Words of Jesus Podcast - Jesus Accepted Rejection - No Rebuke - No Defense

Episode Date: March 14, 2025

Jesus Chose Us Over His Life***110: The Arrest Of JesusMatthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:2-12As Jesus finished praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas Iscariot, the one of the twelve apostles who had agreed to betray him, drew near Jesus to kiss him.Jesus said:            “Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?”            Jesus’ disciples saw that the kiss was a sign to emissaries of the high priest that they might arrest Jesus. One of his defenders said:            “Lord, shall we smite with the sword?”            Another drew his sword and with it cut off the right ear of a servant of the high priest.            Jesus answered:            “Suffer ye thus far.”            Then he touched the wounded ear and healed it.            Turning to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and elders, who had come to arrest him, Jesus said:            “Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves? When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me; but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”            The disciples fled, leaving Jesus with his captors.

Music Think Red Ink Ministries presents The Words of Jesus Series with Don C. Harris Music Hello my friends, welcome once again to the Words of Jesus series. I'm Don Harris, your host. What are we doing here? We're trying to reinforce Christianity with the wisdom and the words of Jesus.

The red ink in your Bible. Do you know what Jesus said? And what he did? And what he said for us to do. I'm sorry, but there's just a lot of folks who don't. And what they do here, what they do read, is usually filtered through denominational sunglasses, if you will. And, you know, it's really time for us to lay down our traditions, our rites and

rituals, and actually do what Jesus said to do. He came to this earth for an expressed purpose. And that purpose was to glorify God and for us to know Him. That is, as He says, eternal life. And so it's come to us that life. And so it's come to us that we are to be the Christians that he expects us to be. And I can't think of a better way of doing that. If we're going to take on the name of Christ, call ourselves Christian, we really ought to think like he does. Thus, think red ink. Alright, we've been talking from our book, The Words of Jesus, and we've gotten toward the end of it. This is the saddest part of what we've had to do

for the last few shows, is to deal with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. You know, we talk about crucifixion and use the word crucifixion. We talk about Jesus dying on a cross and and I'm afraid that even that is steeped in a tradition that is very difficult to deal with. People who want to deal in truth

and look actually into some of the original languages and the words that were used will be very hard-pressed to find the word cross and We do know that what he died upon was wood we know that it was described as a tree We know that it's a word in Greek was star or crucifixion steak we We also understand We also understand just pure physics and how impossible it is for a man to be crucified with nails through his hands and them out at opposing right angles. It would just be an impossibility. The weight of a person's body would not allow that. People who were crucified in that way were crucified in a cross pattern, and I mean an X pattern, and not in the shape of a T. Some people feel that the shape of this T was attributed to Tammuz. There's a lot of talk about that particular

crucifixion and friend, the fact is there's just a whole lot about it that we do not know. I happen to believe that Jesus died on a post. I happen to believe that he died with his hands together over his head and nailed through his hands. I happen to believe that the wood upon which he died I happen to know from being in Israel is very, very rare. I would more so believe that he would have been crucified against a rock face or something such as that. But we do know that it was the crucifixion which was the death of shame of choice by the Romans.

But I don't think the Romans heart was really in what they were doing. I think that they were what they were doing. I think that they were just, well, just trying to shut up their religious leadership that was constantly, you know, demanding that this be done to this man. Something that Pilate did not want to do, something that he was accused of, something that he was not guilty of. Pilate tried to stop this kind of thing. There was a confession by a Roman soldier that he was indeed the Son of God. I see a lot of reluctance on the part of the Romans which really brings up a lot of questions in my mind because perhaps like you I was raised in Sunday school that put forth the idea that the

Roman soldiers came into the Garden of Gethsemane that night to arrest Jesus. And even the word arrest leads to, leads a person's mind to believe that this was a matter of the judiciary of the Roman government, that he was arrested. But the fact of the matter is, is that it was church people who came into the garden that night, who were looking for Jesus. One of the biggest proofs about all the things

that we've gotten wrong about this is the fact that when this all occurred, Peter grabbed a sword and took a swing at a guy. I know that when you hear that he cut off this Malchus's ear that you might think in your mind that it was a downward stroke against the side of a person's head and that that's exactly what Peter was trying to do but no not really people's ears are not targets in fights. More than likely Peter took a swath at his head and because this fellow ducked or moved or whatever

it was that happened, his ear was taken off by this sword that Jesus ultimately restored to the man. And the poignant fact about this, the thing that stands out in my mind is I have a real hard time believing that a Galilean fisherman who's probably had a sword in his hand about six times in his life would walk up to a trained Roman soldier and attempt to take his life. I don't think that would have happened. Peter was somewhat relaxed and had some feeling of superiority in this area or he probably would not have pursued the killing of these people who came after Jesus. Jesus stopped the bloodshed and said that, well you know what, we've let it go this far, let's see what's gonna happen here.

