#1443 Luke 22 Part 9 You Will Not Believe

 

63 Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. 64 They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” 65 And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him.

Jesus Before the Council

66 When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said, 67 “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, 68 and if I ask you, you will not answer. 69 But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 70 So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.” 71 Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.” Luke 22: 63-71 ESV

Luke 22: 63-71 Prophesy

Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking Him as they beat Him - We just left off in the previous post with Peter's angle in the courtyard, his denial and now gone in tears. Now we will see how fallen men react to God. They tried to choose autonomy in the garden, and ever after men have demanded that God show Himself. There is no God I use to say, to hope, and I hear the voices of many ringing throughout history, "if there's a god then show yourself". So God comes down to earth, adds to His deity, humanity, taking on human flesh, becoming one of us, and with no real reason to doubt that He is anything but God. How's that, you ask? They saw the miracles, the feeding of the 5,000, things that they could not explain or duplicate, and from this same man came forth words that corrected their theology and traditions. The same one Who healed the lame and blind said things that were difficult for them to accept, but here's their chance, Who else could He be but God and who do they hate more than God? They have killed messenger upon messenger, but here comes the Son of the Landowner, what do you think they will do, what would you or I do? If not for a change of heart, if not for restraint from heaven, you could not sit across from Jesus and not want to come across the table at the One Who exposes us for the frauds we are. If you have never experienced this sort of vitriol hatred, this clashing of spirits, then it is quite simple my friend, you don't look enough like Him. We were all made in God's image, but sin has shattered that, and God sends the remedy, the image restorer in Christ, but no one sees themselves as broken this way, we see ourselves as good, or at least not as bad as some, but here He is, the mirror that tells us we are lying. We don't get treated like Him because we don't talk and act like Him, we blend in with the world and offer no light of conviction. You say you would never do this to Jesus, it's just not in you, well, grow up, you cannot repent of what you don't realize, and every lash of the whip, every pounding of the nail, every drop of blood filled sweat, and the agony that you will never comprehend, the wrath of an infinite Holy Father, that has every bit to do with your sin and mine, so don't look away, don't pretend this isn't you, we killed the King of Glory. We killed Jesus because He gave His life at the Sovereign bequest of the Father to save the sinners who needed Him to die on their behalf. That's the gospel, not the power of some decision you made, the life and death of God the Son, I pray that God gives you the faith to believe in Him.

…9His anger has torn me and opposed me; He gnashes His teeth at me. My adversary pierces me with His eyes. 10They open their mouths against me and strike my cheeks with contempt; they join together against me. 11God has delivered me to unjust men; He has thrown me to the clutches of the wicked.… Job 16: 9-11

…6But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. 7All who see me mock me; they sneer and shake their heads: 8“He trusts in the LORD, let the LORD deliver him; let the LORD rescue him, since He delights in him.”… Psalm 22: 6-8

V. 64 Prophesy, who is it that struck You - People took Him to be a prophet, He knew things that you could know no other way, saw Nathanael under the fig tree, looked into men's hearts and foretold what would happen in the future, but these men think themselves clever, demanding, mocking, "prophesy", but He is silent. Well, I guess that means they're right, God won't do what you say, won't become a circus side show act, bowing to the whims of evil men, so He can't be God if He won't obey you. If I were Him at this point I would fight, not because it's brave, but because it's the easier thing to do, if you fight they will hit you harder, this will go faster, it will be over, but He is in for the long haul. There is a whole hell of a lot more in front of Him, but He sees it, accepts it, and this is just the beginning. 

21For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps: 22“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.” 23When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.… 1 Peter 2: 21-23

…6We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. 7He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth. 8By oppression and judgment He was taken away, and who can recount His descendants? For He was cut off from the land of the living; He was stricken for the transgression of My people.… Isaiah 53: 6-8

V.66 When day came - This is a legality. This will be the "legal" trial, making everything their doing just and okay, that's sarcasm for those of you who were born without that sense.

When it was day - The long night is over - two mock trials and three denials by a loyal disciple have passed. And now it was the break of day, daybreak being about 5-6 AM. Matthew has "Now when morning came" (Mt 27:1) and Mark has "Early in the morning." (Mk 15:1) Now the Sanhedrin meeting could be official and "legal." So here we see that the two illegal nighttime trials before Annas and then Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, were followed by the third mock trial during the day, because a guilty verdict in a case of capital punishment could only be rendered during daylight hours (which is a bit ironic given the many other rules of Jewish justice that the religious leaders had already broken! Clearly this was never about justice but a total perversion of justice!) - Precept Austin

V.67a If You are the Christ, tell us - Meaning, if you are Messiah, then just say so. They think they command God. They want the kingdom to come and Rome be thrown out, but they don't see the need for a Savior that dies for them. In their warped and twisted way they think they have outed Him as a fraud because He is going to go to the cross as is foretold of the Messiah in Isaiah. They just don't accept that, their Jesus is going to destroy Roman rule and recognize them as the spiritual giants they are, putting them in seats to rule and dominate, not repent and take up crosses of self denial. 

