The Urantia Book
PAPER 183
THE BETRAYAL AND ARREST OF JESUS
183:0.1 AFTER Jesus had finally awakened Peter,
James, and John, he suggested that they go to their tents and seek
sleep in preparation for the duties of the morrow. But by this
time the three apostles were wide awake; they had been refreshed
by their short naps, and besides, they were stimulated and aroused
by the arrival on the scene of two excited messengers who inquired
for David Zebedee and quickly went in quest of him when Peter
informed them where he kept watch.
183:0.2 Although eight of the apostles were
sound asleep, the Greeks who were encamped alongside them were
more fearful of trouble, so much so that they had posted a
sentinel to give the alarm in case danger should arise. When these
two messengers hurried into camp, the Greek sentinel proceeded to
arouse all of his fellow countrymen, who streamed forth from their
tents, fully dressed and fully armed. All the camp was now aroused
except the eight apostles. Peter desired to call his associates,
but Jesus definitely forbade him. The Master mildly admonished
them all to return to their tents, but they were reluctant to
comply with his suggestion.
183:0.3 Failing to disperse his followers, the
Master left them and walked down toward the olive press near the
entrance to Gethsemane Park. Although the three apostles, the
Greeks, and the other members of the camp hesitated immediately to
follow him, John Mark hastened around through the olive trees and
secreted himself in a small shed near the olive press. Jesus
withdrew from the camp and from his friends in order that his
apprehenders, when they arrived, might arrest him without
disturbing his apostles. The Master feared to have his apostles
awake and present at the time of his arrest lest the spectacle of
Judas's betraying him should so arouse their animosity that they
would offer resistance to the soldiers and would be taken into
custody with him. He feared that, if they should be arrested with
him, they might also perish with him.
183:0.4 Though Jesus knew that the plan for his
death had its origin in the councils of the rulers of the Jews, he
was also aware that all such nefarious schemes had the full
approval of Lucifer, Satan, and Caligastia. And he well knew that
these rebels of the realms would also be pleased to see all of the
apostles destroyed with him.
183:0.5 Jesus sat down, alone, on the olive
press, where he awaited the coming of the betrayer, and he was
seen at this time only by John Mark and an innumerable host of
celestial observers.
1. THE FATHER'S WILL
183:1.1 There is great danger of
misunderstanding the meaning of numerous sayings and many events
associated with the termination of the Master's career in the
flesh. The cruel treatment of Jesus by the ignorant servants and
the calloused soldiers, the unfair conduct of his trials, and the
unfeeling attitude of the professed religious leaders, must not be
confused with the fact that Jesus, in patiently submitting to all
this suffering and humiliation, was truly doing the will of the
Father in Paradise. It was, indeed and in truth, the will of the
Father that his Son should drink to the full the cup of mortal
experience, from birth to death, but the Father in heaven had
nothing whatever to do with instigating the barbarous behavior of
those supposedly civilized human beings who so brutally tortured
the Master and so horribly heaped successive indignities upon his
nonresisting person. These inhuman and shocking experiences which
Jesus was called upon to endure in the final hours of his mortal
life were not in any sense a part of the divine will of the
Father, which his human nature had so triumphantly pledged to
carry out at the time of the final surrender of man to God as
signified in the threefold prayer which he indited in the garden
while his weary apostles slept the sleep of physical exhaustion.
183:1.2 The Father in heaven desired the
bestowal Son to finish his earth career naturally, just as
all mortals must finish up their lives on earth and in the flesh.
Ordinary men and women cannot expect to have their last hours on
earth and the supervening episode of death made easy by a special
dispensation. Accordingly, Jesus elected to lay down his life in
the flesh in the manner which was in keeping with the outworking
of natural events, and he steadfastly refused to extricate himself
from the cruel clutches of a wicked conspiracy of inhuman events
which swept on with horrible certainty toward his unbelievable
humiliation and ignominious death. And every bit of all this
astounding manifestation of hatred and this unprecedented
demonstration of cruelty was the work of evil men and wicked
mortals. God in heaven did not will it, neither did the
archenemies of Jesus dictate it, though they did much to insure
that unthinking and evil mortals would thus reject the bestowal
Son. Even the father of sin turned his face away from the
excruciating horror of the scene of the crucifixion.
