WEEK 3/4: THE BETRAYAL, ARREST AND TRIAL OF JESUS

                                   WEEK 3 & 4

         THE BETRAYAL, ARREST AND TRIAL OF JESUS

     1.            The Betrayal and Arrest (Matthew 14: 43-52, Matthew 26: 47-58).

     2.            The trial (Matthew 26 : 47-68)

A.   The Betrayal and Arrest: (Mark 4: 43-52. Matthew 26: 47-58)

Jesus suffered more than any of us towards the end of his ministry the betrayal and disappointment of his disciples made him suffer more. He suffered at his arrest trial and crucifixion.

When Jesus and his disciples arrived at the Mount of Olives after the last supper, they made their way to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus prayed in the garden. After sometime, Judas Iscariot the traitor came with a crowd to arrest Jesus. He told the crowd that the one he would kiss in the dark was Jesus and they should arrest him. Judas went near and kissed Jesus.

Immediately, the crowd arrested Jesus. One of the disciples defended Jesus by cutting off the ear of the servant of the high priest. Jesus condemned the act of violence and said that those who took to violence would die by violent. The crowd then took Jesus to the house of Caiaphas, the high priest for trial.

B. The Trial of Jesus and the denial by peter

(Matthew 26: 59-75, Mark 14: 53-72, 15: 1-15)

Members of the Jewish Council (the Sanhedrin) had gathered in the house of the high priest for the trial of Jesus. At the trial, false accusations were made against him. They said he has said that he would destroy the temple and build another not made with hands in three days. Jesus did not answer the charges because they were false. The high Priest Asked Jesuswhether he was the son of God and when he agreed, he said Jesus was to die because of that. The people spat on him and hit him with their fists they covered his eyes and asked him to identify who it was that struck him.

Meanwhile, Peter was in the courtyard watching the trial of Jesus. One of the maids of the high priest accused Peter twice that he was with Jesus, but he denied both. After a while, the bystanders also accused Peter for the third time that he was one of the disciples of Jesus, for he was a Galilean. Immediately Peter denied Jesus for the third time, the cock crowed a second time Jesus looked at Peter and Peter remembered the words of Jesus that before the cock crowed twice he would deny him three times. Peter felt sorry for having disappointed Jesus by denying him. He went out and wept bitterly.

In the morning the Council met and decided to take Jesus to be tried by Pontius Pilate, the Roman, Governor of Judea in Jerusalem.

Pilate tried Jesus and found him innocent of all the changes made against him. He saw that the Council hated Jesus and wanted him to die. Therefore, he did his best to save Jesus. There was a custom of releasing a prisoner at the feast of the Passover, Pilate asked the people whether he would release Jesus or a prisoner called Barabbas. This Barabbas was a trouble maker and Pilate thought the people would ask for the release of Jesus  but, the chief priest persuaded the people to have Barabbas released. When Pilate asked what evil Jesus had done, they replied that he should be crucified.

Again Pilate asked what evil Jesus had done, but they shouted more.

“Crucify him”

Pilate was forced to obey the wishes of the crowd. He released Barabbas, and handed over Jesus to be crucified.