39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

41 “I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

45 “But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?” John 5: 39-47

V. 67b If I tell you, you will not believe - He's right, they had all the signs, the OT, the miracles, the untainted life before them, and they can't see it, just like they did to the prophets of old, they killed God's and found their own. You are not saying what we want to hear or doing what we demand You do, and so You are obviously not the King. It is ridiculous. 

But He said to them, "If I tell you, you will (absolutely) not believe - This if introduces a third class conditional statement which speaks of potential action. Is this not a variant of the unpardonable sin? They repeatedly refused to believe, so now they could not believe! Jesus had performed countless miracles for 3 years which were clear, indisputable evidence that He was in fact the long expected Messiah! And so Jesus uses the strongest negative in the Greek (ou me and again in Lk 22:68) to emphasize the fact that they absolutely would not believe. What Jesus is saying in so many words is that it was useless to discuss this point with them because they were not really open to the truth. They had already determined His fate and could "care less" about the truth! They were out for His blood, but little did they know that the Lamb's blood (Jn 1:29+, 1Pe 1:19+, Titus 2:14+) would propitiate (satisfy) the Father and open the doors to Kingdom of God for all who did believe He was the Messiah Who was also the Redeemer. - Precept Austin 

…12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ 14In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.… Matthew 13: 12-14

V.68 And if I ask you, you will not answer - Jesus demonstrated this with them before, and He has already answered in the past, even giving them the old Hebrew name for God, "I Am". They wanted to kill Him for this, but to turn it around on them, seeing all that He had done and what Scripture had said about the Messiah, taking all the evidence, like He asked Peter, Who do you say that I am?

Criswell comments ""You will by no means answer" is demonstrated in Lk 20:41-44, when Jesus challenges the authorities with a question about the sonship of the Messiah. They do not answer." - Precept Austin

…57Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?” 58“Truly, truly, I tell you,” Jesus declared, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59At this, they picked up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple area.… John 8: 57-59

V. 69 But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God - Subtle, not really, but He doesn't have to be. He is not staying here, after He goes through this, finishes His mission as the Savior, the Pascal Lamb, the Passover, He is ascending to heaven and will be with the Father until the time of His return. In other words, "I am not going to kick out Rome for y'all now, I am going back home." This would agitate them on so many levels.

1A Psalm of David. The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” 2The LORD extends Your mighty scepter from Zion: “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”… Psalm 110: 1-2

V. 70 Are you the son of God then - They are inferring rightly from this, but only so they can accuse Him of blasphemy, which would be true if He wasn't the Son of God.

V. 70b You say that I am - Yep, that's right.

And they all said, "Are You the Son of God, then?" - They all is interesting which makes it sound like this was a chorus of questions. First they asked are you the Christ and now the Son of God (not "a" son but "the" [definite article] Son). By asking Jesus if He were the Son of God, they were in effect asking if He was equal with God.

Bob Utley - “and they all said” Notice the PLURAL. Those present spoke with one voice! We learn from Mark 14:55–59 that the false witnesses had failed in their accusations. At this point the Sanhedrin tried to get Jesus to incriminate Himself. This was illegal in Jewish Law. Jesus, in a round-about way, affirms that He is the Messiah (cf. Mark 14:62). He knew they would take this title in such a way as to accuse him before Rome. Moffat’s translation at this point is very helpful to catch the subtle connotation of this phrase. “That is your word, not mine, I would not put it like that, but since you have, I cannot deny it” (cf. Matt. 26:64).

Note that the NAS records Jesus reply as "Yes, I am." Most versions (ESV, NET, NLT, et al) have the more accurate literal rendering "You say that I am." Fruchtenbaum writes "This is an idiomatic expression which means “yes.” It is similar to our way of saying “You said it!”" The NIV has "You are right in saying I am." - Precept Austin

V71 We have heard it ourselves from His own lips - They took this as a confession to blasphemy, but if you are not equal to God yet say you are, wouldn't this just be a case of derangement, a mad person that just also happened upon the ability to walk on water. Maybe He performed the miracles because He didn't understand science and was crazy, which made it impossible for Him to realize it was impossible to do these things. Only God can do those things. Well, now they get to beat and kill the Landowner's Son, just like He said they would.

