The History of Christianity - John S. C. Abbott (bookstand for reading .txt) 📗

Anguish of Jesus.—​His Prayers in the Garden.—​The Arrest.—​Peter’s Recklessness.—​Flight of the Apostles.—​Jesus led to Annas; to Caiaphas.—​Jesus affirms that he is the Messiah.—​Frivolous Accusations.—​Peter denies his Lord.—​Jesus is conducted to Pilate.—​The Examination.—​Scourging the Innocent.—​Insults and Mockery.—​Rage of the Chief Priests and Scribes.—​Embarrassment of Pilate.—​He surrenders Jesus to his Enemies.—​The Crucifixion.—​The Resurrection.—​Repeated Appearance to his Disciples.

ESUS having finished this prayer, the little band descended into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, a deep and dark ravine, and, crossing the Brook Kedron, entered the Garden of Gethsemane, a secluded spot, which Christ often visited for retirement and prayer. Here Jesus seems to have been overwhelmed in contemplating the mysterious sufferings he was about to experience. The language used by the inspired writers indicates the highest possible degree of mental agony. He “began to be sore amazed and very heavy.” These words, in the original, express the most excruciating anguish,—a torture which threatens to separate soul from body, and which utterly overwhelms the sufferer. As though he could not bear to be alone in that dreadful hour, he took with him Peter, James, and John, and withdrew from the rest of the apostles, for a little distance, into the silence and midnight gloom of the garden. He then said to his three companions,—

“My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Tarry ye here, and watch with me.”

He then withdrew a little farther—“about a stone’s cast”—from them, and fell upon his face, on the ground, and prayed, saying,—

“O my Father! if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.”

In answer to his prayer, an angel appeared unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And yet, notwithstanding the support thus furnished, the anguish of this dreadful hour in which he was about to bear the mysterious burden of the world’s atonement was so terrible, that, “being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”67

After this scene of anguish and prayer, which probably occupied an hour, he returned to his three disciples, and found them asleep. He gently reproached them, saying to Peter, “Could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing; but the flesh is weak.”

Again he retired the second time, and the same scene of inexpressible and unimaginable mental suffering was re-enacted. Jesus recoiled not from the physical pain of the cross; never were buffeting, scourging, crucifixion, borne more meekly, more uncomplainingly: but this agony seems to have surpassed all mortal comprehension. It is recorded,—

“He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father! if this cup may not pass away except I drink it, thy will be done.”

Returning, he found his friends once more asleep. It was late in the night; and, worn out with anxiety and exhaustion, we are told that “their eyes were heavy.” It is evident that Jesus, engaged in his agonizing prayer, had been for some time absent from them. He did not reproach them, and they had no excuse to offer.

“And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.” Then, returning, and finding them still asleep, he said, perhaps a little reproachfully,—

“Sleep on now, and take your rest. Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. Behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.”

While he was speaking these words, the light of torches was seen approaching. Judas knew well where to find Jesus; for he had often accompanied him to this retreat. He took with him a band of Roman soldiers, and officers of the Sanhedrim, “with lanterns, torches, and weapons.” As it was night, and Jesus, in the shades of the garden, was accompanied by his twelve disciples, there was danger that he might escape, and in the morning rally the people to his rescue. Also, in the darkness, it would be difficult for the soldiers to discriminate persons so as to know which of them to arrest. Judas, therefore, gave them a sign, saying,—

“Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he. Take him, and hold him fast.”

The kiss was then the ordinary mode of salutation, like shaking of hands now. Judas, followed by the band, approached his well-known Lord, and said, “Hail, Master; and kissed him.” Jesus calmly replied,—

“Friend, wherefore art thou come? Betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?”

Advancing towards the soldiers, he said to them, “Whom seek ye?” They said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus replied, “I am he.” There was something in his address and bearing which so overawed them, that for a moment they were powerless; and “they went backward, and fell to the ground.”

“Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he. If, therefore, ye seek me, let these go their way.”

