As believers we will suffer persecution in dark hours as well. Pray for yourself and for those who love Christ to stand firm in the midst of persecution.
Day 2 – Judas attempts to control Jesus.
Background Information — We will be reading the story of Jesus’ arrest in three divisions. With each reading we will contrast how Jesus the Son of God remained in control of His destiny regardless of how any one person or group tried to control it. Today we will focus on Judas, who was one of Jesus’ twelve apostles.
Remember that after Mary, sister of Lazarus, anointed Jesus with costly oil, Judas objected stating that the money should have been given to the poor. John revealed that actually Judas had been stealing from the moneybag, some of which was given as an offering for the poor. Jesus said that Mary would be remembered forever for anointing Him, for she was anointing Him for His burial. Immediately after this, Mark records this:
“Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him” (14:10-11).
We already learned that one way Judas earned his bribe money was by going to the governor to accuse Jesus of a punishable crime. Another way Judas earned his bribe was to provide the arresting party with insider information that he as one of Jesus’ closest disciples possessed. Judas knew that Jesus would be in the Garden of Gethsemane, and he could identify Jesus’ person even in the dark of night. This location and time allowed the arresting party to bind Jesus for trial during Passover without inciting the multitudes.
In Mark’s account, Judas commands the arresting party to seize the one he kisses and lead him away under guard. Judas calls Jesus “Rabbi” and kisses Him. The Greek word reads that Judas kissed him much, so Judas betrayed Jesus not with just one kiss, but multiple (Mark 14:45). In first-century Jewish culture a disciple kissed his teacher to honor him as one worthy of being followed.
Re-read John 18:2-11 & Matthew 26:47-56 accounts provided at Day 1. Focus this time on the details of Judas’ betrayal.
1. We have recently studied Judas’ character in Learning Jesus. Foremost, Judas was a hypocrite. Consider...he had already accepted bribe money to betray Jesus into enemy hands and then accepted from Jesus’ hands water upon his feet and the first portion of dipped bread normally given to the guest of honor at Passover.
Why is Judas’ betrayal with kisses in keeping with his character?
2. In Luke’s account, Jesus says to the betrayer, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” Again, the Son of Man is both a Messianic title and one that highlights Jesus’ humanity.
What is remarkable about the way Jesus interacts with Judas in the garden of His betrayal?
3. Jesus is still teaching His followers and He proves Himself worthy of being followed and a creditable sympathetic High Priest.
o Praise Jesus for being God in the garden of His betrayal.
o As those who follow Christ, we will experience betrayal from strangers and even those we love. Pray for yourself and for those who love Christ to stand firm in the bitterness of betrayal
Day 3 – Jesus shepherds His disciples.
Background Information – We will be reading the story of Jesus’ arrest in three divisions. With each reading we will contrast how Jesus the Son of God remained in control of His destiny regardless of how any one person or group tried to control it. On today, day 3, we will focus on Jesus’ remaining followers, most especially Peter.
Remember at the minimum a maniple of 60 to 200 Romans soldiers came to arrest Jesus and with them the temple police, chief priests, Pharisees, and a crowd of others with weapons. With these also came the servant of the high priest to represent the high priest. John, whose family was friends with the family of the high priest, identifies this servant by name. Against these many who came to arrest Jesus stood Peter with his “machaira,” not what we would call a sword today, but something more like a long dagger with a single cutting edge.
Between John and Matthew’s accounts we have a full understanding of how Jesus shepherded Peter and His other followers during this trial of their faith. As you read, note both the similar and differing details in these gospel accounts. See Day 1 for the text.
1. According to John’s account, why does Jesus engage the arresting party (18:4-9)?
2. Read how Jesus responds to Peter’s reaction. How does Jesus shepherd Peter with action, truth, and comfort?
o John 18:10-11
o Matthew 26:51-54
Background Information — In Dr. Luke’s account, Jesus touches the servant’s ear and heals him. This is the only account of Jesus healing a fresh wound and of Jesus healing an enemy. Very likely Peter would have been arrested and put to death had Jesus not done so.
After Jesus rebukes the crowd, all His disciples flee, but Mark describes a young man who followed Jesus. Just as John identifies himself indirectly as the “disciple whom Jesus loved,” it is believed that Mark here is referring to himself indirectly as the “young man” who followed Jesus: “And a young man followed him, with nothing but a linen cloth about his body. And they seized him, but he left the linen cloth and ran away naked” Mark 14:51-52.
3. Knowing our own human nature, we can likely consider many reasons why the disciples abandoned Jesus.
o Write a few of your ideas.
o Jesus foretold that the disciples would scatter that very night and abandon Him (John 16:32). Why do you think Jesus warns the Eleven that they would fall away?
o We read how the apostles fell asleep in the Garden of Gethsemane instead of praying to prepare for this trial. Pray for yourself and for those who love Christ to stand firm even when they stand alone as Jesus did during His arrest.
Day 4 – Annas attempts to control Jesus.
