Mark for Lent 35
Today Jesus prays in Gethsemane and his disciples cannot keep awake. While remonstrating with the disciples he is arrested.
Jesus Prays (Matthew 26.36-46; Luke 22.39-46)
32Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he told them, “Sit here while I pray.”
33Jesus took along Peter, James, and John. He was sad and troubled and 34told them, “I am so sad that I feel as if I am dying. Stay here and keep awake with me.”35-36Jesus walked on a little way. Then he knelt down on the ground and prayed, “Father, [a] if it is possible, don’t let this happen to me! Father, you can do anything. Don’t make me suffer by having me drink from this cup. [b] But do what you want, and not what I want.”
37When Jesus came back and found the disciples sleeping, he said to Simon Peter, “Are you asleep? Can’t you stay awake for just one hour? 38Stay awake and pray that you won’t be tested. You want to do what is right, but you are weak.”
39Jesus went back and prayed the same prayer. 40But when he returned to the disciples, he found them sleeping again. They simply could not keep their eyes open, and they did not know what to say.
41When Jesus returned to the disciples the third time, he said, “Are you still sleeping and resting? [c] Enough of that! The time has come for the Son of Man to be handed over to sinners. 42Get up! Let’s go. The one who will betray me is already here.”
Jesus Is Arrested (Matthew 26.47-56; Luke 22.47-53; John 18.3-12)
43Jesus was still speaking, when Judas the betrayer came up. He was one of the twelve disciples, and a mob of men armed with swords and clubs were with him. They had been sent by the chief priests, the nation’s leaders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses. 44Judas had told them ahead of time, “Arrest the man I greet with a kiss. [d] Tie him up tight and lead him away.”
45Judas walked right up to Jesus and said, “Teacher!” Then Judas kissed him, 46and the men grabbed Jesus and arrested him.47Someone standing there pulled out a sword. He struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
48Jesus said to the mob, “Why do you come with swords and clubs to arrest me like a criminal? 49Day after day I was with you and taught in the temple, and you didn’t arrest me. But what the Scriptures say must come true.”
50All of Jesus’ disciples ran off and left him. 51One of them was a young man who was wearing only a linen cloth. And when the men grabbed him, 52he left the cloth behind and ran away naked.
Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society
April 11th, 2006 at 4:32 pm
Jesus has just promised not to drink again until he is in God’s Kingdom. But now face to face with the cup of suffering before him, he doesn’t want to drink it. Will he or wont he? For us readers who understand what is coming it is an agonising choice.
Meanwhile Jesus’ disciples who should know (Only a chapter ago he told them - and us - to keep alert and watch for when the time comes for the Son of Man) but here the disciples are eyes closed, not watching at all.
“a mob of men … sent by the chief priests, the nation’s leaders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses.” I notice there is no Roman invovlement here yet. Others want violence but Jesus wont participate in it.
“All of Jesus’ disciples ran off and left him. One of them was a young man who was wearing only a linen cloth. And when the men grabbed him, he left the cloth behind and ran away naked.” What an enigmatic image a linen cloth and an unnamed young man so quick to run away that he left his clothes behind. Earlier we saw being naked as an image of being posessed by evil spirits. Is this a reference to that too?