For we have heard (akouo) it ourselves from His own mouth - They finally have a true Witness for the Word Himself! They explain why they need no more testimony. In short they acknowledged that Jesus had just claimed to be the Son of God which was also a way of claiming to be God. This constituted clear evidence of blasphemy to them and they now felt like they had sufficient grounds to demand the death sentence from Pilate.

Wiersbe - Referring to the Jewish authorities, James Stalker wrote in The Trial and Death of Jesus Christ: “It may be said that they walked according to their light; but the light that was in them was darkness.” (Lk 11:35+) “None so blind as those that will not see,” wrote Matthew Henry, the noted Bible commentator. “While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light” (John 12:36, NKJV). "I have come as light into the world, that everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness. (Jn 12:46) (Borrow Be courageous Luke 14-24) - Precept Austin

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#1442 Luke 22 Part 8 Cocky

 

54 Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house, and Peter was following at a distance. 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. 56 Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” 57 But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” 58 And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” 59 And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” 60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” 62 And he went out and wept bitterly. Luke 22: 54-62 ESV

Luke 22: 54-62

Led him to the high priest's house - The religious leaders were corrupt, very similar to the Popery of the Roman Catholic Church. They were using religion as a means to sell, Jesus interrupted this like Martin Luther later exposed such heresies as indulgences. This is a case where the corrupt will judge the innocent, but they are not looking for the truth, only to silence Him. It is a kangaroo court. 

A "kangaroo court" is "a military court that ignores recognized standards of law or justice, and often carries little or no official standing in the territory within which it resides. The term may also apply to a court held by a legitimate judicial authority who intentionally disregards the court's legal or ethical obligations. The defendants in such courts are often denied access to legal representation and in some cases, proper defense." (Wikipedia) The trials of Jesus fulfilled all the nefarious aspects of this definition!

S Lewis Johnson makes an excellent point - What is also ironic about this, is that He appears before the judges, both of the ecclesiastical court and of the civil court, and in the final analysis there is no judge, no high authority, in human life who does not receive the authority from the Lord God (Ro 13:1). And so he who gives authority to man now stands before the bar of the authority that he himself has given. I say the irony is excruciating, and we do not understand these sections of the gospels if we do not appreciate what we have here.

MacArthur summarizes the 6 trials of Jesus - From Gethsemane, He was taken to Annas, for what was to be an arraignment. Annas was to function like the grand jury, coming up with an indictment. (ED: Keep in mind of course that Satan was behind all of these events because now was "the hour and the power of darkness." Lk 22:53) From Annas, He was sent to Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin for the main Jewish trial. They did what they wanted to do, and then from there, in the morning after daybreak – so that they could make it legal, it had to happen in the day – they had a very brief thing, may have lasted ten minutes, and they reaffirmed their condemnation of Jesus Christ. And then from there, He was sent to Pilate, and then Pilate sent Him to Herod, because Pilate knew He was innocent. Then Herod sent Him back to Pilate, and Pilate, under the pressure the Jews put on him that they would tell Caesar that he was an inadequate ruler, decided to condemn Jesus to death. (Sermon - The Illegal, Unjust Trials of Jesus, Part 1) - Precept Austin

Peter was following at a distance - Some had gone much further away, but Jesus had told Peter that he would be sifted, and in another gospel it appears that John was probably nearby as well. This is a serious testing, because in our minds we are too noble to buckle under such pressure, but we are fallen and wired to this place, so that the fear of pain, imprisonment, ostracization and ridicule is often enough to put us on wobbly legs and principles. 

V.56 Then a servant girl - She doesn't sound very intimidating, but I remember as a young man being at a Biker Bash that I shouldn't have been at, and one of the proctors from my college, a girl a couple years older than me, spilled her drink, and then looked over at me and said "hey, get me another one of these, you spilled my drink." I told her no because she spilled her own drink, but of course a crowd of bikers overheard and came to the young maidens rescue, so after sizing up the crowd I said, okay, went up towards the bar and then left without buying her a drink. So the girl is in not scaring Peter, but what she is saying, who is around, and what might happen. It's like a jackal, the leopard doesn't fear him, but his yipping little bark draws in the lion pride to steal the leopard's kill. 

Servant-girl (3814)(paidiske diminutive of pais = a girl, youth) refers to a young girl or maiden. In NT refers to a slave girl or female slave. This very word is used 6 times (see uses below) in the Septuagint translation of Genesis 16 to refer to Hagar.) - Precept Austin

V.57 But he denied it - Just like Christ told him he would, even against Peter's ideals and prior promises of undying devotion.