2. JUDAS IN THE CITY
183:2.1 After Judas so abruptly left the table
while eating the Last Supper, he went directly to the home of his
cousin, and then did the two go straight to the captain of the
temple guards. Judas requested the captain to assemble the guards
and informed him that he was ready to lead them to Jesus. Judas
having appeared on the scene a little before he was expected,
there was some delay in getting started for the Mark home, where
Judas expected to find Jesus still visiting with the apostles. The
Master and the eleven left the home of Elijah Mark fully fifteen
minutes before the betrayer and the guards arrived. By the time
the apprehenders reached the Mark home, Jesus and the eleven were
well outside the walls of the city and on their way to the Olivet
camp.
183:2.2 Judas was much perturbed by this failure
to find Jesus at the Mark residence and in the company of eleven
men, only two of whom were armed for resistance. He happened to
know that, in the afternoon when they had left camp, only Simon
Peter and Simon Zelotes were girded with swords; Judas had hoped
to take Jesus when the city was quiet, and when there was little
chance of resistance. The betrayer feared that, if he waited for
them to return to their camp, more than threescore of devoted
disciples would be encountered, and he also knew that Simon
Zelotes had an ample store of arms in his possession. Judas was
becoming increasingly nervous as he meditated how the eleven loyal
apostles would detest him, and he feared they would all seek to
destroy him. He was not only disloyal, but he was a real coward at
heart.
183:2.3 When they failed to find Jesus in the
upper chamber, Judas asked the captain of the guard to return to
the temple. By this time the rulers had begun to assemble at the
high priest's home preparatory to receiving Jesus, seeing that
their bargain with the traitor called for Jesus' arrest by
midnight of that day. Judas explained to his associates that they
had missed Jesus at the Mark home, and that it would be necessary
to go to Gethsemane to arrest him. The betrayer then went on to
state that more than threescore devoted followers were encamped
with him, and that they were all well armed. The rulers of the
Jews reminded Judas that Jesus had always preached nonresistance,
but Judas replied that they could not depend upon all Jesus'
followers obeying such teaching. He really feared for himself and
therefore made bold to ask for a company of forty armed soldiers.
Since the Jewish authorities had no such force of armed men under
their jurisdiction, they went at once to the fortress of Antonia
and requested the Roman commander to give them this guard; but
when he learned that they intended to arrest Jesus, he promptly
refused to accede to their request and referred them to his
superior officer. In this way more than an hour was consumed in
going from one authority to another until they finally were
compelled to go to Pilate himself in order to obtain permission to
employ the armed Roman guards. It was late when they arrived at
Pilate's house, and he had retired to his private chambers with
his wife. He hesitated to have anything to do with the enterprise,
all the more so since his wife had asked him not to grant the
request. But inasmuch as the presiding officer of the Jewish
Sanhedrin was present and making personal request for this
assistance, the governor thought it wise to grant the petition,
thinking he could later on right any wrong they might be disposed
to commit.
183:2.4 Accordingly, when Judas Iscariot started
out from the temple, about half after eleven o'clock, he was
accompanied by more than sixty persons -- temple guards, Roman
soldiers, and curious servants of the chief priests and rulers.
3. THE MASTER'S ARREST
183:3.1 As this company of armed soldiers and
guards, carrying torches and lanterns, approached the garden,
Judas stepped well out in front of the band that he might be ready
quickly to identify Jesus so that the apprehenders could easily
lay hands on him before his associates could rally to his defense.
And there was yet another reason why Judas chose to be ahead of
the Master's enemies: He thought it would appear that he had
arrived on the scene ahead of the soldiers so that the apostles
and others gathered about Jesus might not directly connect him
with the armed guards following so closely upon his heels. Judas
had even thought to pose as having hastened out to warn them of
the coming of the apprehenders, but this plan was thwarted by
Jesus' blighting greeting of the betrayer. Though the Master spoke
to Judas kindly, he greeted him as a traitor.
