The Lord's Arrest And Trial

by R. Hickling, Nottingham | Category: The Days Of His Flesh | Sept 1974

Gethsemane

"And when they had sung a hymn, they went out unto the mount of Olives" (Matt. 26:30).

It was a solemn procession that made its way through the darkened streets of Jerusalem. The time in the upper room had been overshadowed with a sense of foreboding; a feeling of crisis had been in the air. The words their Master had spoken in those last few hours would always be precious to the disciples, but they were troubled and apprehensive. The band left the city, passed over the Kidron to the slopes of the mount of Olives. Here was a garden, Gethsemane, to which Jesus often resorted with his disciples. The name means an oil press, so called, no doubt, from the process used to crush the olives which grew so abundantly on the hillside.

The Lord bade His disciples sit and pray, but taking with Him the privileged three he withdrew further into the garden (Matt. 26:36). Peter, James and John had been chosen by the Lord to witness many wondrous scenes in His life. They had seen Him transfigured on the mount, they had beheld His miraculous signs. Soon, very soon, they were to have testing experiences as they lived their lives for the Master; now they were near Him in His time of agony. The Lord began to be fearful and sore troubled. "My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death", He said (Mark 14:32-34), and bade them abide there and watch. He Himself went forward a little, fell on the ground and prayed.

We consider that scene with the deepest reverence. The Saviour poured out His heart to the Father. The awful hour of His anguish and humiliation had arrived and as He prostrated Himself His agony caused His sweat to become "as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground" (Luke 22:44). An angel appeared to Him strengthening Him. Three times the words of intense intercession were uttered, three times He confirmed His absolute submission to His Father's will:

"Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done" (Luke 22:42).

It was in Eden's garden that man gave expression to his own will in an act of disobedience against God, but in Gethsemane, the

second man, the Lord from heaven not only suffered as a result of man's sin but demonstrated that perfect submission to His Father's will that was characteristic of His whole life.

"Behold your King! Though the moonlight steals

Through the silvery sprays of the olive tree,

No star-gemmed sceptre or crown it reveals

In the solemn shade of Gethsemane,

Only a form of prostrate grief,

Fallen, crushed, like a broken leaf!

Oh think of His sorrow! that we may know

The depth of love in the depth of woe!

Three times in that hour of intense loneliness the Saviour prayed. The disciples had succumbed to the weakness of the flesh and each time the Master returned He found them sleeping. Alone He must face the ordeal of Gethsemane, alone He must endure Calvary, the lonely Man of Sorrows.

"Tis midnight, and from all removed

The Saviour wrestles 'lone with fears;

E'en that disciple whom He loved

Heeds not his Master's grief and tears.

Meanwhile another band of men were not sleeping. Judas Iscariot was busy with his evil work and had received a band of soldiers and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees armed with weapons and equipped with lanterns and torches. He had arranged to lead them to the Lord and identify Him in the darkness by kissing Him (John 18:3; Luke 22:48). The Lord's own familiar friend had lifted up his heel against Him.

Jesus knew who it was who would betray Him and as He returned to His sleeping disciples for the third time He knew the traitor was very near. Even as He was speaking to them the Judas-led throng burst into the garden:

"Whom seek ye?" asked the Lord.

"Jesus of Nazareth". "I am He".

They went backward and fell to the ground. They had no power against Him except it were given to them from above but this was their hour and the power of darkness.

In the upper room the Lord had said to Judas as he left to arrange his foul deed, "that thou doest, do quickly" (John 13:27). Now having heard Judas hail Him as Master and having been kissed by him, the Lord said to him, "Friend, do that for which thou art come" (Matt. 26:50). They had come out against Him as against a robber, but all this had come to pass that the Scriptures might be fulfilled.

