"Jesus
was messing up the schedule," as stated by Norma *. The Passover script
that Jesus used wasn't the script known by his disciples.
From the
upper room of the house owned by the father of John Mark (author of the Gospel
of Mark), as indicated by Acts 12:12, they walked to the Mount of Olives,
singing. "The Passover hymns were Psalms 114, 115, 118 -- the Hallel psalms." [i]
But why? Why
journey across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem in the dark?
One would
think there would've been a garden in Jerusalem which they could've used. Yet,
there weren't any gardens in Jerusalem. "The city was too crowded, and
there was a strange law that the city's sacred soil might not be polluted with
manure for the gardens. But some of the rich and well-to-do people possessed
private gardens out on the Mount of Olives where they took their rest." [ii]
In fact,
the location to which they traveled -- Gethsemane -- was a frequent meeting
place for Jesus and his disciples (John 18:2). "Not implausibly, some have
even suggested that this too was a piece of property made available to Jesus by
that well-meaning man in Jerusalem -- the father of John Mark." [iii]
Between
the upper room and the garden in Gethsemane was a connection with a person who
unquestionably believed in the ministry of Jesus,… and in Christ as the Messiah.
Did
You Know...?
"In
Jesus' day, the Mount of Olives would have been covered with olive trees, but
many of these would have been destroyed by the Roman legions under Titus in the
siege of AD 70. So the present olive trees, though extremely ancient, probably
date from a slightly later period." [iv]
For about
40 minutes, Jesus and the disciples walked -- start to finish. In their journey
across the valley, Jesus makes a straight-forward yet severe statement -- "You will all become deserters." Some believe Jesus told his disciples they
would flee because that's what Scripture stated.
From the
viewpoint though of those who opposed Jesus, what might be their best strategy? If chaos was the end-game, does it not make
sense to "take out" the leader? By taking that type of action, those
following Jesus would most likely scatter the way of the four winds.
Jesus
knew his team -- top-to-bottom, the strengths and flaws of everyone.
Well-versed in the Old Testament, he used Zechariah 13:7 to make it clear. "They are
coming for my head, and when they do, you will flee. That's their plan, because
they believe it will bring the end to this ministry of Good News."
Understandably,
especially having followed someone (in this case, Jesus) for three years, one's
immediate reaction would be, "No way! That's not going to happen. And even
if it did, I'd never leave your side."
Peter
falls in line with that thought process, but takes it a prideful step further. "Even though all become
deserters, I will not."
Oh, Peter;
think before you speak. Jesus tells him, "This
very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times."
Of
course, everyone on the team jumps in with "Even
though I must die with you, I will not deny you." Men being manly men!
They couldn't wrap their collective heads around what Jesus was telling them.
Jesus had
informed his disciples they would slip and fall not just once but twice. Being
the recipient of such news had to be upsetting. First, the betrayal by one of
the group; second, the denial and desertion. No wonder they were so adamant to
defend themselves.
Who would
want to let down Jesus when he needed them the most?
NEXT
Jesus'
prayer, nap-time for the disciples, and don't forget about Judas
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