183:3.2 As soon as Peter, James, and John, with
some thirty of their fellow campers, saw the armed band with
torches swing around the brow of the hill, they knew that these
soldiers were coming to arrest Jesus, and they all rushed down to
near the olive press where the Master was sitting in moonlit
solitude. As the company of soldiers approached on one side, the
three apostles and their associates approached on the other. As
Judas strode forward to accost the Master, there the two groups
stood, motionless, with the Master between them and Judas making
ready to impress the traitorous kiss upon his brow.
183:3.3 It had been the hope of the betrayer
that he could, after leading the guards to Gethsemane, simply
point Jesus out to the soldiers, or at most carry out the promise
to greet him with a kiss, and then quickly retire from the scene.
Judas greatly feared that the apostles would all be present, and
that they would concentrate their attack upon him in retribution
for his daring to betray their beloved teacher. But when the
Master greeted him as a betrayer, he was so confused that he made
no attempt to flee.
183:3.4 Jesus made one last effort to save Judas
from actually betraying him in that, before the traitor could
reach him, he stepped to one side and, addressing the foremost
soldier on the left, the captain of the Romans, said, "Whom do you
seek?" The captain answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." Then Jesus
stepped up immediately in front of the officer and, standing there
in the calm majesty of the God of all this creation, said, "I am
he." Many of this armed band had heard Jesus teach in the temple,
others had learned about his mighty works, and when they heard him
thus boldly announce his identity, those in the front ranks fell
suddenly backward. They were overcome with surprise at his calm
and majestic announcement of identity. There was, therefore, no
need for Judas to go on with his plan of betrayal. The Master had
boldly revealed himself to his enemies, and they could have taken
him without Judas's assistance. But the traitor had to do
something to account for his presence with this armed band, and
besides, he wanted to make a show of carrying out his part of the
betrayal bargain with the rulers of the Jews in order to be
eligible for the great reward and honors which he believed would
be heaped upon him in compensation for his promise to deliver
Jesus into their hands.
183:3.5 As the guards rallied from their first
faltering at the sight of Jesus and at the sound of his unusual
voice, and as the apostles and disciples drew nearer, Judas
stepped up to Jesus and, placing a kiss upon his brow, said,
"Hail, Master and Teacher." And as Judas thus embraced his Master,
Jesus said, "Friend, is it not enough to do this! Would you even
betray the Son of Man with a kiss?"
183:3.6 The apostles and disciples were
literally stunned by what they saw. For a moment no one moved.
Then Jesus, disengaging himself from the traitorous embrace of
Judas, stepped up to the guards and soldiers and again asked,
"Whom do you seek?" And again the captain said, "Jesus of
Nazareth." And again answered Jesus: "I have told you that I am
he. If, therefore, you seek me, let these others go their way. I
am ready to go with you."
183:3.7 Jesus was ready to go back to Jerusalem
with the guards, and the captain of the soldiers was altogether
willing to allow the three apostles and their associates to go
their way in peace. But before they were able to get started, as
Jesus stood there awaiting the captain's orders, one Malchus, the
Syrian bodyguard of the high priest, stepped up to Jesus and made
ready to bind his hands behind his back, although the Roman
captain had not directed that Jesus should be thus bound. When
Peter and his associates saw their Master being subjected to this
indignity, they were no longer able to restrain themselves. Peter
drew his sword and with the others rushed forward to smite Malchus.
But before the soldiers could come to the defense of the high
priest's servant, Jesus raised a forbidding hand to Peter and,
speaking sternly, said: "Peter, put up your sword. They who take
the sword shall perish by the sword. Do you not understand that it
is the Father's will that I drink this cup? And do you not further
know that I could even now command more than twelve legions of
angels and their associates, who would deliver me from the hands
of these few men?"
183:3.8 While Jesus thus effectively put a stop
to this show of physical resistance by his followers, it was
enough to arouse the fear of the captain of the guards, who now,
with the help of his soldiers, laid heavy hands on Jesus and
quickly bound him. And as they tied his hands with heavy cords,
Jesus said to them: "Why do you come out against me with swords
and with staves as if to seize a robber? I was daily with you in
the temple, publicly teaching the people, and you made no effort
to take me."