…33Peter said to Him, “Even if all fall away on account of You, I never will.” 34“Truly I tell you,” Jesus declared, “ this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 35Peter replied, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.” And all the other disciples said the same thing.… Matthew 26: 33-35

V. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter - Jesus was out in the courtyard at this point, probably when he first started being beaten and struck. It's crazy when you pause and really look into this, you will find that in studying about God that He is omnipresent and omniscient. Jesus told Peter he would do this, and prior Peter had disobeyed his Teacher in not praying against such a course of action, this painful disgrace. Now think, Christian, me, how many times have I been in this same courtyard, making light of sin, acting other than how I have been called, denying my Lord? What a face to behold, what grief, how traitorous he must have felt, yet there is no one more compassionate to behold as well, and Jesus had prepared him for this moment, Jesus had prayed when Peter did not. 

THOUGHT - John MacArthur has a very interesting comment that I would agree with (especially it you combine it with boasting which reflects an element of pride saying "I can handle this temptation!"). MacArthur writes "I’m convinced that most of the problems and failures Christians face are directly related to prayerlessness. “You do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2). Perhaps Peter’s failure could have been averted if he had been obedient to the Lord and spent that time in the garden praying that the Lord would grant him grace to endure." (Theoretically that is correct but Jesus had prophesied denial would occur. Perhaps He would not have needed to make this prophecy had Peter prayed in the Garden instead of sleeping! O my am I convicted by this spiritual dynamic - prayerlessness predisposing to falling into temptation!) (Borrow - The Murder of Jesus : A Study of How Jesus Died - see page 127). - Precept Austin

…18I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning: ‘You disciplined me severely, like an untrained calf. Restore me, that I may return, for You are the LORD my God. 19 After I returned, I repented; and after I was instructed, I struck my thigh in grief. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’ 20Is not Ephraim a precious son to Me, a delightful child? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore My heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him,” declares the LORD.… Jeremiah 31: 18-20

V. 62 And he went out an wept bitterly - The sign of a penitent, broken, the raging, brawling fishermen brought to tears. This is a beautiful place, no gross boasting here. 

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#1441 Luke 22 Part 7 Started With A Little Kiss

 

47 While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” 49 And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? 53 When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.” Luke 22: 47-53 ESV

Luke 22: 47-53 Don't be a Judas

The man called Judas - There are lots of names in this world, but hardly any that has come to stand so much as a byword. As much as Jesus means Savior, so Judas can be substituted for traitor. His use to be a common name, and in the Hebrew it meant Praise or Praised, but if I called you that now it's not because I mean to compliment you, but to state something about your character, you're a liar, a traitor, someone who pays back the utmost kindness with murderous intention. In the following paragraphs we will see the contrast between two traitors, one whose name is like Voldemort, and the other whose name has carried on, even my own brother was named for the other traitor, Peter. We are all traitors, enemies of God, born into a sin nature, raised by sinners, needing of a Savior, needing to be granted repentance before we die, needing to be born again. 

John does not describe the betrayal by a kiss but gives us more detail regarding the makeup of the crowd writing "Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. (John 18:3). A Roman cohort (battalion) (Gk - speira) normally consisted of 600 men (1/10th of a legion), this number being so large because they were probably commanded to pick up this insurrectionist who claimed to be some kind of king.  - Precept Austin

…9Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him! 10For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! 11Not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.… Romans 5: 9-11

V. 47 He drew near to Jesus to kiss Him - This was going to be the sign to the soldiers that this was Jesus, the One they were accusing of being and insurrectionist. It was a common greeting in the Middle East, a thing between friends, a sign of respect. 

…44And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give Me water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not greet Me with a kiss, but she has not stopped kissing My feet since I arrived. 46You did not anoint My head with oil, but she has anointed My feet with perfume.… Luke 7: 44-46

…15Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints with them. 16Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send you greetings. 17Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them.… Romans 16: 15-17

V. 48 Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss - This is how close they were, friends, companions, Teacher and student for three years. Jesus is no ordinary Rabbi either, He has performed miracles in front of Judas and sent him out to preach and do the same. Their goals are different though, and Jesus has made His coming suffering an open thing, but I am under the impression that Judas is the only one who sort of gets it. The others probably still hold out hope, which is stupid, because it is against what Christ is saying, that the Son of Man is going to be on trial and then murdered. They are still hoping that the Kingdom as they see it is not far off, that it is going to happen soon, and maybe things will look better after a nap. The disciples don't understand the necessity of Christ in purchasing the Kingdom yet, and that will grow with time, but Judas seems to understand that the Kingdom is not tomorrow. I don't think he is even thinking ahead much farther than that, but he didn't sign up for suffering, for lack, for persecution, and so to him Jesus is a betrayal of his aim, his target of being rich and powerful. When Jesus says, "Son of Man", He is giving Judas a chance to rethink the magnitude of this, "are you sure you want to betray the Messiah with a greeting that one gives a friend?" Thirty pieces of silver, Judas was the father of Christian prosperity movements, as are all who pull you away from the simple gospel and twist the Scriptures to fit your carnality. 

