Mark 14:43-51
Be honest ????
The Bible is a very honest and candid series of books!
The writers leave us with the good, bad and ugly of their lives and others…they were honest.
“Immediately while He was still speaking, Judas one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. Now His betrayer had given them a signal saying, Whomever I kiss, He is the One, seize Him and lead Him away safely.”
Ok, so, Judas who likely was motivated to betray Jesus not for money but for political and power reasons. Judas may have wanted Jesus to lead an earthly rebellion where Judas would be His main leader.
Here Judas leaves clues:
1. Conspirator with the chief priests again has a plan hatched before they meet with Jesus.
2. Judas was so close to Jesus, he knew he could trade on Jesus’ relationship one more time and get so close that a kiss…intimate…personal…l
3. Judas told them once they captured Jesus to “lead Him away safely.”
Judas from this moment on was losing control of something he felt he was in control of all along. Funny how deception and conspiracy often work and turn on the person or people who are actually feeling like they are in control. Remember, Jesus gave Judas the 4th and last opportunity to repent here…”do you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”
Peter of course goes to war and cuts of Malchus’s ear though since he is likely transcribing this to Mark he does not mention Malchus’s name. Nor does he note that Jesus healed the ear and covered Peter’s passionate but misguided defense of Jesus.
Interesting that both Judas and Peter had same idea in mind with different approaches. Judas may have wanted to have Jesus lead a revolution with Judas at the lead and Peter was prepared to start a rebellion in defense of Jesus at the moment of betrayal.
Remember, both Judas and Peter betrayed Jesus. Judas hung himself and is in hell. Peter repented and carried on in the rest of the Ministry Jesus had for him powerfully.
If you or someone you know has been a co-conspirator, a betrayer, a person to “sow discord among the brethren”, consider sitting with Jesus and praying and repenting or encouraging others to repent and…be honest!
Lastly, Mark records a young man in a bed sheet following all this action. Once Jesus is captured, presumably the guards with the chief priests grab the young man who loses his bed coverings and ends up naked and running away from the guys trying to capture him.
This person is likely Mark the very guy writing this Gospel…honest and embarrassing. Two final things:
1. Be honest!
2. Don’t run around naked ????