The Approaching Passover
Now it occurred that when Jesus had finished all these discourses, He remarked to His disciples, "Do you know that after two days the Passover is to be celebrated; and that the Son of Man is now being betrayed to be crucified?"
After this the chief priests, the professors, and the elders of the people, assembled in the court of the High Priest, who was named Caiaphas; and consulted among themselves as to whether they could arrest Jesus by means of a trick, and assassinate Him. But they said, "Not during the festival, for fear a riot should break out among the people."
At Simon's Dinner
When Jesus was in Bethany, at the house of Simon the leper, a woman who had an alabaster jar of very valuable perfume, came and poured it upon His head as He reclined. But the disciples, on seeing her, became indignant, saying, "To what purpose is all this waste? for this might have been sold for a good deal, and given to the poor."
Jesus perceiving it, however, said to them: "Why do you trouble the woman, seeing that she has acted nobly towards Me? Besides, you have the poor always with you; but Me you have not always. For she having poured this perfume upon My body, has done it preparatory to My burial. I tell you indeed, that wherever these glad tidings shall be proclaimed throughout the whole world, what she has done will be told as a memorial of her."
The Treachery of Judas
Then one of the twelve named Judas Iscariot, having gone to the chief priests, asked them, "What are you willing to give me, and I will deliver Him to you? "They accordingly weighed out for him thirty pieces of silver.1 And from that time he sought a fitting opportunity to betray Him.
The Last Supper
At the first day of the unfermented bread, the disciples came to Jesus, asking Him, "Where do You wish us to make preparation for You to eat the Passover? "
"Go into the city," He said, "to such an one; and say to him, 'Our Teacher says, My time is near: I wish to observe the Passover at your house with My disciples.'"
The disciples accordingly did as Jesus instructed them; and they made ready for the Passover.
When the evening arrived, He reclined along with the twelve. And while they were eating, He said, "I tell you indeed, that one from among you will betray Me."
And they were deeply grieved; and each of them began to say: "I am not the one Am I, Master? "
And in reply, He said, "One who has dipped his hand with Me into the basin, he will betray Me! The Son of Man will indeed depart, as it was written about Him; but woe to chat man by means of whom He is betrayed! Well would it have been for him if he had never been born!"
Judas, the traitor, then answering, said, "It is not I! Is it, Master?"
"You have said it," was His reply.
Then, as they were eating, Jesus took a loaf; and having offered a blessing, broke it, and distributed it to His disciples, saying, "Take it, eat it; this is My body." And taking the cup, and offering a blessing, He gave it to them, saying, "All of you drink of it; for this is My blood, that of the New Settlement, which is shed for the removal of many sins! I tell you, however, that at present I will not drink of this produce of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it with you new in the Kingdom of My Father."
Peter's Protest
Then singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives; where Jesus said to them, "All of you will be ashamed of Me to-night; for it is written,
I will strike the shepherd,
And the sheep of his flock will be scattered.2
"But after My resurrection, I will go before you into Galilee."
Peter, however, replying to Him, said, "If all are ashamed of You, I will never be ashamed!"
"I tell you indeed," said Jesus, in reply to him, "that in this very night, before a bugle3 sounds, you will thrice deny Me!"
"Even if it should be necessary for me to die with You," Peter declared to Him, "I will never deny You!" And in this way spoke all the disciples.
In the Garden of Gethsemane
Jesus afterwards accompanied them into a garden named Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit you here, while I go yonder to pray. "And taking Peter and two of the sons of Zebedee along with Him, He began to be distressed and overwhelmed. He then said to them, "My soul is very full of grief, even to death; stay here, and watch with Me." Then going forward a little, He fell upon His face, praying, and said, "My Father, if it is possible take this cup from Me! yet, not according to My desire, but according to Yours." Then returning to the disciples, He found them sleeping, and remarked to Peter, "So it seems you are hot strong enough to keep awake a single hour with Me! Watch and pray, so that you may not fall into temptation; your spirit indeed is willing, but the body weak."
