Seder to Sunday Step into Scripture

Scene
You feel a hand on your shoulder gently waking you. You cannot believe you fell asleep yet again! Jesus smiles sadly and says quietly, “Are you still sleeping and resting?”
Then he announces loudly enough for all to hear, “Look, the hour has come and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise. Let’s go. Here comes my betrayer!” (Matthew 26:45–46). Jesus peers out into the garden. You notice that his hair and his garments are soaked with perspiration. He looks as if he has been laboring the whole evening. All of your friends are gathered around him now. You and the others look questioningly at Jesus and then at each other.
All at once the night is glowing with the light of torches, and you hear the sound of flames being whipped about by the evening breeze (John 18:1–12). The long shadows of invading strangers move along the olive trees. You hear the marching of soldiers and the clanking of swords at their sides. (Note: A detachment of soldiers is a cohort or one tenth of a legion, which means three hundred to six hundred soldiers are slowly entering the garden.)
Men in robes make their way through the garden, swinging clubs. You are getting nervous but you can’t see any faces yet. You feel the adrenaline pumping through your veins. A man steps up to Jesus and kisses him on the cheek in a friend’s greeting. Judas! Jesus asks his disciple, “Would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:48).

1. What are you doing at this moment? Are you trying to reason with the soldiers? Are you shouting at Judas that he is a traitor? Are you trying to pull Jesus away? Are your friends ready to fight? Peter is drawing the short sword he brought.




Scene
Jesus senses the mood in the garden as the disciples and soldiers become angry and tense. He intervenes quickly and asks, “Who is it you seek?” They say, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Then in a deep, authoritative voice you have never heard before or since, Jesus declares, “I am he.”
All of the soldiers, chief priests, and elders are forced to the ground. You wonder if fear or God’s unseen, unheard power made their knees buckle. Jesus leaves you awestruck as he has done so many other occasions.
You recall the story of Moses meeting God in the burning bush on the mountainside (Exodus 3:10–15). God told Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt.” Moses asked for God’s name, and God declared, “Tell them I AM has sent you” (Exodus 3:13–16).
You suddenly realize the same power that spoke from the burning bush to Moses long ago, the majesty of the great I AM, is standing here! You are filled with hope and courage. Maybe this is the moment you have envisioned when Jesus will take back the throne and the glory of King David! After all, the Master’s enemies are on the ground and he is standing over them (John 18:4–9).
Jesus approaches the demoralized soldiers, who are trying to get to their feet. He poses his question again, as if to remind them why they have come. “Who is it you want? I told you I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.”
You are stunned by his words. Then Jesus’s earlier prayer for you fills your mind: “While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me” (John 17:11–12). You quickly reflect back. You can hardly believe it was such a short time ago, tonight, that he prayed his protective prayer over you and your friends—his friends!
Standing over the bewildered soldiers, you and the other disciples feel bolder and shout, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” (Luke 22:49–50). Peter does not wait for an answer. Seizing the moment, he decides to strike first to protect Jesus. With full force, Peter swings his sword, cutting off the ear of Malchus, the high priest’s servant (John 18:10–11).

2. What is your initial reaction?




Scene
Jesus drops to his knees, drawing close to Malchus, who is now screaming and writhing in pain (Luke 22:51). Christ gently takes the severed ear and holds it to the man’s head, miraculously reattaching it. Except for the blood around the man’s face and neck and on the ground, his injury is undetectable.

3. Are you watching the healing at Christ’s hands or looking at the soldiers’ hands now gripping their swords?




4. What does Jesus say to Peter about his drawn sword? How many angels does Jesus say are available to defend him at this moment (Matthew 26:52–54; John 18:11)? (Note: One Roman legion has three thousand to six thousand soldiers.¹)




5. Which words of Jesus make you wonder what he knows that you don’t (Matthew 26:54, 56)?




Scene
Jesus confronts his enemies, asking, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have to come with swords and clubs? Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns” (Luke 22:52–53).
Hearing those words, the soldiers for the first time roughly grab hold of Jesus. They wrench his arms backward, pulling his hands painfully high up between his shoulder blades. Then they tightly bind his wrists together with leather straps. They are taking him away.
A question flashes through your mind: Jesus, what do you want me to do? Some of the soldiers have now turned their attention to you. Fear washes over you, and you quickly consider your options. The soldiers are in a rage and are suddenly full of confidence. You are terrified and paralyzed until you think, What good will it do Jesus if I am arrested too?

6. What is going on inside and outside of you as you watch your once-powerful leader now look the victim (Matthew 26:56–57; Mark 14:50; Luke 22:54)?