And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.
This took place on Passover night when Jesus went with His disciples to Gethsemane under a broad full moon, while the tents of Jerusalem's pilgrims lay quiet. It was the night of His last agony, and after earnest conversation He became strangely silent and utterly sad. He felt shut out from the light of God's sustaining presence in which He had always walked, as He who knew no sin was numbered with transgressors and bore the guilt of fallen humanity and the iniquity of all upon Himself. He dreaded sin and the wrath of God against transgression and feared to be shut out forever from His Father's love, with His soul exceeding sorrowful even unto death.
As He approached the garden the disciples marked a change they had never seen before, an utter sadness and silence that deepened as He proceeded, yet they dared not question Him as to the cause. His form swayed as if about to fall, every step was taken with labored effort, and He groaned aloud as if suffering under a terrible burden. Twice His companions supported Him or He would have fallen to the earth, while they looked anxiously for His usual place of retirement that He might rest. He knew the betrayal awaited Him and had just told them the betrayer was near. He knew His betrayal and condemnation would bring humiliation, rejection, and death, and He had prepared them to face the fickleness of the world without resting their faith on popular opinion.
Judas came straight to Jesus as a familiar friend, addressed Him with the title of Master, and kissed Him. The kiss was the prearranged signal by which the arresting soldiers and crowd would identify Jesus to seize Him, thus turning an act of greeting and honor into the means of betrayal. Judas did this because he believed Jesus would escape and would not allow Himself to be taken. Jesus did not reject but accepted the traitor's kiss and answered with a sorrowful appeal exposing the betrayal by asking about betraying Him with a kiss. That appeal should have stirred Judas's conscience and shows unmatched forbearance, love, and pity even toward the one betraying Him.
Judas remained defiant and unrepentant toward that appeal, having yielded himself to Satan's control. Thus Jesus was betrayed in Gethsemane after His long agony there by Judas, one of His professed disciples. He was arrested by a band of men and soldiers carrying staves and spears.
This took place on Passover night when Jesus went with His disciples to Gethsemane under a broad full moon, while the tents of Jerusalem's pilgrims lay quiet. It was the night of His last agony, and after earnest conversation He became strangely silent and utterly sad. He felt shut out from the light of God's sustaining presence in which He had always walked, as He who knew no sin was numbered with transgressors and bore the guilt of fallen humanity and the iniquity of all upon Himself. He dreaded sin and the wrath of God against transgression and feared to be shut out forever from His Father's love, with His soul exceeding sorrowful even unto death.
As He approached the garden the disciples marked a change they had never seen before, an utter sadness and silence that deepened as He proceeded, yet they dared not question Him as to the cause. His form swayed as if about to fall, every step was taken with labored effort, and He groaned aloud as if suffering under a terrible burden. Twice His companions supported Him or He would have fallen to the earth, while they looked anxiously for His usual place of retirement that He might rest. He knew the betrayal awaited Him and had just told them the betrayer was near. He knew His betrayal and condemnation would bring humiliation, rejection, and death, and He had prepared them to face the fickleness of the world without resting their faith on popular opinion.
Judas came straight to Jesus as a familiar friend, addressed Him with the title of Master, and kissed Him. The kiss was the prearranged signal by which the arresting soldiers and crowd would identify Jesus to seize Him, thus turning an act of greeting and honor into the means of betrayal. Judas did this because he believed Jesus would escape and would not allow Himself to be taken. Jesus did not reject but accepted the traitor's kiss and answered with a sorrowful appeal exposing the betrayal by asking about betraying Him with a kiss. That appeal should have stirred Judas's conscience and shows unmatched forbearance, love, and pity even toward the one betraying Him.
Judas remained defiant and unrepentant toward that appeal, having yielded himself to Satan's control. Thus Jesus was betrayed in Gethsemane after His long agony there by Judas, one of His professed disciples. He was arrested by a band of men and soldiers carrying staves and spears.