183:3.9 When Jesus had been bound, the captain,
fearing that the followers of the Master might attempt to rescue
him, gave orders that they be seized; but the soldiers were not
quick enough since, having overheard the captain's orders to
arrest them, Jesus' followers fled in haste back into the ravine.
All this time John Mark had remained secluded in the near-by shed.
When the guards started back to Jerusalem with Jesus, John Mark
attempted to steal out of the shed in order to catch up with the
fleeing apostles and disciples; but just as he emerged, one of the
last of the returning soldiers who had pursued the fleeing
disciples was passing near and, seeing this young man in his linen
coat, gave chase, almost overtaking him. In fact, the soldier got
near enough to John to lay hold upon his coat, but the young man
freed himself from the garment, escaping naked while the soldier
held the empty coat. John Mark made his way in all haste to David
Zebedee on the upper trail. When he had told David what had
happened, they both hastened back to the tents of the sleeping
apostles and informed all eight of the Master's betrayal and
arrest.
183:3.10 At about the time the eight apostles
were being awakened, those who had fled up the ravine were
returning, and they all gathered together near the olive press to
debate what should be done. In the meantime, Simon Peter and John
Zebedee, who had hidden among the olive trees, had already gone on
after the mob of soldiers, guards, and servants, who were now
leading Jesus back to Jerusalem as they would have led a desperate
criminal. John followed close behind the mob, but Peter followed
afar off. After John Mark's escape from the clutch of the soldier,
he provided himself with a cloak which he found in the tent of
Simon Peter and John Zebedee. He suspected the guards were going
to take Jesus to the home of Annas, the high priest emeritus; so
he skirted around through the olive orchards and was there ahead
of the mob, hiding near the entrance to the gate of the high
priest's palace.
4. DISCUSSION AT THE OLIVE PRESS
183:4.1 James Zebedee found himself separated
from Simon Peter and his brother John, and so he now joined the
other apostles and their fellow campers at the olive press to
deliberate on what should be done in view of the Master's arrest.
183:4.2 Andrew had been released from all
responsibility in the group management of his fellow apostles;
accordingly, in this greatest of all crises in their lives, he was
silent. After a short informal discussion, Simon Zelotes stood up
on the stone wall of the olive press and, making an impassioned
plea for loyalty to the Master and the cause of the kingdom,
exhorted his fellow apostles and the other disciples to hasten on
after the mob and effect the rescue of Jesus. The majority of the
company would have been disposed to follow his aggressive
leadership had it not been for the advice of Nathaniel, who stood
up the moment Simon had finished speaking and called their
attention to Jesus' oft-repeated teachings regarding
nonresistance. He further reminded them that Jesus had that very
night instructed them that they should preserve their lives for
the time when they should go forth into the world proclaiming the
good news of the gospel of the heavenly kingdom. And Nathaniel was
encouraged in this stand by James Zebedee, who now told how Peter
and others drew their swords to defend the Master against arrest,
and that Jesus bade Simon Peter and his fellow swordsmen sheathe
their blades. Matthew and Philip also made speeches, but nothing
definite came of this discussion until Thomas, calling their
attention to the fact that Jesus had counseled Lazarus against
exposing himself to death, pointed out that they could do nothing
to save their Master inasmuch as he refused to allow his friends
to defend him, and since he persisted in refraining from the use
of his divine powers to frustrate his human enemies. Thomas
persuaded them to scatter, every man for himself, with the
understanding that David Zebedee would remain at the camp to
maintain a clearinghouse and messenger headquarters for the group.
By half past two o'clock that morning the camp was deserted; only
David remained on hand with three or four messengers, the others
having been dispatched to secure information as to where Jesus had
been taken, and what was going to be done with him.
183:4.3 Five of the apostles, Nathaniel,
Matthew, Philip, and the twins, went into hiding at Bethpage and
Bethany. Thomas, Andrew, James, and Simon Zelotes were hiding in
the city. Simon Peter and John Zebedee followed along to the home
of Annas.
183:4.4 Shortly after daybreak, Simon Peter
wandered back to the Gethsemane camp, a dejected picture of deep
despair. David sent him in charge of a messenger to join his
brother, Andrew, who was at the home of Nicodemus in Jerusalem.
