Day 58: Judas betrays Jesus
When Harry Potter was a baby, his parents were murdered by Voldemort. They’d known that Voldemort was after them. But they were under a protective spell, which meant he couldn’t find them. The spell required a friend of theirs to be the “secret keeper.” As long as their friend didn’t tell anyone where Lily and James Potter were hiding, they were safe. But their secret keeper friend betrayed them. Today, we see one of Jesus’ disciples do the same to Him.
What had Jesus just said (v. 42)?
Who showed up while He was still speaking (v. 43)?
Who came along with Judas, and what were they armed with (v. 43)?
Who had sent this armed crowd (v. 43)?
When Jesus first predicts His death, He says that He will be rejected by “the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law” (Mark 8:31). These three groups are the very people who order Jesus’ arrest.
What had Judas told the armed crowd he would do to identify Jesus (v. 44)?
What had Judas told the armed crowd to do after he’d kissed Jesus (v. 44)?
What did Judas do to Jesus, and what did he say (v. 45)?
Jesus also predicts that one of His chosen twelve disciples will betray Him, and here we see Judas doing exactly what Jesus said would happen. Earlier that night, Judas would have been with the other disciples when they all said they would rather die with Him than disown Him (Mark 14:31). But now Judas is betraying his rabbi with a kiss.
What did the armed men do to Jesus as soon as Judas had kissed Him (v. 46)?
What did one of Jesus’ disciples do in response (v. 47)?
In John’s gospel we find out that it is Peter who cuts off the ear of the high priest’s servant, and that the servant’s name is Malchus (John 18:10). In Luke’s gospel, we find that Jesus touches Malchus’s ear and heals him (Luke 22:51).
What did Jesus ask the armed crowd (v. 48)?
What does Jesus point out He’s been doing (v. 49)?
Why does Jesus say His arrest is happening this way (v. 49)?
What do all His disciples do at this point (v. 50)?
How is this different from what they had all said that they would do in verse 31?
What happened to one young man who had been following Him (v. 51)?
How brave were Jesus’ disciples when the moment came for courage?
Praise Jesus that He was brave for us when we would all have run away like the disciples. Pray that He would help you to be brave in standing for your faith in Him today. Thank Him for His kindness and forgiveness.