Daily Devotional for Friday, November 10

The Arrest of Jesus

“And they laid their hands on him, and took him. And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled. And they all forsook him, and fled,” Mark 14:46-50.

Jesus had just finished praying earnestly for the disciples and in anticipation of His crucifixion when the betrayer arrived with the soldiers. A chaotic and hectic scene unfolded as soldiers pressed around Jesus and the disciples, Judas betrayed with a kiss, Peter flailed his sword, Jesus healed the wounded ear and meekly submitted to arrest. The long night of terror had begun.

John 10 reveals that Jesus was following God’s plan and willingly allowed Himself to be taken. “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father” (John 10:17, 18). These soldiers held no power over the Savior and Creator, thus, He willingly gave Himself into their hands.

Judas’ betrayal was part of God’s plan but woe to him for his evil. His own guilt and personal terror boiled over to an act of absolute despair when he took his own life. Peter, as Jesus had prophesied, would deny Him three times before sunrise. Jesus was left alone to be punished by the hands of evil men.

FINAL THOUGHT: The betrayal and arrest of Jesus was both awful but necessary for Him to be our sacrifice.

Steven Ridings