…11It was revoked on that day, and so the afflicted of the flock who were watching me knew that it was the word of the LORD. 12Then I told them, “If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” So they weighed out my wages, thirty pieces of silver. 13And the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—this magnificent price at which they valued me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the LORD.… Zechariah 11: 11-13

…20My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. 21His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed. 22Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.… Psalm 55: 20-22

Warren Wiersbe - Someone has defined "kiss" as "the contraction of the mouth due to the enlargement of the heart." But not all kisses are born out of a loving heart, for kisses can also be deceitful. In the case of Judas, his kiss was the basest kind of hypocrisy and treachery....Judas used the kiss as a sign to tell the arresting officers who Jesus was (Matt. 26:48-49). Jesus had taught in the temple day after day, and yet the temple guards could not recognize Him! (Borrow Be courageous Luke 14-24)

Kiss (5370)(philema from phileo = to be a friend to, to be fond of an individual or an object, to have affection for and sometimes to kiss as a mark of tenderness) refers to a kiss as a token of love or friendship. Luke used philema in Lk 7:45. The holy kiss in the first century was a physical toke of welcome or farewell. Such physical expression was normal among the same sex. - Precept Austin

V. 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear - Jesus did not ask him to do this, and in John's gospel he names Peter as the one who cut the man, and this is likely because Peter had already passed, so there was no longer any danger in naming him. The funny thing is it would have just born more testimony to the healing power of Jesus. 

Mattoon agrees writing "The disciples remembered Jesus' words about the sword (Luke 22:35-38), so they asked Him if now was the time to make use of their two swords. They totally misunderstood what Jesus said." Why did Peter resort to the sword? The answer is he was unprepared for what was happening in Gethsemane. He was unprepared because he slept when the Lord wanted him to pray. He was unprepared because earlier, when Jesus was trying to get through to him and the other disciples, Peter was talking when he should have been paying attention to Christ. He now fights, when he should have yielded. He did not discern the events of his situation with what Jesus had been saying up to this point. He was fighting the wrong enemy with the wrong weapons. Peter's real enemy was Satan, and His real weapon was the Word of God. The same truth holds true for us, too. Beloved, our real enemy is Satan. The Scriptures are the most effective way in dealing with him and our own sinfulness. - Precept Austin

…9This was to fulfill the word He had spoken: “I have not lost one of those You have given Me.” 10Then Simon Peter drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. 11“Put your sword back in its sheath!” Jesus said to Peter. “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?”… John 18: 9-11

V. 51 No more of this! And He touched his ear and healed him - Jesus removed the evidence of the struggle, but also calmed the situation. Satan would keep Him from the cross, keep Him from being lifted up, but Jesus corrects his followers and walks in the will of God. Peter would have the easier route, the fight, and with the sort of power that Jesus displays it shouldn't be a difficult thing. When might is on our side we would have it make right every time, but this is the state of mankind, we grope in the dark about these matters, failing to comprehend the putridness of our sin, the necessity of the cross. This can't be won by way of fists.

35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: “ For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.… Romans 8: 35-37

…31Now judgment is upon this world; now the prince of this world will be cast out. 32And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw everyone to Myself.” 33He said this to indicate the kind of death He was going to die.… John 12: 31-33

John gives more insight into the account where the soldiers, probably a group of several hundred fell back when He answered them. He had the might, He is the Son of God after all, but that would not make the world aright, that wouldn't pay to save men from death, to buy them back from the slavery of sin. It probably emboldened Peter to see this though, like, "yeah, we got this, let's kill them all."

…5“Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. Jesus said, “I am He.” And Judas His betrayer was standing there with them. 6 When Jesus said, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7So He asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” “Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered.… John 18: 5-7

V. 52 Have you come out against a robber - What had Jesus done to earn such a mob? Is this for healing people? Or is this because He flipped over your tables and threw down your unjust weights and balances? They probably had some fear of Him in that He was able to perform miracles. It was noted earlier that they feared the crowds because some thought He was the Messiah, some a prophet etc., and so this entourage along with the cover of night probably made them feel protected. He didn't have a history of violence though, He even paid his taxes and told His followers to do the same, but here is this whole posse to get Him. It's like with gangs, once you put a few hot heads in there, they get some others to join, and together they feel powerful, invincible. I have said it before, the majority can be wrong, and this is a clear case of that. 

