Judas’ Kiss

Mark 14:41-52

41 Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

Jesus Arrested

43 Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.

44 Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” 45 Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. 46 The men seized Jesus and arrested him. 47 Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.

48 “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? 49 Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” 50 Then everyone deserted him and fled.

51 A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, 52 he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.

The events surrounding the Crucifixion of Jesus add to the psychological distress that He is experiencing. Sweating drops of blood are a manifestation of this. The scene of the arrest is full of betrayal, not just from Judas, but from the Jewish leadership. It is full of abandonment, not just the Twelve, but others. And in the midst of these terrible circumstances, we see Jesus in control, submitting to God the Father and addressing the bad behavior of others.

This points to the patience of Christ with us. But we should not mistake patience for an abandonment of truth or of our personal responsibility. God calls all people to repentance. God calls you to repentance. God calls all people to follow Jesus. And the decision to repent and follow is the point of trust and believing that delivers salvation to the individual. Salvation does not come without that.

 

Let’s consider the events:

 

  1. The Mob

 

  1. Sent from the Jewish leaders

Chief priests, teachers of the law, the elders. This is a summary of the Jewish leadership of the day. Political, church and tribal leadership are all aligned against Jesus. How can it be that God would send Messiah to and God’s people would not recognize Him?

Psalms 22: 1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.[b]

3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.[c]
4 In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

6 But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.

 

John 7: 47 “You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. 48 “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? 49 No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.”

50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, 51 “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?”

52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”

 

Isaiah 53:

3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

 

8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,

 

  1. Armed with swords and clubs

The weapons that the people bring, and the fact that they come at night, what do they signify? Do they expect Jesus to fight back? Has He done so before? Or do they think that the way that they come deserves folks to fight back with them? Is this more like a mob hit or a police action?

Am I leading a rebellion? This is a good question. Jesus is not leading an armed rebellion. But, Jesus is challenging all authority and authorities to submit to Him. This is still true today.

As parents, Jesus challenges us to raise children with discipline and to follow Jesus.

As business owners/managers Jesus challenges us to act as servants to our employees and to our customers.

As business employees Jesus challenges us to act as servants to our employers and customers.

As citizens Jesus challenges us to act as servants to our fellow citizens and to submit to the laws of our government.

 

  1. A large number of people

Safety in numbers? Strength in numbers? Do they have enough people to safely arrest Jesus? They sought a time when He was not around the crowd that is in Jerusalem during Passover. That is successful. Judas’ information and cooperation gives the Jewish leaders the intelligence that they need in order to act. But do they have enough to take Him if He chooses not to go?

“I am He”

Is it enough people to arrest Jesus and control the response of the Disciples?

John 18: 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”

5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.

“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”

“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.

8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.”

 

  1. Judas’ Kiss

 

  1. Conspiratorial sign

A kiss is a friendly greeting.

A kiss is an affectionate greeting.

Judas is one of Jesus’ closest friends!

What kind of life events make conspiracy necessary? War?   Cheating in a relationship? Theft?

When does God ever conspire?

 

  1. The necessity for deception

Why must they come at night?

Why must they have a secret sign?

Why must they find an ally who can deliver Jesus to them at a     place and time where there are not a bunch of people?

Satan is a conspirator. He is a liar. His power is not     straightforward. He must trick and fool and manipulate. God does     none of these things.

 

The very fact that Jesus is aware of the deception of Judas ahead         of time tells us that what is happening here is a part of the will        and plan of God. Why would God have it so?

It is a prophet sign of who Jesus is.

It is a part of Jesus sharing in the sufferings of people.

It lets us know that we have a high priest who has                              submitted to the full menu of human suffering. People                         betray people.

It is hard to conspire against God. He is hard to trick.

 

  1. False confession of respect

Rabbi

This is sickening, false, weak and evil.

Religious leaders struggle with submission.

All must submit to following Jesus, especially when we do not         understand!

 

III. Jesus’ Questions

Jesus asks questions often that are meant to provoke personal         reflection.

 

  1. Am I leading a rebellion?

The sword and ear incident

It is Peter who cuts of the ear. Malchus is the name of the one     whose ear is severed.

 

  1. Why are you hiding what you do?

The real issue is this: Why is the conspiracy necessary? Can you not just deal with the issue in a straightforward way?

 

 

  1. Everyone deserted Him

The naked runner: Tradition tell us that this is the author of this   book. Mark himself was there and scared and ran away. This         might make you think poorly of Mark, but I would recommend      you think about what this says about Jesus. Those who author   His gospels have failed Him in the past. This is true of Jesus, this      is true of James and John. There is no one here but people. This       story of Jesus’ arrest highlights the greatness of Jesus and His         willingness to submit to the will of God.

 

The story of Jesus’ arrest highlights His integrity and the weaknesses and sinful action of others. Judas and the Jewish leaders are behaving hellishly. They will experience the full wrath of God if they do not repent.

We can read this story and find someone to relate to. Not many here are doing well. The women who follow Jesus remain faithful. But, if the ones who run away naked become authors of the NT then that means that Jesus knows our weaknesses and following Him moves us from weakness to strength.

 

The call to follow Jesus is the call of God to all of us. As Paul says in Colossians 1:

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.