The Lord’s Arrest.

(Mat. 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53 and John 18:2-12).

All four Evangelists narrate uniformly on the betrayal of Christ. Moreover, each one brings only their own details that complement the whole scene. According to Saint John, Judas brought part of a legion of soldiers, numbering 1000 and commanded by a centurion. This is especially mentioned in verse 12, as well as the presence of servants of the Pharisees and Scribes. Although there was a full moon, the mob arrived with lamps and torches in the assumption that the Lord may hide in concealed parts of the garden. The soldiers were armed with swords while the servants with staves. Evidently, they expected the possibility of serious resistance. Kissing is characteristic in betrayal. Fearing a people’s uprising, the high priests ordered Judas to use caution in arresting Christ. Apparently, the detachment of troops was not told Whom they had to seize: they were told to take the One that is pointed out by Judas. And Judas, keeping his mission secret, limited himself to the one indicator: “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely” (Mark 14:44).

It can be assumed, that Judas, separating himself from the detachment, intended to approach the Lord with the usual greeting, kiss Him and withdraw to the Apostles, thereby concealing his betrayal. However, he was unable to achieve this. When he came up to Jesus and uttered in a confused state: “Rabbi, Rabbi..,” Jesus gently asked him: “Friend, why have you come?” Not knowing how to respond to this question, Judas in his confusion exclaimed: “Greetings Rabbi, and kissed Him.” In order to show Judas that he cannot conceal his betrayal, the Lord said: “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

At the same time, the detachment came near and as Saint John narrates (complementing the first three Evangelists), the Lord asked: “Whom are you seeking?” Naturally, there were Jewish elders that were aware as to Whom the soldiers had to seize, and they were the ones that replied: “Jesus of Nazareth.” “I am He” the Lord responded loudly. The arrivals were instructed that they would have to take Jesus with cunning, carefully, because He had adherents that may involve themselves on His behalf. And He suddenly and openly — as though not fearing anything — declares: “I am He!” These words from Christ carried a jolting force to His enemies. The unexpectedness of such an answer and the power of the spirit it revealed, produced extraordinary development: they stepped back and fell to the ground. When they had somewhat recovered from this shock, the Lord repeats His question: “Whom are you seeking?” and again they reply: “Jesus of Nazareth.” The Lord then says: “I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way.” The Lord’s concern for His disciples is quite touching. With this, Saint John explains that the Lord’s words of His pontifical prayer, had to be fulfilled: “Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none.” Indeed, the guards left the Apostles alone and approached Jesus to take Him.

It was here that the Apostles decided to intervene for Him. Not waiting for a response to a question posed by one of them: “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” impatient Peter drew his sword an struck one of the servants, nearly severing his ear, so that with one touch” the Lord healed him (Luke 22:51). “Put your sword in its place” said the Lord to Peter, “for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” — of course, this is not a prophesy but merely a commandment of God's truth, of a general nature: he who attacks another with the intention of killing or wounding him, deserves this himself. This is the same thought that is contained in the commandment given after the Flood: “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed” (Gen. 9:6). “Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of Angels?” The Romans called a legion — division, made up of 10,000 soldiers. All the Angels in Heaven would have taken up arms in defense of the Son of God, if He had not committed Himself voluntarily to the sufferings. The Lord seemingly juxtaposes the 12 legions with His 12 disciples. “How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?” (Mat. 26:54) — this means that everything that is happening, is the fulfillment of prophesies. Luke narrates that among those that have come to seize Christ, were the high priests and church leaders themselves. The Lord turned to them reproachfully: “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?” The meaning of this censure is that they embarked on a clearly deceitful act. They didn’t want to accuse the Lord openly, in front of all the people and then seize Him as a violator of the law — in the middle of the day, in the presence of the people. Instead, they employed this clandestine method to seize the Lord at night: “But this is your hour, and the power of darkness. Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.” — thus the Lord’s prophesy, pronounced only recently, came to pass (Mat. 26:31). Evangelist Mark was the only one to add that a youth, covered with just a linen cloth, followed the detachment that had seized Jesus. Deeming this suspicious, they grabbed the youth, but he managed to escape naked, leaving the sheet in their hands.

Ancient tradition recognizes this youth as Evangelist Mark. Living nearby, he was awakened by the noise, and not dressing but just wrapping himself with a blanket, he hurried to have a look at what’s happening. However, not all the Apostles abandoned the Lord completely. Peter and John watched distantly the detachment of troops that took Jesus. They followed Him at a distance, and thereby reached Jerusalem, seeing where their Teacher was brought. As to where the rest of the disciples fled is unknown. But apparently they were so shaken and frightened from everything that transpired, that they hid behind locked doors — as we know from John 20:19.