V.53 But this is your hour, and the power of darkness - Such darkness, the kind that can probably be measured in pounds, that which these men think to be light. You can't see salvation before you, blinded by hate, the same which your parents felt when they killed His messengers, and now you rush at your only chance to kill the God who sent them. 

…4Do you not know that from antiquity, since man was placed on the earth, 5 the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary? 6Though his arrogance reaches the heavens, and his head touches the clouds,… Job 20: 4-6

…12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.… Colossians 1: 12-14

…11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand.… Ephesians 6: 11-13

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#1440 Luke 22 Part 6 Hematidrosis Kind of Stress

 

39 And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45 And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, 46 and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” Luke 22: 39-46 ESV

Luke 22: 39-46 Sweat

As was His custom - To go to the Mount of Olives, to break away from crowds and noise, to spend time in prayer. This short section is not only a view into Jesus' last hours before the cross, but it is also a blueprint for His followers. He knows what the Father has said, knows what He has come to do, yet He prepares Himself by prayer. 

…6And in another passage God says: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” 7 During the days of Jesus’ earthly life, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence. 8Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered.… Hebrews 5: 6-8

And the disciples followed Him - He had just let them know again about His death and coming arrest, also that there was one among them who was a traitor. 

Pray that you may not enter into temptation - It was coming, Judas with the guards, the temptation to run, to deny Christ. The temptation to melt away had already settled in, to be overcome with sorrow, grief, a sense of fatalism. In Matthew we find that Jesus had to wake them more than once.

…37Then Jesus returned and found them sleeping. “Simon, are you asleep?” He asked. “Were you not able to keep watch for one hour? 38Watch and pray so that you will not enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.” 39Again He went away and prayed, saying the same thing.… Mark 14: 37-39

…4As for the deeds of men—by the word of Your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent. 5My steps have held to Your paths; my feet have not slipped. 6I call on You, O God, for You will answer me. Incline Your ear to me; hear my words.… Psalm 17: 4-6

Comment: Why would Jesus command them to "keep watch"? Clearly He knew the betrayer was aware of where they were and would soon be on his way to the Garden, for as John wrote "Now Judas also, who was betraying Him, knew the place, for Jesus had often met there with His disciples." (Jn 18:2)

MacArthur - As Isaiah prophesied He would be, the Messiah our Lord was “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3). The Gospels record that He grieved over Israel’s hardness of heart (Mark 3:5), the plight of a deaf man (Mark 7:34), the superficiality of Israel’s religious leaders (Mark 8:12), at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35), and over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41). But the extremity of Christ’s grief came in Gethsemane on the night before His death, when He “offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety” (Heb. 5:7). Christ’s sorrow in facing death as the sin bearer is beyond comprehension. It defies description and surpasses understanding, because what Jesus endured is absolutely unique and without any parallel in human experience. The account of His temptation in the garden confronts those who read it with an incalculable mystery. It leaves them awestruck over Christ’s agony in facing the Father’s anger at the cross and stunned by the intensity of this greatest of all battles against temptation. (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Luke) - Precept Austin

Pray (4336)(proseuchomai) is used only of prayer to God and here is a command in the present imperative, Jesus calling His men to persist in prayer in this crucial hour. And yet there is no record that they prayed even in face of having been commanded in essence to "pray without ceasing."

Temptation (3986) (peirasmos from peirazo = to make trial of, try, tempt, prove in either a good or bad sense) describes first the idea of putting to the test and then refers to the tests that come in order to discover a person’s nature or the quality of some thing. Think of yourself as a tube of "spiritual toothpaste". Pressure brings out what's really on the inside and this would certainly soon prove to the case for Peter and all the disciples. The context of perirasmos determines whether the intended purpose of the "temptation" is for good or for evil. - Precept Austin

And He withdrew from them about a stone's throw - This is from those in His inner circle, the others were closer to the entry, but Peter, James and John had gone further into the grove. A stone's throw is not very far, close enough for them to see Him, and probably close enough for them to hear Him pray. That He prayed was example enough, that He commanded them to was reason enough. Men are grossly mistaken that we need to feel a thing first, be in the mood, but I don't even need to fully understand, just know that God said to, that is enough. I find that with obedience and prayer comes wisdom and feelings of the right order. 

