Original Meaning

JESUS’ ARREST MEANS he will experience the cup.1 He submits to God’s will and will not allow any attempt to fight his way out of this situation. The healing of the arresting servant’s ear is the last miracle of Jesus’ ministry recorded in Luke. Ironically but poignantly, Jesus heals to the very end; even his enemies are beneficiaries. The time for darkness has come as Jesus complains about the manner of his arrest. They are treating him like a rebel, a sad fate for a Savior.

The betrayal comes as a crowd approaches and Judas comes forward to give Jesus a kiss. The text notes that Judas is one of the Twelve, thus underscoring how far his rejection has penetrated. The kiss, a sign of affection, has become a sign of defection. The warping of this act of intimacy is noted in Jesus’ question, “Are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”2

The disciples recall Jesus’ remarks about swords. Not understanding what the moment requires and that God has called Jesus to walk this course, they ask Jesus if they should fight. One of them (Peter, according to John 18:10), does not wait for the reply. He strikes at the servant of the high priest, severing his right ear.

Jesus puts a stop to the action. He wants no struggle at his arrest. He will submit to God’s call and to the Jewish leadership’s desire to arrest him. They will be held accountable to God for their actions. Then he picks up the severed ear and heals the servant. We do not know what effect this may have had on the audience, but it does not stop them from carrying out their duty. Everything about the arrest is told in a way that indicates how amazing it is that anyone seeks to arrest Jesus.

Jesus adds one more note. He questions the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders whether they really needed to come as if to arrest someone “leading a rebellion.” The Greek word lestes refers to a robber or highway bandit (cf. 10:30, 36). The word can also be used of revolutionaries, but it need not carry that meaning here.3 Jesus complains that they act as if he is a common criminal, whereas he has been with them daily in the temple, and they did not arrest him then. He knows that they left him alone because of the people. There is only one explanation for what is happening: “This is your hour,” and that of “the authority of darkness” (lit.). Satan’s attempt to stop Jesus is underway. Though a valiant effort, it will be stopped short—not by preventing Jesus’ death, but through resurrection. Ironically, the cross will accomplish the exact opposite of what the darkness wishes. Such is the mystery of God’s ways. Though the Jewish leadership seems to be in control, God and his agent are really in control.

Bridging Contexts

JUDAS REVEALS THE character of sin carried out. He betrays his master with a kiss, so that sin’s actions are the exact opposite of what the kiss symbolized. Such deception and hypocrisy often lie at the base of sin.

Jesus teaches us here about the character of his ministry. He is not into a power battle that involves the sword. He will indeed judge one day, but that time is yet to come. These events provide examples to us for facing circumstances often more mundane than those Jesus and Judas participate in here. Do we panic and try to seize total control, often by a misuse of force or power?

Paramount in the text is the sense of emotion it should generate in the reader. Do we sense the irony of Jesus’ performing a healing as his enemies arrest him? Do we sense the fundamental injustice of the arrest and the fact that Jesus is seriously misread by his opponents? Which side do we take as he is led away? Even as the text presents the facts of the passage, there is something revealing about the world’s lack of understanding and appreciation for who Jesus is. Such errors of judgment about him prevail today as well. Often we are misread, because he is misread.

Contemporary Significance

JUDAS REVEALS THE hurtful and distorted view of relationship that sin sometimes produces. In his decision to betray Jesus with a kiss is the essence of a deceptive quality that is often part of sin. Jesus’ question to Judas about betraying the Son of Man (i.e., Jesus) with a kiss brings the deceptive irony to the surface. Did Judas hope his act of betrayal would be covered up as the arrest took place? Or did he know he would be identified as the betrayer? We do not know what was in his mind. Yet the action he performed was the exact opposite of the affection and respect he was supposedly displaying.

That sin tries to cover its tracks is not at all unusual. One can think of stories of men who shower their wives with flowers and gifts while seeing another woman on the side. Or one can think of examples where people pilfer funds designated for the needy as they work for relief organizations. Such actions show how hard sin works to disguise itself.

In contrast stands Jesus. As his enemies arrest him and approach him as a dangerous criminal, he gives testimony to the threat by stopping his disciples from fighting back and by healing the high priest’s servant. The irony and the picture are a cameo of the gospel. Jesus ministers to sinners in need. What Judas and the high priest’s crowd represent is what Jesus came to minister to. How amazing that such hardness of heart and blindness see Jesus perform such a gracious act and then turn around to arrest him! Everything Jesus does indicates that he is not who they think he is. In essence, Luke is asking those reflecting on his Gospel to think through which side they identify with.

When Luke calls the moment of Jesus’ arrest a time “when darkness reigns,” he is noting that though his death has been ordained, it is not just (Acts 2:22–24). To reject Jesus and his claims is to side with those who arrest him, since their premise is that Jesus is not who he claims to be. Thus, as this Passion account proceeds, the constant question is, “Which side represents God?” Luke asks the reader to ponder the question and respond not just with an intellectual choice, but with a decision to embrace the forgiveness and blessing Jesus offers those who recognize him through faith.

There is something in Jesus’ response and absence of violence that communicates a sense of confidence in God’s sovereignty. He renounces the use of force. Defense comes through the injustice of his suffering, not through the sword. A day is coming when Jesus will do battle (see Rev. 19), but we do not need to take up the sword for Jesus now. Our call is to share the Word, love our neighbor, and work for the unity of the saints. The early church in Acts never took up arms against its opponents. It should not be like David Koresh in defending itself with bulwarks and guns. There is a subtle strength in facing persecution as Jesus did, passively resting in the active defense of his God. The power of such a defense can be seen in our own time with those who have taken a similar approach to ethical issues in the public square. That is why many texts in Luke speak about the Spirit’s supplying words for us as we defend ourselves (Luke 12:11; 21:13–15). That reality also shows itself in the numerous trial scenes in Acts. The church today has all the resources to be as bold for Jesus as the early church was.