183:4.5 Until the very end of the crucifixion,
John Zebedee remained, as Jesus had directed him, always near at
hand, and it was he who supplied David's messengers with
information from hour to hour which they carried to David at the
garden camp, and which was then relayed to the hiding apostles and
to Jesus' family.
183:4.6 Surely, the shepherd is smitten and the
sheep are scattered! While they all vaguely realize that Jesus has
forewarned them of this very situation, they are too severely
shocked by the Master's sudden disappearance to be able to use
their minds normally.
183:4.7 It was shortly after daylight and just
after Peter had been sent to join his brother, that Jude, Jesus'
brother in the flesh, arrived in the camp, almost breathless and
in advance of the rest of Jesus' family, only to learn that the
Master had already been placed under arrest; and he hastened back
down the Jericho road to carry this information to his mother and
to his brothers and sisters. David Zebedee sent word to Jesus'
family, by Jude, to forgather at the house of Martha and Mary in
Bethany and there await news which his messengers would regularly
bring them.
183:4.8 This was the situation during the last
half of Thursday night and the early morning hours of Friday as
regards the apostles, the chief disciples, and the earthly family
of Jesus. And all these groups and individuals were kept in touch
with each other by the messenger service which David Zebedee
continued to operate from his headquarters at the Gethsemane camp.
5. ON THE WAY TO THE HIGH PRIEST'S PALACE
183:5.1 Before they started away from the garden
with Jesus, a dispute arose between the Jewish captain of the
temple guards and the Roman captain of the company of soldiers as
to where they were to take Jesus. The captain of the temple guards
gave orders that he should be taken to Caiaphas, the acting high
priest. The captain of the Roman soldiers directed that Jesus be
taken to the palace of Annas, the former high priest and
father-in-law of Caiaphas. And this he did because the Romans were
in the habit of dealing directly with Annas in all matters having
to do with the enforcement of the Jewish ecclesiastical laws. And
the orders of the Roman captain were obeyed; they took Jesus to
the home of Annas for his preliminary examination.
183:5.2 Judas marched along near the captains,
overhearing all that was said, but took no part in the dispute,
for neither the Jewish captain nor the Roman officer would so much
as speak to the betrayer -- they held him in such contempt.
183:5.3 About this time John Zebedee,
remembering his Master's instructions to remain always near at
hand, hurried up near Jesus as he marched along between the two
captains. The commander of the temple guards, seeing John come up
alongside, said to his assistant: "Take this man and bind him. He
is one of this fellow's followers." But when the Roman captain
heard this and, looking around, saw John, he gave orders that the
apostle should come over by him, and that no man should molest
him. Then the Roman captain said to the Jewish captain: "This man
is neither a traitor nor a coward. I saw him in the garden, and he
did not draw a sword to resist us. He has the courage to come
forward to be with his Master, and no man shall lay hands on him.
The Roman law allows that any prisoner may have at least one
friend to stand with him before the judgment bar, and this man
shall not be prevented from standing by the side of his Master,
the prisoner." And when Judas heard this, he was so ashamed and
humiliated that he dropped back behind the marchers, coming up to
the palace of Annas alone.
183:5.4 And this explains why John Zebedee was
permitted to remain near Jesus all the way through his trying
experiences this night and the next day. The Jews feared to say
aught to John or to molest him in any way because he had something
of the status of a Roman counselor designated to act as observer
of the transactions of the Jewish ecclesiastical court. John's
position of privilege was made all the more secure when, in
turning Jesus over to the captain of the temple guards at the gate
of Annas's palace, the Roman, addressing his assistant, said: "Go
along with this prisoner and see that these Jews do not kill him
without Pilate's consent. Watch that they do not assassinate him,
and see that his friend, the Galilean, is permitted to stand by
and observe all that goes on." And thus was John able to be near
Jesus right on up to the time of his death on the cross, though
the other ten apostles were compelled to remain in hiding. John
was acting under Roman protection, and the Jews dared not molest
him until after the Master's death.
183:5.5 And all the way to the palace of Annas,
Jesus opened not his mouth. From the time of his arrest to the
time of his appearance before Annas, the Son of Man spoke no word.
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