Matthew 26:47-56

Mat 26:47-56 The King's Betrayal

47-49. 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 hiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.

It is a remarkable fact that we do not read, in the New Testament, that any one of the twelve, except Judas, ever kissed Jesus. It seems as if the most impudent familiarity was very near akin to dastardly treachery. This sign of Judas was typical of the way in which Jesus is generally betrayed. When men intend to undermine the inspiration of the Scriptures, how do they begin their books? Why, always with a declaration that they wish to promote the truth of Christ! Christ's name is often slandered by those who make a loud profession of attachment to him, and then sin foully as the chief of transgressors. There is the Judas-kiss first, and the betrayal afterwards. Thus Judas said, "Sail, master;" and kissed him much (E.V. margin); betraying him by the act that ought to have been the token of firmest friendship.

50. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. The meek and lowly Jesus spake not as any mere man might have done under such circumstances. He did not address Judas as, "Wretch! "or, "Miscreant! "but his first word, after receiving the traitor's kiss, was, "Friend!" He did not denounce him as the vilest of mankind, but quietly said, "Wherefore art thou come? "or, "Do that for which thou art come." (R.V.) Eight royally did our King behave in that trying hour. Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. He offered no resistance, although the whole multitude would have been powerless to seize him unless he had been willing to be taken. They came to take him, so ho shielded his disciples from arrest while he yielded up himself to his captors, saying, '' If therefore ye seek me, let these go their way." Jesus was always thoughtful of others; he was so in the garden, and even when hanging on the cross.

51, 52. And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant cf 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. A good man's hand is never more out of place than when it is on the sword-hilt; yet there is always a tendency, even among Christians, to draw the sword from its scabbard. It would have been far better if Peter's hands had been clasped in prayer. That act of cutting off the ear of Malchus helped to identify him as one who was with Christ in the garden, and directly led to one of his denials of his Lord (John 18:26-27). The sword never helps to establish Christ's kingdom; all that is ever done by it will have to be undone. Brute force will throw down what brute force has built up.

53, 54. 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 he fulfilled, that thus it must be?

How royally our King speaks! He was the true Master of the situation. He had but to pray to his Father, and "more than twelve legions of angels" would come flashing down from the court of heaven. Each timid disciple might have found himself captain of an angelic legion, while their Lord might have had as many more as he chose. There was, however, one difficulty in the way: "How then shall the scriptures he fulfilled, that thus it must be?'⁷ Jesus thought more of fulfilling the Scriptures than of being delivered from the hands of wicked men. Neither Jewish bands nor Roman ropes could have held him captive if ho had not been under the bond of a mightier force, even that eternal covenant into which he had entered on behalf of his people.

55. In 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.

Luke says that this question was put to "the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders." Yet even to them Jesus only addressed a mild expostulation, instead of the terrible denunciation that their conduct deserved. It did seem a great farce for multitudes with swords and staves to go out from Jerusalem, at midnight, to arrest "the Man of Sorrows ", who would not allow one of his followers to draw a sword in his defence. Yet even his foes knew that he possessed extraordinary power if he only chose to exert it; and their numbers, arms, and authority were so many unconscious tributes to his royal dignity and might.

56. But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. Our Lord's one great concern was that he might finish the work he had come to perform, and that so the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.

Jesus was not surprised that all the disciples forsook him, and fled; for he had foretold that they would do so. He knew them better than they knew themselves, so he prophesied that the flock would be scattered when the Shepherd should be smitten. So it was; for when the fierce wolves came and seized him, the sheep all fled.

It would have been to the eternal honour of any one of the disciples to have kept close to Christ right up to the last; but neither the loving John nor the boastful Peter stood the test of that solemn time. Human nature is such poor stuff, even at the best, that we cannot hope that any of us would have been braver or more faithful than the apostles were.