The Trial and Death of Jesus Christ | Page 4

awake, they thought that
they would have to pursue Him into a lurking-place, where they would
find Him trembling and at bay. They were to surprise Him, but, when
He came forth fearless, rapt and interrogative, He surprised them, and
compelled them to take an altogether unexpected attitude. He brought
all above board and put them to shame.
How ridiculous now looked their cumbrous preparations--all these
soldiers, the swords and staves, the torches and lanterns, now burning
pale in the clear moonlight. Jesus made them feel it. He made them feel
what manner of spirit they were of, and how utterly they had mistaken
His views and spirit. "Whom seek ye?" He asked them again, to compel
them to see that they were not taking Him, but that He was giving
Himself up. He was completely master of the situation. Singling out the
Sanhedrists, who probably at that moment would rather have kept in
the background, He demanded, pointing to their excessive preparations,

"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." He, a solitary man, though He knew how many were against Him,
had not been afraid: He taught daily in the temple--in the most public
place, at the most public hour. But they, numerous and powerful as
they were, yet were afraid, and so they had chosen the midnight hour
for their nefarious purpose. "This is your hour," He said, "and the
power of darkness." This midnight hour is your hour, because ye are
sons of night, and the power ye wield against Me is the power of
darkness.
So spake the Lion of the tribe of Judah! So will He speak on that day
when all His enemies shall be put under His feet. "Kiss the Son, lest He
be angry, and ye perish from the way when His wrath is kindled but a
little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him."
III.
We cannot recall to mind too often that it was the victory in the Garden
that accounted for this triumph outside the gate. The irresistible dignity
and strength here displayed were gained by watching and prayer.
This, however, is made still more impressively clear by the fate of
those who did not watch and pray. On them everything came as a
blinding and bewildering surprise. They were aroused out of profound
slumber, and came stumbling forward hardly yet awake. When hands
were laid on Jesus, one of the disciples cried, "Shall we smite with the
sword?" And, without waiting for an answer, he struck. But what a
ridiculous blow! How like a man half-awake! Instead of the head, he
only smote the ear. This blow would have been dearly paid for had not
Jesus, with perfect presence of mind, interposed between Peter and the
swords which were being drawn to cut him down. "Suffer ye thus far,"
He said, keeping the soldiers back; and, touching the ear, He healed it,
and saved His poor disciple.
Surely it was even with a smile that Jesus said to Peter, "Put up again
thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish
with the sword." Inside the scabbard, not outside, was the sword's place;

it was out of place in this cause; and those who wield the sword without
just reason, and without receiving the orders of competent authority,
are themselves liable to give life for life.
But it was with the high-strung eloquence with which He had spoken to
His enemies that Jesus further showed Peter how inconsistent was his
act. It was inconsistent with his Master's dignity; "For," said He, "if I
ask My Father, He would presently give Me more than twelve legions
of angels;" and what against such a force were this miscellaneous band,
numbering at the most the tenth part of a legion of men? It was
inconsistent with Scripture: "How then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled,
that thus it must be?" It was inconsistent with His own purpose and His
Father's will: "The cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not
drink it?"
Poor Peter! On this occasion he was thoroughly like himself. There was
a kind of rightness and nobleness in what he did; but it was in the
wrong place. If he had only been as prompt inside Gethsemane to do
what he was bidden as outside it to do what he was not bidden! How
much better if he could have drawn the spiritual sword and cut on the
ear which was to be betrayed by a maid-servant's taunt! Peter's conduct
on this occasion, as often on other occasions, showed how poor a guide
enthusiasm is when it is not informed