213. The Passion: The Lord Delivers Himself Into the Hands of Sinners. Mt. 26:47–56; Mk. 14:43–50; Lk. 22:47–53; Jn. 18:3–11

While this was happening in the garden of Gethsemane, Judas, taking a band of soldiers and servants from the chief priests and Pharisees, comes there with lanterns and torches and weapons. And behold, when the Lord was still speaking these words to His disciples, this crowd appeared; one of the Twelve, called Judas, went before them, and following him was a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and scribes and elders of the people.

Going ahead of all, Judas approached the Lord Jesus in order to kiss Him; for this betrayer had given them a sign, saying: Whoever I kiss, that is He; arrest Him and lead Him away carefully. Coming to the Lord Jesus, he said: Rabbi! Rabbi! Hail, Rabbi! and kissed Him. The Lord Jesus said to him: Friend, for what purpose are you here? Judas! Do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?

When then those with Judas came up, the Lord, knowing all that was to happen to Him, stepped forward and said to them: Whom do you seek? They answered: Jesus of Nazareth. The Lord Jesus says to them: I am He. Now Judas, His betrayer, was standing with them. And when the Lord said to them: I am He, they drew back and fell to the ground. And when they got up, He asked them again: Whom do you seek? They said: Jesus of Nazareth. The Lord Jesus answered them: I have already told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go – My disciples – go free: so that the word might be fulfilled which He had spoken before: Of those whom You gave Me, I have lost none.

Then those with Judas came near, laid their hands on the Lord Jesus, and seized him.

Those with the Lord, seeing where this was heading, said to him: Lord! Shall we strike with the sword? And behold, one of them, Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

Then the Lord Jesus said: Let be; enough! And, touching the ear of the wounded servant, he healed him. And he said to Peter: Put your sword into its sheath—return it to its place; for all who take up the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot now call upon my Father, and he will send me more than twelve legions of Angels? How then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?

In that hour the Lord Jesus said to the crowd and to the high priests and captains of the temple and elders gathered against him: Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs, to take me? Every day I was with you in the temple, sitting with you in the temple, teaching daily; and you did not raise hands against me or seize me. But now is your hour, and the power of darkness.

All this came to pass, so that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.

Then the soldiers and the captain and the officers of the Jews seized the Lord Jesus and bound him.

His disciples, seeing this, all abandoned him and fled.