Judas and Peter are two of the twelve who figure prominently in the divine record of events in the garden. Judas, to whom the thought of having thirty pieces of silver for himself had choked and withered any nobler thoughts he may have had, was intent on keeping his bargain. Peter, with his warm, loving heart but impetuous spirit essayed to turn his earlier words into actions (John 13:37) and sought to defend his Lord by the sword. But it was not the time for carnal weapons; the Lord's kingdom was not of this world. Had it been, His servants would have fought. This was the time for quiet submission. The One from heaven was being delivered into the hands of lawless and wicked men. Did they not realize that He could call on the Father for more than twelve legions of angels? The power at His command was unlimited. But had He chosen to do this, how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled that thus it must be?

The Trial before the Jews

They bound Jesus and led Him away through the night back into the city. According to the divine record He was taken first to Annas and later to Caiaphas. John alone records the appearance before Annas (John 18:12,13; 19-24) and this appears to have been in the nature of a preliminary examination. It seems that the Romans had deposed Annas from the office of high priest having recognized Caiaphas in his place, but the Jews had not accepted this position and still regarded Annas as such. Thus the two names are linked in the record of the Lord's trial.

The appearance before Caiaphas is recorded by the two evangelists, Matthew (26:57-66), and Mark (14:53-65). Annas asked the Lord about His teaching. But before Caiaphas, who was supported by chief priests, elders and chief scribes (Matt. 26:3), there was a change of emphasis in the questioning. They tried hard to find evidence on which they could condemn Him to death and for this purpose brought false witnesses whose evidence did not agree. Eventually, based on completely inaccurate statements they settled on a charge of blasphemy and declared, "He is worthy of death".

This part of the Lord's trial took place in the night and from then until dawn He was delivered to men to be ill-treated, reviled and mocked. At daybreak the assembly of the elders, the Sanhedrin, gathered together and the Lord appeared before them. The decision of the night had to be confirmed and, after questioning, the verdict was, "What further need have we ~ witness? For we ourselves have heard from His own mouth" (see Luke 22:70,71).

The Trial before Pilate

In the political situation at that time it was necessary for the Jews to receive the approval of the Roman governor before sentence of death could be carried out (John 18:31). Pontius Pilate held this office, being the 5th procurator of Judaea. He was appointed by Caesar Tiberius in A.D. 26. Many times he had offended the Jews and secular history tells that he had been in trouble with Caesar over some of the incidents.

Space forbids a detailed account of this aspect of the trial which is recorded by all four evangelists (Matt. 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 18:29 to 19:16). It is a story of indecision and vacillation, and presents a picture of a perplexed man facing One whom he knew and declared to be innocent of any crime. But Pilate was afraid for himself; at all costs he must avoid an uprising of the Jews which would only bring further discredit upon himself with Caesar.

On realizing the Man before him was a Galilean, Pilate eagerly seized on the idea of sending Him to Herod, under whose jurisdiction Galilee came. But before that wretched, debauched and blood-guilty man the Lord answered not a word. After mocking Him, Herod returned the prisoner to Pilate.

The Roman procurator sought to release Him. The warnings and experiences of his wife were before his mind (Matt. 27:19). But there was another consideration which the Jews were not slow to appreciate and use to achieve their object. They said, "If thou release this man, thou art not Caesar's friend; everyone that maketh himself a king speaketh against (i.e. opposeth) Caesar". This was too much for Pilate. This was a friendship he must cultivate at all costs. "Crucify Him", shouted the rabble, and their voices prevailed. Pilate took water and washed his hands before the people, "His blood be on us and on our children" they cried. Fateful words! As the years unfolded severe judgements were to fall on Israel as a result of their rejection of the Messiah and for the murder of the One whom God has made both Lord and Christ.

They led out the Lord Jesus Christ arrayed in mock robes, wearing a crown of thorns and bearing in His body the signs of man's hatred. The people saw Him. Then, indeed, He was despised and rejected of men, a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief.

May we, too, behold Him there and, as we so do, borrow the words of the hymn writer and say:

"Blest Saviour, we would own Thee Amid the world's proud scorn!"

R. Hickling, Nottingham | Sept 1974
The Days Of His Flesh