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The Story of Jesus
himself to the control of Satan. He stood boldly before the Lord, and
was not ashamed to give Him up to the cruel mob.
Christ did not refuse the traitor’s kiss. In this He gave us an
example of forbearance, love, and pity. If we are His disciples, we
must treat our enemies as He treated Judas.
The murderous throng became bold as they saw Judas touch the
form which had so recently been glorified before their eyes. They now
laid hold of the Saviour, and bound those hands that had ever been
employed in doing good.
The disciples did not think that Christ would allow Himself to be
taken. They knew that the power which could strike down the mob
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as dead men could keep them helpless till Christ and His companions
should escape.
They were disappointed and indignant as they saw the cords
brought forward to bind the hands of Him whom they loved. Pe-
ter, in his anger, rashly drew his sword, and tried to defend his Master.
But he only cut off an ear of the high priest’s servant.
When Jesus saw what was done, He released His hands, though
held firmly by the Roman soldiers, and saying, “Suffer ye thus far”
(
Luke 22:51
), He touched the wounded ear, and it was instantly made
whole.
He then said to Peter, “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?”
Matthew 26:52-54
. “The cup which
My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?”
John 18:11
.
Christ then turned to the chief priests and the captains of the temple,
who were with the mob, and said, “Are ye come out as against a thief,
with swords and with staves to take me? I was daily with you in
the temple teaching, and ye took Me not: but the Scriptures must be
fulfilled.”
Mark 14:48, 49
.
The disciples were offended when they saw that the Saviour made
no effort to deliver Himself from His enemies. They blamed Him for
not doing so. They could not understand His submission to the mob,
and, terror-stricken, they forsook Him and fled.
Christ had foretold this desertion. “Behold,” He had said, “the
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hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man