Judas slunk away into the darkness, and the soldiers seized Jesus. The impetuous Peter “drew a sword,” probably snatching it from one of the soldiers, and “smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.” Jesus reproved him, saying,—

“Put up again thy sword into his place; for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how, then, shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?”

Turning to the wounded servant, he said to him, “Suffer ye thus far;” and, touching his ear, he healed him. Then, addressing the soldiers, he said,—

“Are ye come out as against a thief, with swords and staves, to take me? I was daily with you in the temple, and ye took me not; but the scriptures must be fulfilled. This is your hour and the power of darkness.”

It seems incomprehensible, that, under these circumstances, the apostles could have been so terror-stricken, as, with one accord, to have abandoned Jesus, and fled; but they all did it,—the valiant Peter with the rest. Jesus, thus utterly forsaken, was left alone with his enemies.

The soldiers bound Jesus, and conducted him back into the city, and led him to the house of Annas. He had formerly been high priest. His son-in-law Caiaphas now occupied that office. Annas was a man of great influence, and it was important to obtain his sanction in the lawless enterprise in which the Jewish rulers were now engaged. It seems that Annas was not disposed to incur the responsibility of these deeds of violence; and Jesus was led to the house of Caiaphas. Of the dispersed apostles, two of them (Peter, and probably John) followed the guard at a distance, furtively creeping beneath the shadows of the trees and the houses. Though it was still night, a meeting of the Sanhedrim, but an illegal one, had been convened in the palace of Caiaphas. Twenty-three members constituted a court. Caiaphas presided. Jesus was led into the hall before them for a preliminary examination.

By this time there was probably some considerable tumult, and the gradual gathering of a crowd. Peter and the other apostle cautiously approached the palace, and obtained admission to watch the proceedings, without making themselves known as the followers of Jesus. Peter sat with the servants, who had gathered around the fire which had been kindled in the great hall.

The high priest inquired of Jesus respecting the number of his followers, and the sentiments he had inculcated. Jesus replied,—

“I spake openly to the world. I ever taught in the synagogue and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort. In secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? Ask them which heard me: behold, they know what I said.”

This reply, though perfectly respectful, so exasperated one of the attending officers, that he struck Jesus in the face with the palm of his hand. To this Jesus meekly replied, “If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me?”

False witnesses had been bribed to testify against Jesus; but they contradicted each other, and could bring forward no charge against him worthy of serious consideration. At last they brought forth the silly accusation, “We heard him say, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.”

Jesus did not condescend any reply to such frivolous charges, but maintained perfect silence. Caiaphas said to him, “Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee?” Still Jesus was silent. The charges brought against him were sufficiently preposterous, without any defence on his part. Caiaphas was not a little perplexed, and in his perplexity said,—

“I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.”

Jesus replied, “I am; and hereafter ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.”

Caiaphas affected to be shocked. He rent his clothes, saying, “What need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy. What think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.”

While this cruel farce was being enacted, Peter sat warming himself by the fire, not far from Jesus, conversing occasionally with the servants. One of the maid-servants looked upon him, and said, “Thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.” Peter replied, “Woman, I know him not.” Soon after, a man-servant reiterated the charge, saying, “Thou art also of them.” Peter again replied, “Man, I am not.” About an hour after, several who stood by said, “Surely thou art one of them; for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech bewrayeth thee. But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak.”

Just at that moment, the clear crowing of a cock was heard once and again. Jesus, who had overheard all this conversation, turned round, and simply looked at Peter. That sad and sorrowing glance pierced like a two-edged sword. The prophetic words of Jesus rang in his ears: “Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.” The wretched man “went out and wept bitterly.”

A scene of awful insult and suffering now ensued, such as perhaps never before or since has been witnessed in a nominal court of justice. They spat in his face; they beat him with their clinched fists and with the palms of their hands; they mocked him, saying, “Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that smote thee?” Even the servants joined in the general outrage of derision and violence.

The morning had now dawned. The chief priests and elders took counsel how they might put Jesus to death. This could not be done without the consent of the Roman governor. They therefore bound him again, and led him to Pontius Pilate, a cruel despot, who was then Roman governor of Judæa.