Christ 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.
Horsham: 16th November 2025
Jerusalem was busy. Very, very busy. The population was swollen to many times its normal size, and the heightened religious fervor of Passover meant that the crowds were potentially volatile.
Seen from the point of view of the Temple authorities, the arrest of Jesus was always going to be tricky. They were only after one man, but they had to send a large enough force to ensure that they could get him quickly back to the house of the Chief Priest without sparking a riot.
‘Judas made it simple’
With the help of Judas, they had agreed a time and place for the arrest where there would be few people around. Judas made it simple. His presence meant that Jesus could be quickly identified and captured even in the dark of Gethsemane. Judas would greet Jesus with a kiss. But there was still the problem of keeping him secure as he was taken into the city and through the maze of streets to Caiaphas Palace.
Security was paramount, but there was another problem. This Jesus was reportedly capable of performing miracles. Having committed themselves to his arrest, they did not want to lose him. The Gospels all agree that there was an overwhelming force sent to arrest Jesus. We can’t be sure how many there were in the arrest squad, but some commentators speculate that there could have been a hundred or more. In the dark, carrying flaming torches and wielding clubs, they will have looked like a large, strongly armed team.
‘even now he had the chance to run’
We can forget just how dark it was at Gethsemane. It was late at night – probably the early hours of the morning, yet several hours before the first light of dawn. The name Gethsemane means ‘olive press’, a reminder that the garden was an olive grove.
Gethsemane is close to Jerusalem, just across the Kidron Valley. There would have been a clear view of the approaching group with their flaming torches almost as they emerged from the city gate, half a mile away. Jesus had plenty of time to see that they were coming. Even now he had the chance to run. He could have simply disappeared into the darkness. He didn’t.
The arrest squad arrived. Jesus didn’t resist. Someone did, and a scuffle breaks out between the guards and one or two disciples. It is likely that in the scuffle and the threat of violence, most of the disciples took the opportunity to slip into the shadows. Peter drew a sword, and attacked the attackers, cutting the ear of Malchius (John 18:10), servant of the High Priest. Jesus rebuked Peter and healed the servant’s ear.
‘seized and bound’
Rather than being pleased that Malchius has been healed, the guards would panic. Jesus has just performed a miracle. He still isn’t resisting, but John tells us that Jesus is immediately seized and bound. The guards try to seize others but all, even Peter, make good their escape. One young man, some people question whether this was Mark himself, is grabbed, but flees naked, leaving his linen robe in the hands of his pursuers.
Tightly surrounded by the soldiers, Jesus is taken along the twisting path, into the city, and across the town to the palace of the Chief Priest.
Christ looks abandoned. Everyone else has fallen away. As he steps into the home of Annas, the High Priest, Jesus is utterly alone.
End Piece
I guess we all think we know about the Garden of Gethsemane. The loneliness of Christ’s last hours as a free man. The passion of his prayers. His abandonment by his friends. Jesus knew that they would all fall away.
As I’ve reflected on the scene, I’ve noticed how much warning Jesus and the disciples must have had of the approach of the soldiers. The lights of their torches making their way from the eastern gate, along the twisting path, across the Kidron Valley , across the brook and up the hill to Gethsemane. And I’ve noticed that the disciples didn’t run. Even when they realised that the soldiers were heavily armed.
48 “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? “
I’ve noticed that even when they were surrounded by the soldiers, still they didn’t run. Heavily outnumbered and out-armed, Peter was still ready to fight. Some of them were still there even when Jesus was seized and bound. It was only when the soldiers had secured Christ and turned their attention to His followers that they made their escape, into the safety of the darkness. I can understand their panic. As soon as one runs, they will all run. I can almost hear the commander raising his voice above the commotion, shouting ‘Leave them. We’ve got the one we came for. Stick together.‘
And I’ve noticed that throughout this scene, Jesus had the opportunity to slip away. He had the power to frustrate their plan, but he didn’t. He waited. He didn’t resist. He allowed himself to be led like a lamb to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7).
And so, his last chance to avoid the cross has passed. Jesus allowed himself to be taken. Only then, ’50 […] everyone else deserted Him and fled.’
49 Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”