And so Jesus, knowing that his ultimate end would be to stand in front of Pilate, said, you know, let's get on with this. Let's just get on with this. Let's just get on with it. And so, I don't know if he thanked Peter, I don't know, but he did stop him. So you know, the idea of this being a Roman mission or endeavor or whatever you want to mission or endeavor or whatever you want to call it, it just simply was not. As a matter of fact, I really can't see where the Romans had so much trouble with Jesus. The church, on the other hand, really, really did have a problem with him.

It was they who made the plot, it was they who had the hatred in their heart, it was they who motivated Rome in one way or another, coerced them, lied to them, whatever they had to do to get this taken care of. Roman's attitude was, take him in your courts and try him with your own laws. You've been bothering us with this kind of stuff. And as I mentioned before, Pilate was even favorable to the idea of Jesus being the King of Israel. They weren't so tickled with Herod.

He had all kinds of strikes against him, if you will. But I think that they would have been pleased with Jesus as the King of Israel. I think they would have instituted him and made him the King of Israel. The wife of Pilate was probably, as many wives are, privy to the intention of Pilate. And when she came to him she said, I have suffered many things in a dream because of this man tonight. I don't have anything to do with this man. And so I can't say that her dream was inspired by any means. I don't know what

it was. I don't know anything about it. However, I think that she was privy to Pilate's attitude toward Jesus was that he would probably make a good king. And so I don't know that the Lord put that into Pilate's heart, but I do know that it was there. And he was incredulous that the church wanted to kill this guy who was absolutely innocent. I find no fault in this man. Shall I crucify your king?

And so perhaps this was the Lord's doing I don't know but I do know that I mean within myself and and through prophecies of the Old Testament that it was Jesus intention to ultimately be the physical king of Israel there was a there's kind of an unwritten rule enforced by the Lord God in many situations. You could go back through the Old Testament and see that it was never the intention or will of God for any one man to occupy the office of prophet, priest, and king. It was to never be occupied by one man. And anytime that a king decided to act like a priest, he got in trouble.

And when a priest decided to act like a king, he got in trouble, usually with the people he was trying to do that with. And so there was a reason why this office of king and priest was reserved. Well it was because the intention was, the prophecy was, the Old Testament plan was that that would be occupied by one man and It would be none other than the son of David the Messiah the anointed one the one sent from God Jesus Christ it was his intention so perhaps these things were set into motion perhaps

perhaps the lord did uh... manipulate the thoughts of pilot the bible says that the heart of the king is in the hand of the lord and he turns it with us so ever he will uh... perhaps uh... this was another uh... uh... factor

uh... and and certainly another facet of the plan for Jesus to be king. And that was going to be an impossibility. The church was seeing to that. You may have not noticed, but if you read the story of the trial of Jesus, you've got a faction of people going through the crowd and stirring them up to ask for Barabbas.

Well, who was that faction of people? It was the priests. It was the priests of the temple. It was the religious leadership that took a crowd who welcomed him as he came into Jerusalem on the colt that day and brought him in, honored him with, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, Hosanna to the king. They were able to take a crowd like that and turn They were able to take a crowd like that and turn them around so that the same people who were praising him one day are asking for Barabbas to be put into his place and he to be put into Barabbas' place of being crucified.

And we'll talk about that as we continue. But to set the stage and for you to understand when we're going to talk about the arrest of Jesus here in chapter 110 I want you to know that this was not a judicial arrest this was not a legal arrest this was the church church leadership coming to put an end to Jesus. Jesus, as Jesus finished praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas Iscarrot, one of the twelve apostles, now you see this word, this book is using the word apostle here and they were not apostles at this point. It was one of the disciples.

Ok the disciples later became apostles but you know let's try to let's try to speak accurately shall we? So one of the twelve disciples who had agreed to betray him drew near to Jesus to kiss him. Now as he kissed him Jesus said, I don't know how loudly he said this, you know a lot of these things were discussed afterwards.

I know that because in a lot of cases you'll find that the scriptures are very clear that Jesus was by himself and he said this and he said that. And I'm wondering were there spies? How do they know what he said when he was by himself? But I think that these things were discussed afterwards. Perhaps Jesus discussed them with them. Perhaps this was part of the supernatural revelation and recollection of everything that Jesus did

when He was on the earth. You remember He told them that the Spirit of God is going to recall to your memory all things whatsoever I did. And so this is one of the reasons why the Gospels have so much power and why their words and the demeanor of Christ and His nature and what He stood for is so consistent through the Gospels because I believe it was a supernatural thing on their part,

to record what they indeed remembered by the Spirit of God. So, I don't know how quietly or how loudly he said this, but in my own mind, I kind of hear, I kind of see him whispering in the ear That is right in front of his mouth when Judas is kissing him and He says Judas betray us out the son of man with a kiss. Now, I think that it would behoove all of us to know that usually the trails are with a kiss, especially the overt ones, especially the public ones. We let on like

we love them. We don't. They let on like they love us. And they don't. Their intention is betrayal. They, although they have nothing but their own selfish motives in mind, they are shocked if you Although they have nothing but their own selfish motives in mind They are shocked if you accuse them of betrayal and part of that pretense of shock is

some Overt action on their part to show that that they love you They don't but they pretend that they do. You know, there is a wise saying, it's hard to find who it's attributed to, but it's told that at the inception of every good work, at the inception of every good work at the at the inception of every good enterprise every wonderful work that a man could be involved in present at that inception is usually the seeds of its destruction and There's really something to that and

