Arrest In The Garden
ARREST IN THE GARDEN
MATTHEW 26:47-56
Jesus was submitting to arrest out of obedience to God’s word. Scripture is coming true.
The “crowd” which came under Judas’ guidance to arrest Jesus consisted of temple police, whose commander was the captain of the temple (see note on 21:23); their services were at the disposal of the Sanhedrin. The word rendered “kissed” in 26:49 is more intensive than that in 26:48, suggesting the show of affection or enthusiasm which Judas puts into the act. As in 26:25, Judas addresses Jesus as “Rabbi”; Jesus in turn calls him “Comrade” (the same expression as is used in 20:13; 22:12) and adds words which, because of their elliptical construction, are of uncertain force to us (contrast RSV text and footnote) but which, from their appearance on a first-century glass goblet (probably from Syria), may be intended to remind Judas of their recent table-fellowship.
Some show of resistance was put up by the disciples (as in Mark, the identity of the sword-wielder is not divulged); then their nerve failed and they took to their heels. Jesus’ rebuke in 26:52-54 is for the most part peculiar to Matthew. He submits to his captors in the conviction that thus it is written and that the prophetic Scriptures pointing to this hour must be fulfilled (cf. 26:24). Yet he points out the incongruity of their having come to take him by surprise at night, as though he were a bandit-leader, a Zealot terrorist, when day by day throughout the preceding week he had been teaching publicly in the temple court. “I sat” (26:55) refers to the customary posture for instruction (cf. Luke 4:20).
Note The “twelve legions of angels” (26:53) may be understood, in the light of the Qumran texts, as hosts of militant angels under the command of the Prince of light, such as cooperate with the human sons of light in the eschatological warfare against the “sons of darkness.” But Jesus renounces recourse to angelic force as much as that to human or material force.
Thought Consider Peter’s mistake in drawing his sword—misplaced zeal leads Christians to do the wrong things in the wrong place, and to do them badly.