Lent 2025 Day 30: Tue 8 Apr
John 18:1-9
Jesus arrested
18 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.
2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, ‘Who is it you want?’
5 ‘Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied.
‘I am he,’ Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.
7 Again he asked them, ‘Who is it you want?’
‘Jesus of Nazareth,’ they said.
8 Jesus answered, ‘I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.’ 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: ‘I have not lost one of those you gave me.’
I am always grateful that we have four Gospel books telling the story of Jesus, each with its own quirks and emphases, each with a different target audience, and thus the power to speak to us at different times of our lives.
In today’s reading, we see the dread of those sent to capture Jesus. They are people, ordinary men, and we would do well not to assume them all malicious. Here they are, they have their orders, but they have also heard of this Man who can do great things and some are calling the Messiah. What if the rumours are true? What if he is indeed sent by God, will they be struck down? And so they fall over in fear.
An argument could be made about the power of Jesus’ words, but I think we would do well to try and empathise with his captors, rather than making some kind of deep theological reflection. In my experience, Christians tend to be a lot more lacking in empathy than they are of lofty theological talking points. Additionally, we are encouraged in our devotion to see ourselves among the people crying for Jesus’ blood (“ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers” as Stuart Townend puts it), so why not also see ourselves as those who are “just doing their job”?
We are often misguided and misled like the crowd (Mark 15:11), but evil finds it also very easy to use those who are just following the rules, whether uncritically, out of misplaced duty, or because they have a family to feed. In reminding ourselves of the people behind the Crucifixion, perhaps we can guard ourselves against evil in his many forms, including its banality.
Lord, keep us in awe of the name of Jesus, that we might cling to it, but not misuse it.
2:01:22 Gegrüsset seist du (Chor)
53b. Chorus I & II Hail to you, King of the Jews!
53c. Evangelist And they spat on him and took the reed and struck his head with it.
54. Chorale
O head, full of blood and wounds,
full of suffering and shame!
O head, bound in mockery
with a crown of thorns!
O head, once beautifully adorned
with the highest honour and beauty,
yet now supremely defiled:
be greeted by me!
You noble countenance,
before which rather should tremble and cower
the great powers of the world,
how spat upon are you,
How ashen you have become!
Who has treated the light of your eyes,
which is like no other light,
so shamefully?
55. Evangelist And when they had mocked him, they took off the mantle and put his clothes back on; and led him out to be crucified. And as they were going out, they found a man from Cyrene named Simon; they compelled him to carry his cross for him.
Ends at 2:05:03
Paul