Background Information —Jesus will be tried by both the Jews in a religious trial and by the Romans in a civil trial. In today’s reading, Jesus is taken to Annas for the first stage of His religious trial. Annas served as the high priest for about seven years, but even after he was deposed from his role, he regained control when many of his sons served as high priest. The Pharisees called the money-changing and sacrifice-selling businesses that operated at the temple “the Bazaar of the Sons of Annas.” Twice Jesus overthrew Annas’ business tables, once at the beginning of His ministry and once at its end.
At the time of Jesus’ arrest, Annas’ son-in-law Joseph Caiaphas is serving as the high priest, so the business is still ruled by Annas. Remember after Israel rejected Jesus, He said that He would give them one more sign, the sign of resurrection. After He raised Lazarus from the dead, Jewish leadership gathered to decide what to do with Jesus.
Re-read John’s account of this meeting in John 11:45-53 and then read John 18:12-14.
Background Information – These texts affirm that Jesus was already declared guilty and sentenced to death after He raised Lazarus. And by seizing Jesus before the morning sacrifice to hold a secret trial, the Pharisees broke two more laws of their own Mishna.
1. How do you see Jewish leadership actually losing control instead of gaining the control they so desire?
Read John 18:19-23.
Background Information – By law Jesus did not have to answer questions, but by law those conducting the trial were responsible for producing at least two witnesses. Jesus is saying finding two witnesses should not be a problem because He taught continually where Jews gathered, even in their own synagogues and at the temple. Remember that Jesus forced their hand when He called Judas out as His betrayer and told him, “What you are going to do, do it quickly.” Jewish authorities had not wanted to arrest Jesus during the Passover, so they were not prepared to have this trial. That Jesus is struck during His trial also violates the Mishnaic Law.
2. How do you see Jesus remaining in control during this first stage of His trial?
3. Pray for yourself and for those who love Christ to endure false accusations as Jesus did.
Day 5 – While drinking the fulfilling cup, Jesus lives the Father’s will before all.
Personal Reflection Time -- In lesson 37, we saw Jesus pray to the Father in the Garden of Gethsemane three times: “Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Jesus told the Father that He was willing to receive God’s wrath for our sins poured out on Him on the cross.
Hebrews 5 offers us insight on Jesus’ prayer and the results of His dependence on the Father.
7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
In His humanity, Jesus learned obedience through His suffering. His obedience resulted in our salvation. When we realized our need for Him and responded to the gospel, that was our first “obedience.” But as His disciples, we show love for Him by persisting in that same spirit of obedient dependence. Like our Disciplemaker, our obedience in this bears eternal fruit in the lives of those we disciple.
And like our Disciplemaker, the stakes are higher during our own times of suffering.
Each day in this lesson had a question that asked you to observe how Jesus remained in control of His actions and words while both enemies and friends sinned against Him, the I AM, God Himself.
Jesus is who we want to become more and more like every day as disciples, and He is who we want all to become more and more like every day as disciplemakers. He is our “end in mind.” His relationship with the Father is what we want most.
1. Reflect on your own current difficulties or trials. Perhaps as Jesus did in our readings this week, you are experiencing rejection, accusations, persecution, betrayal, abuse. How we think, speak, and act during such injustices reveal our trust in God just as they revealed Jesus’ and His followers’ trust. Our responses reveal where we are seeking God to control us and where we are trying to control God.
Consider the questions below, and don’t be afraid to affirm where you are doing well or to admit where you are not.
o How are you relating to God right now?
o How are you relating to your family and friends?
o How are you relating to those who oppose you or have betrayed you?
2. Each day of this lesson included one question about how Jesus remained in control. The question numbers are highlighted with this color. Review your answers, and write what most strikes you as what you most need to imitate in your life with Christ right now.
3. After reflecting, go to your Father with your praises, needs, and confessions. Pray for your enemies as well.
REFLECTION Questions for this lesson and Lesson 39
Take your time with these Reflection Questions. You will have this week and next to discuss them.
1. Share your Day 5 answers with your group.
Earlier in our Learning Jesus lessons, we shared with our group where we were in our spiritual formation using the Journey of Discipleship chart as a tool. That first chart purposefully omitted the final column IV. Come Abide with Me because Jesus had not taught on abiding with Him yet. He was still training His disciples to trust Him as He taught them and engaged them in ministry in the III Come Be with Me stage. However, at His Passover discourse, Jesus told the Eleven that since He was leaving, He would send the Holy Spirit. They, the branches, would need to depend upon Jesus, the vine, through the Holy Spirit in order to abide with Him as they made disciples (John 15:1-11).
2. On the back of this sheet is the complete Journey of Discipleship chart. Read through column IV now with your group. Take each box in column IV only and discuss it through the lens of depending like Jesus depended. Questions to guide your discussion could include:
o What would that type of dependency look like?
o Why is that level of dependency necessary for mature disciplemakers?
o How does “practicing” dependency prepare disciples for God’s set apart time of refining us through trials?
JOURNEY OF DISCIPLESHIP chart for disciple
adapted from Bill Hill’s Discipleship Resources
God’s joy and strength to you, brothers & sisters,
kpaulson@gracelaredo.org