Again, for a second time, going away, He prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to pass by Me without My drinking it, let Your will be done!"
On returning, He found them again asleep; for their eyes were heavy. So leaving them, and going away again, He prayed for the third time, making use of the self-same words. He then came to His disciples, and said to them, "Sleep on now to the end, and refresh yourselves. The hour is near when the Son of Man will be betrayed into the hands of sinners. Arise! let us go forward; for My betrayer is now at hand."
The Arrest of Jesus
And while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, came along with a great crowd, armed with swords and stages, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The Man I shall kiss, that is He; arrest Him!" And at once approaching Jesus, he said, "I hope You are well, Master!" and fervently kissed Him.
Jesus answered him, "Friend, against whom have you come?" Then rushing on, they seized hold of Jesus, and arrested Him. Thereupon, one of those who were with Jesus, stretching out his hand, drew his sword, and struck the officer of the High Priest, cutting off his ear. Jesus, however, said to him, "Return your sword into its place; for those who take the sword, will fall by means of the sword. Or do you imagine that I am not able to call upon My Father, and He would even now provide Me with more than twelve armies of angels? How, then, could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must come about in this way?"
Jesus, at the same time, addressing the crowd, asked, "Have you come out against Me with swords and staves to arrest me like a robber? Day after day I have been sitting teaching you in the temple, and you did not arrest Me. But all this has occurred in order that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled."
All the disciples then leaving Him, fled.
Before Caiaphas
Then those who had arrested Jesus, took Him away to Caiaphas, the High Priest, where the professors and elders were collected. Peter also followed at a distance, as far as the court of the High Priest; and entering, he sat down along with the officers, to see the end.
Now the chief priests, and the whole senate sought out false witnesses against Jesus, so that they might kill Him; but they could not procure them, although many liars came forward. At last, however, two liars came up, asserting, "This fellow said, 'I am able to demolish the temple of God, and rebuild it in three days' time!'"
Then the High Priest, jumping up and addressing Him, exclaimed, "Have You no reply? What do these men witness against You?"
But Jesus kept silent. The High Priest thereupon said to Him, "I put You upon Your oath before the God of Life, so that You must answer us. Are You the Messiah, the Son of that God?"
"You have stated the fact," Jesus made answer. "I tell you more: in the future you will see The Son of Man sitting at the right hand of that Power, and advancing upon the clouds of the heaven!"4
"He blasphemes!" exclaimed the High Priest, as he tore his robes; "what need have we of further evidence? Why, now you have heard His blasphemy I What do you decide?"
"He is liable to be put to death," was their reply.
They then spat in His face, and beat Him upon the head; while others struck Him with their staves, saying, "Tell us, Master Messiah, who are those who assault You?"
The Perfidy of Peter
Now Peter was still sitting outside in the court; and a girl coming to him, said, "Why, you were also with Jesus, the Galilean!" He denied it, however, before them all; declaring, "I do not know what you are talking about."
Then going out into the vestibule, another saw him, and said to those there, "This fellow was with Jesus, the Nazarene!"
With an oath he again denied it, saying, "I know nothing about the Man!"
After a little while, however, the bystanders approached, and said to Peter, "You are most certainly one of them; for your dialect proves it plainly!"
He then began to curse and swear; declaring, "I do not even know the Man." And immediately the bugle sounded.5 Peter then remembered the words of Jesus addressed to himself — "Before a bugle sounds, you will thrice deny Me"; and rushing out, he wept bitterly.
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- About five pounds. Note.—It should be noted that no fermented wine might be used by the Hebrews during the Passover Week.
- Zech. 8:7.
- The Roman bugle, called in Latin, "Gallus," i.e., "The Cock," or," The Crower." It was a Roman army bugle for signalling the relief of the Guard.
- Dan. 7:13.
- See note to verse 34.
Transcribed by Mark Hicks on 01-02-2015