When Jesus says about His twelve disciples, have I not chosen you twelve? And one of you is a devil? I think Jesus was aware of that particular concept. Perhaps not the cliché itself, but He was certainly aware of that concept. I think that it would behoove us to understand that beginning of a marriage, the beginning of keeping a household,

the beginning of a job, the beginning of a new endeavor, things in our life. I don't know how you're going to do this without the Spirit of God. I really don't. I don't think how you're going to do this without the Spirit of God. I really don't. I don't think you're smart enough. I'm not saying I am. I'm saying none of us are. How are we going to overcome this particular problem? There's really no other way to do this other than the way Jesus did it and that is to maintain that

communication between us and God and leave these kind of things in His hands. Jesus knew that Judas was the betrayer and I don't know that he was shocked so much that Judas kissed him. Why would he say something like that in his ear? Why would he do that? Why would he whisper that to Judas? Again, it's just the love and concern of our Lord for us and not Himself that says there's something you should consider here. Take a good look at what's going on right now. You see, the love for me that you show in one way, it lays over and perhaps masks and hides the fact that you're here for 30 pieces of silver. Am I not any more to you than that? When you kiss my cheek. Are you kissing the money that you receive? Why are you doing this? As a matter of fact, in another gospel, when Judas appears there in that garden scene,

that is the question that he asks him. Friend? He called him his friend. Friend? Why have you come? What is this all about? Why did you feel like this was the right thing to do? How is it that our relationship, who I know you to be, who you know me to be, why is that not enough? How could something like this happen? Well, I really can't find any motivation. I know some people have tried to attach good motivation to what Judas did.

I can't do it. I see it strictly as a gain of 30 pieces of silver. And some people, they sacrifice everything. They sacrifice their children and their homes and their wives and their jobs and they sacrifice everything for money. It's never really gotten a hold of me that way, but I have seen people that's gotten a hold of me. It's like I don't have a gambling problem, but I see people that have it. It's so pitiful. But there are people that to them,

there is nothing more important than monetary gain. You know that can cost you your soul? Do you know that? This isn't just getting ahead in life. This isn't just getting to where you can pay your bills, where you don't depend on anybody, where it's some virtue in life that you have more than other people. And you're going to have to get a hold of this because what we're seeing here is a love for money. And it is the root of all evil. And here, that seed's being planted.

Jesus' disciples saw that the kiss was a sign to emissaries of the high priest that they might arrest Jesus. One of his defenders said, Lord, shall we smite with the sword? Another drew his sword, and with it cut off the right ear of a servant of the high priest. Jesus said, suffer you thus far. Let this go. Let this go. Leave this alone. We can suffer things this far. It's

too late. It's too late to fight. Now we have something else to do. Then he touched the wounded ear and healed it. Turning to the chief priest, the captains of the temple Now we have something else to do. Then he touched the wounded ear and healed it, turning to the chief priests, the captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to arrest him. Do you see Roman soldiers mentioned there? Nope. Who were they again?

Chief priests, captains of the temple. This is Levitical priesthood friend, and the elders who had come to arrest him. Jesus said be ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves, I was daily with you in the temple, you stretch forth no hands against me but this is your hour and the power of darkness. This is a man who is resigning to the will of the people who hate him. Like Like a lamb before the shearer, he was dumb.

He opened not his mouth. You will not see him resist from this moment on. He makes a few attempts to teach or to bring somebody to a better understanding, but essentially, no, he gets on this boat and he just lets it float. He gets on this train and lets it go down the track because he can see this is where it's going to go. But now he and his father have a plan. His plan is you can now give your life willingly because I'm telling you you don't have to. I'm telling you you have a choice. Jesus chose his own life? No. Jesus chose what? To be crucified? No, not really. Jesus chose you. He chose that you were more valuable

to Him than His own life and His own blood. And this wasn't a matter of just winning. This wasn't a matter of, you know, I'm not going to be able to go back to the Father as a failure. God has already told him, you didn't fail. You've done the right thing. Jesus said, I finished the work you gave me to do. So it wasn't a matter of ego on his part. What pushed him on? What told him within himself to say to his disciples, Suffer ye thus far? What tempted him to say that?

It was true for him. You know what? We're into this now. I'm going to save my people. I know how I can do it, and we're going to get it done. The disciples fled leaving Jesus with His captors. Remember how we criticized Peter for denying all of his

disciples fled. Alright, we're going to take it up here next time. We're going to see you again and when we do, I will appreciate your kind attention and your attendance at the Words of Jesus series. Alright, until then, think red ink. You've been listening to Don C. Harris of ThinkRedInk Ministries. Email don at thinkredinc.com. That's thinkredink.com. Join us again for the next episode

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