Gospel of Luke

Chapter Twenty-two

Day 22 of 24
These last three chapters of Luke remind me of what happens when you get down to the last boxtop containing the final pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. The edge pieces are done and the picture has completely taken shape. Suddenly, the pieces are flying into place quickly with precision, one by one.
The chief priests and scribes are making every effort to come up with a plan to be rid of this Jesus. The heart of Judas Iscariot is open to Satan’s influence leading him to take part in a plot to betray his Master. These leaders even sweeten the pot by offering him money to seal the deal. His job is to lead them to a place “apart from the people” and Judas immediately knows where to find Jesus after dark. Passover always has a full moon just like we have this very evening of December 22, 2018. Gethsemane would be bathed in a little more light than usual to help accomplish this very dark deed.
Peter and John are assigned the task of locating a place for the disciples to have the Passover meal with Jesus. “Follow a man with a water pot,” Jesus told them. He knew He would be washing 24 feet that evening, so they would need water.
Can you imagine the pathos of that last supper? Jesus knew what was about to happen to Him and yet He took time to celebrate the meal with the twelve. He shared the cup and broke the bread with them in order to institute the New Covenant with His blood.
The gospel of John tells us that after supper, Jesus would indeed take on the role of a servant and wash the feet of His disciples. His desire was that those who followed Him would choose to serve rather than be served by others. He gave them a perfectly memorable example. Shortly after that moving experience, Judas takes one more bite of food and departs with his own two clean feet to betray Jesus to the religious leaders.
Jesus promises to pray for Peter so that his life would hold steady and he would be able to stand firmly against the attacks of Satan. Jesus then tells Peter that before cock crow time at daybreak, he will have spoken three denials against even knowing Jesus at all. Finally, Jesus prepares the remaining disciples for their upcoming journeys. Then, together, they left the meal and headed for Gethsemane to spend the night.
Jesus did His usual prayer time. His agonizing prayer was so intense that His sweat “became like drops of blood falling to the ground.” An angel came and sought to give Him strength for the moment. He went back to the disciples and found that they were asleep because of their deep sorrow. They would soon more fully understand the true depth of sorrow.
Judas appeared and he was leading a mob. He approached Jesus and greeted Him with a kiss. Peter grabbed a sword and swung it, striking the ear of the servant of the high priest. Jesus stopped everyone in their tracks and took the time to heal and restore the man’s ear.
Jesus was bound and arrested and led away to the house of the high priest. Peter kept up with the mob and managed to get near the fire in the courtyard of the high priest. I believe that Peter’s plan was to rescue Jesus and free Him, if possible. However, just as Jesus had forewarned him, Peter made three denials of even knowing Jesus at all. When the cock crowed for the morning dawn, Jesus turned and looked at Peter. That look. Wow. Peter went out and wept bitterly. This was not a sniffle but flowing tears of bitter grief and agony over what he had done.
Jesus was mocked. He was beaten. He was blindfolded. He was shamed and gamed and blasphemed by these leaders. He was illegally tried at night. This would be a very long Thursday night...