Knelt down and prayed - Look at the position our Lord takes, His posture, the Son of God's posture no less, humble. How many times have I rushed through this, trying to get to what for me was the better part, the meal, the trip, the entertainment? There is so much in this passage that is incomprehensible. He told them to pray, has told us to pray, He is praying, though He knows has been assured of the outcome, yet this is His greatest hour of testing, the proof of His human nature.

14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.… Hebrews 4: 14-16

V. 42a Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from Me - Who goes so deeply into such matters, is it climbing or descending? I don't know. Only the eternal can satisfy the Infinite, so I know this is God the Son praying, the eternally begotten One, yet one cannot deny His humanity in this either, that He has set aside the privileges of deity, and asking, like Paul, remove this thorn from me. Now Paul's thorn does not compare though, nothing that I have suffered here even begins. Can you glide through these verses and then look me straight in the eye, and say, "I have understood it all, I have quantified what is taking place?" Who has weighed the infinite wrath of God? Who has been so pure as to provide a duration, an end to it? Now Paul is asking like we all would, let me not suffer this sickness, this pain, this torment, this inconvenience. For Christ it is something much more, and the thing I cannot grasp. He has never sinned, and so by nature it is an affront to His nature, His holiness. He, Who knew no sin, it says, became sin on our behalf. The focal point of God's Holy wrath, that which is owed to every man that has been allowed to live in violation of God's law, and that which is owed to all who would be saved, is the cross, the place where sin will meet God's vengeance. Sin causes separation from Holiness, and talk about self denial, Christ is holy, yet sin will be laid upon Him, and God will punish Him as the altar of my failed life, my unholiness. He will experience in the Father's wrath, separation from the Father, a thing unbeknownst to Him, God's displeasure, forsaken, associated with that to which God is infinitely opposed, eternally against. 

…27Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it is for this purpose that I have come to this hour. 28Father, glorify Your name!” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29The crowd standing there heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said that an angel had spoken to Him.… John 12: 27-29

…7but it is God who judges; He brings down one and exalts another. 8For a cup is in the hand of the LORD, full of foaming wine mixed with spices. He pours from His cup, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to the dregs. 9But I will proclaim Him forever; I will sing praise to the God of Jacob.… Psalm 75: 7-9

…21Therefore now hear this, you afflicted one, drunken, but not with wine. 22Thus says your Lord, the LORD, even your God, who defends His people: “See, I have removed from your hand the cup of staggering. From that goblet, the cup of My fury, you will never drink again. 23I will place it in the hands of your tormentors, who told you: ‘Lie down, so we can walk over you,’ so that you made your back like the ground, like a street to be traversed.”… Isaiah 51: 21-23

Spurgeon says "I am never afraid of exaggeration, when I speak of what my Lord endured. All hell was distilled into that cup, of which our God and Savior Jesus Christ was made to drink.” (Luke 22 Exposition)

David Guzik - A sinless man battled Satan, sin, self, and temptation in a garden and lost – saying, “My will not Yours, be done” and the loss impacted all mankind. The second Sinless Man battled Satan, sin, self, and temptation in another garden and won – saying, “Not My will, but Yours, be done” – and its impact touches people from every tribe and tongue.

Constable - The submissiveness of Jesus' prayer is a model for all disciples. When we do not know God's will specifically, we can voice our request, but we should always submit our preferences to God's will. Luke pictured Jesus as a real man, not a demigod. - Precept Austin

V. 42b Nevertheless, not My will but Yours be done - Again modeling the perfect example, and this is how we should pray. Is it God's will that when we don't get what we want that we act as less than children of God? Does our suffering justify bringing embarrassment to the body of Christ? He told His disciples to pray because that temptation was at the door, and the way they had played it out time and again in their heads was so different than what He was telling them. Once Judas started to realize the Kingdom was not going to set up right away, that he would probably face persecution and loss, he made his choice. He did not seek God in prayer, begging for a right heart, a mind set upon living for God's glory even in the face of coming trials.  

…7Then I said, “Here I am, I have come—it is written about me in the scroll: 8I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart.” 9I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; behold, I do not seal my lips, as You, O LORD, do know.… Psalm 40: 7-9

…7Then I said, ‘Here I am, it is written about Me in the scroll: I have come to do Your will, O God.’ ” 8In the passage above He says, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not desire, nor did You delight in them” (although they are offered according to the law). 9Then He adds, “Here I am, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second.…

…10And by that will, we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 Day after day every priest stands to minister and to offer again and again the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12But when this Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.… Hebrews 10: 7-12

V. 43 And there appeared to Him an angel from heaven strengthening Him - Later they will try to tempt Him to call down angels to remove Him from the cross. He has such authority and yet does not use it, but rather waits upon the Father's time. Hear He receives help not to avoid or come down from the cross, but to get to the cross, for His body is failing Him. We all feel pain, and it is a warning for us that we are heading in the wrong direction, that something isn't right, like two great magnets opposing each other, He moves towards the cross, the place of sins demise, the place where such a Holy One does not fairly belong, and it is revolting. Satan does not want Jesus to make it to the cross, but God ensures it.

