In Gethsemane …
After they had arrived at their destination (a garden called Gethsemane) and entered there, Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go pray, and pray yourselves that you might not come into the time of trial.” [Matthew 26:36, Mark 14:32, Luke 22:40 & John 18:1b] He then took with him Peter and James & John (the two sons of Zebedee), and said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and keep awake.” Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and threw himself on the ground and began to be grieved and agitated, praying that the hour might pass from him, saying, “Abba, my Father, if it is possible – and for you all things are indeed possible, remove this cup from me. And yet not my will, but yours be done.” [Matthew 26:37-39, Mark 14:33-36 & Luke 22:41-42] Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. And in his anguish he prayed even more earnestly, and his sweat fell like great drops of blood down upon the ground. [Luke 22:43-44]
Then he returned to the three disciples and found them sleeping (because of grief); and he said to them, “Could you not stay awake with me for one hour? Rise up and remain awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial. For the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He then went away for the second time and prayed again, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, then your will be done.” And again he returned and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy, and he did not know what to say to them. So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. Then he returned to them a third time and said, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Enough! Get up, and let us be going … For the hour is at hand and so is my betrayer. See, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.” [Matthew 26:40-46, Mark 14:37-42 & Luke 22:45-46]
And while Jesus was still speaking, Judas (who also knew the place, because Jesus had met there often before with his disciples) arrived, leading a large crowd (who were carrying lanterns & torches, and who were armed with swords & clubs) that included a detachment of soldiers and police from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders of the Pharisees. [Matthew 26:47, Mark 14:43, Luke 22:47a & John 18:2-3] Judas approached Jesus to kiss him; but Jesus said to him, “Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?” [Luke 22:47b-48]
Now the betrayer had given the group a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” So Judas went up to Jesus at once and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him. And yet Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked the crowd, “For whom are you looking?” They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus replied, “I, I am.”* And when he said this they stepped back and fell to the ground. Again he asked them, “For whom are you looking?” And again they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” And Jesus answered, “I told you that I, I am.* So if you are looking for me, let these others with me go.” Then Jesus turned to Judas and said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” And the crowd came and laid hands on Jesus to arrest him. [Matthew 26:48-50, Mark 14:44-46 & John 18:4-8]
*NOTE that Jesus does not merely say “I am” here (as is commonly translated), but rather “ego eimi”, a Greek term defined by scholars to actually mean “I, I am”; a term similar to the one believed by the Jews to have been offered to Moses by the Elohim as the name of God (who is, of course, nameless) in Exodus 3:14. Such a verbal resemblance would explain the crowd’s unusual response to Jesus’ answer here.
Suddenly, in the midst of the turmoil – with the crowd moving in on Jesus and Jesus’ disciples asking him if they should attack in return, Simon Peter drew his sword and struck Malchus, the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. [Matthew 26:51, Mark 14:47, Luke 22:49-50 & John 18:10] But Jesus said, “No more of this! Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels to defend me? But if so, then how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen in this way? Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?” And then Jesus reached out to Malchus, touched his ear and healed him. [Matthew 26:52-54, Luke 22:51 & John 18:11]
Then Jesus turned and said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me, as if I were a bandit? Day after day I sat openly in the temple teaching, and yet you did not arrest me. For this is your hour, under the power of darkness! And yet I understand … All this has taken place so that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Upon hearing this, his followers deserted him and fled. One of them, a young man wearing nothing but a linen cloth, was briefly caught, and yet his cloth fell away, and he ran off naked. Then the crowd seized Jesus and led him away to the high priest’s house. [Matthew 26:55-56, Mark 14:48-52 & Luke 22:52-54a]
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