At the conclusion of chapter 22, Luke gives an account of two betrayals: Judas (22:47-53) and Peter (22:54-62). Both of these men were part of Jesus’ twelve disciples that He had spent most of His earthly ministry training and they had every opportunity to observe the heart of Jesus. Luke had already revealed that Judas had conspired together with the religious leaders who were seeking an opportune time to put Jesus to death (22:1-6) and the time had finally come. Following Christ’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (22:39-46), Judas appears with a multitude and “drew near to Jesus to kiss Him” (22:47). The kiss was apparently a signal to the heavily armed soldiers accompanying Judas that He was the one. Jesus responds to Judas’ betrayal by asking, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” (22:48). The disciples, who were surprised by the appearance of Judas and the soldiers, asked Jesus, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” (22:49). The gospel of John reveals that Peter took action immediately by cutting off the ear of one of the soldiers named Malchus (Luke 22:50; John 18:10), but Jesus told his disciples to allow the betrayal and arrest to take place (22:51a). Even though all four gospels document this incident, only Luke documents that Jesus healed the ear of Malchus (22:51b). Through this miracle, Jesus demonstrated His willingness to show grace to even His enemies. The demonstration of Jesus’ power here did not gain the attention of those who had come to take Him captive. Jesus then questioned the necessity of bringing soldiers and a multitude saying, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness” (22:52-53). Judas’ betrayal of Jesus was one of rebellion and a demonstration that his faith was not genuine.
After they had arrested Jesus, they took Him to the high priest’s house and Luke reveals that Peter followed Him at a distance (22:54). Over the next couple hours, three different people recognized Peter as one of Jesus’ disciples, but each time he denied that he even knew Jesus (22:55-60a). Peter’s three denials fulfilled Jesus’ words in Luke 22:31-34 and immediately after his third denial, the rooster crowed (22:60b). Only Luke records what happens next, “And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.’ So Peter went out and wept bitterly” (22:61-62). There is such a difference in the two betrayals. Judas betrayed Jesus because his faith was not real, while Peter betrayed Him because of fear and weakness. God shows mercy to those who deny Him in a moment of weakness, but those who willingly and continually deny Him with their words and lives will face judgment. Jesus is then mocked and beaten by the soldiers (22:63-65) before appearing before the religious leaders who ultimately find Him guilty of blasphemy because He claimed to be the Son of God (22:66-71). Jesus suffered through all of this to take away my sin and yours. The prophet Isaiah said it best hundreds of years earlier when he foretold the mission of the Messiah, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5-6).
Dear God, even though Your Son experienced betrayal and suffering, thank You for loving me so much that You laid my sin on Him.