…11For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. 12They will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 13You will tread on the lion and cobra; you will trample the young lion and serpent.… Psalm 91: 11-13

…52“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him. “For all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53 Are you not aware that I can call on My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?”… Matthew 26: 52-54

V. 44 And His sweat became like great drops of blood - This is high level agony, and an interesting note of the Doctor, Luke, that Christ's anxiety had reached the point of hematidrosis.

Wikipedia on the cause - Hematidrosis is a condition in which capillary blood vessels that feed the sweat glands rupture, causing them to exude blood, occurring under conditions of extreme physical or emotional stress.[4] Severe mental anxiety activates the sympathetic nervous system to invoke the stress-fight or flight reaction to such a degree as to cause hemorrhage of the vessels supplying the sweat glands into the ducts of the sweat glands.[5]

What the Bible teaches – Surely this is most holy ground. How can we, whose senses have been numbed by sin, ever enter into the holy anguish of the soul of the Man of sorrows? The physical evidence of His agony is given that we might have some understanding of it. Human eyes were not allowed to look on that sight. The Holy Spirit has recorded it for our learning. We are well aware of the simile word "as", but the AV "drops" (thrombos), is a medical term, which means "thick clots" of coagulated blood. Vine interprets thrombos as "large, thick drops of clotted blood". The appearance of the Saviour as One whose "visage was so marred more than any man" must be understood in the light of this suffering as much as the result of what men did to Him.

Ryle - Theophylact observes, that this bloody sweat is one among many strong evidences that our Lord’s body was a real body, like ours, with flesh, blood, and all other things pertaining to man’s constitution. He observes also, that it supplies an unanswerable argument against the heresy of those who maintained that our Lord’s body was only a seeming, or “phantastic” body, but not a real one. (See related resource - What is Docetism?) - Precept Austin

V. 45 Found them sleeping for sorrow - It's too depressing, He's going to the cross anyway, He is going to die, He seems resolved to do so. MacArthur called them hyper-Calvinist, saying it is in God's plan anyway so what is the point in praying, what is the point of the great commission? When life stinks this bad it is so much easier to drink it away, shoot up, stay high, occupy yourself with the meaningless, escape from reality, take a nap. Just writing parts of this makes me want to curl up and take a nap, it is so much easier than forcing myself to think about Who He is, what He is doing on my behalf, that God the Father asked God the Son to do something that was truly unfair. Who am I to ignore this though, and is it not because I don't want to do what He has asked of me, deny myself? He has asked so very little of me, and who am I to resist Him? Who is anyone to deny the Creator's right over what He has made? I failed at being human, being made in the image of God, I denied Him His glory, and so here is this Jesus, fulfilling what I could not, and sweating blood in anticipation of what I should receive, my wages times the billions of other fallen, broken images. In the other gospels we find that He found His disciples asleep three times on this most Holy and Unholy of nights. 

J C Ryle - We see, lastly, in these verses, an example of the feebleness of the best of saints. We are told that while our Lord was in agony, His disciples fell asleep. In spite of a plain injunction to pray, and a plain warning against temptation the flesh overcame the spirit. While Christ was sweating great drops of blood, His apostles slept! Passages like these are very instructive. We ought to thank God that they have been written for our learning. They are meant to teach us humility. When apostles can behave in this way, the Christian who thinks he stands should take heed lest he fall. They are meant to reconcile believers to death, and make them long for that glorious body which they will have when Christ returns. Then, and not till then, shall we be able to wait upon God without bodily weariness, and to serve Him day and night in His temple. - Precept Austin

V. 46 Why are you sleeping - Was this what I instructed you to do? You couldn't stay up and pray for Me on the most difficult night of my life? You couldn't pray for yourselves as instructed, so that you didn't fall into temptation, run like cowards, make a mockery of the Church? Have I prayed yet today that I will not use too many words, laugh at what God hates, be lazy before unbelievers, be rude, be a testimony against Christianity? Have I prayed for the lost, those under my care, in my circles? How is it that I am not constantly in prayer?

…5The sailors were afraid, and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down to the lowest part of the vessel, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6The captain approached him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call upon your God. Perhaps this God will consider us, so that we may not perish.” 7“Come!” said the sailors to one another. “Let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity that is upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah.… Jonah 1: 5-7

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