Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Prayer Meeting Lesson Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/pm/pm20100707.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Luke: Jesus, The Son Of Man For All Mankind
Part LXXXII: Christ's Identity As God's Savior Seen In His Arrest
(Luke 22:47-54a)
  1. Introduction
    1. If Jesus is God's true Savior of the world, then the event where He was forcibly taken into custody by the Jewish authorities en route to the cross should reveal some response from Him that would show this event was not an accident that surprised and shocked Him, but was part of the permissive will and plan of God.
    2. Jesus' arrest is recorded in Luke 22:47-54a, and it provides us that insight for our edification (as follows):
  2. Christ's Identity As God's Savior Seen In His Arrest, Luke 22:47-54a.
    1. Jesus revealed He was God's Savior by His authoritative reaction to Judas' betrayal, Luke 22:47-48:
      1. When the multitude to whom Judas was betraying Jesus arrived in Gethsemane, and Judas went before them to kiss Jesus and signal He was the One to arrest, Jesus spoke to Judas, Luke 22:47-48a.
      2. His words were a very authoritative remark, revealing He was not intimidated by the event, Lk. 22:48b:
        1. Jesus asked Judas if he was betraying Him with a kiss, revealing Jesus knew of Judas' plan to signal to the others with him who Jesus was in the darkness, that they might arrest Him, cf. Matt. 26:48. This question shows Jesus permitted Himself to be arrested, that this event had not surprised Him!
        2. Christ asked Judas if he was betraying "the Son of man" with a kiss, a term revealing Jesus saw Himself as a Sovereign over those who were arresting Him: (1) the last time Jesus had used the "Son of man" term in Luke's Gospel was in Luke 22:22 to warn Judas at the Last Supper that Judas' betrayal of Him would result in judgment! (2) Before that, in Luke 21:27 and 36, Jesus had used the term to predict His Second Coming in great power and glory to judge. This refers to Daniel 7:13-14 where Messiah is predicted to ascend to the Father in a cloud as "Son of man" to receive an eternal kingdom over all. (3) We know Christ will come as He ascended (Acts 1:11), so Jesus was telling Judas that he was betraying the One Who would rule and judge all mankind, living and dead, at His return, and that included Judas! (2 Timothy 4:1-2) (4) Thus, Jesus' question to Judas shows He was not intimidated by the arrest, but as man's Sovereign, He was merely yielding to it in God's will.
    2. Jesus revealed He was God's Savior by His inhibiting response to His disciple's effort to fight, 22:49-51:
      1. The other disciples noted what Jesus said about Judas' betrayal, and recalled from Christ's prediction at the Last Supper that Judas must be the one Jesus had predicted would betray Him (Luke 22:21-23).
      2. Accordingly, they asked Jesus if they should start fighting His foes with the sword, Luke 22:49.
      3. One disciple, we identity from John 18:10 as Peter, did not wait for Jesus to answer, but drew his sword and cut off the right ear of the high priest's servant, Luke 22:50. [This sounds like a strange deed in the circumstances, but, in line with typical warfare practice, Peter tried to split the man's helmet down its seam that joined at the top of the head; Peter missed the seam, with the blade glancing off to the right and striking off the man's exposed right ear! Peter had intended to kill this man!]
      4. Jesus responded to Peter's action by saying what means in our words today, "No more of this!" and He touched the injured man's ear and healed it! (Luke 22:51) He did not want His disciples to kill anyone!
      5. Thus, prohibiting His disciples from trying to keep Him from being arrested, and even miraculously healing one of His injured foes, Jesus showed no surprise or fear of the arrest, but submission to it!
    3. Jesus revealed He was God's Savior by critiquing His foes in defense of His innocence, Luke 22:52-54a:
      1. Jesus critiqued His foes, saying they had ample opportunity to arrest Him when He was daily with them in the temple, so there was no reason for them to come armed to take Him as a criminal, Lk. 22:52-53a.
      2. Yet, Jesus announced the moment belonged to them, and to the power of darkness, that is, to the power of Satan, so Christ submitted to His arrest in submission to God's will, Luke 22:53b with Acts 2:22-24.
Lesson: In His arrest, Jesus showed no fear, defensiveness or guilt typical of a false Messiah, but great authority, submission to God's will and innocence, what we would expect the true Messiah to exhibit.

Application: (1) May we trust in Jesus as God's Savior. (2) May we like Him submit to God's will in our lives, trusting His authority, and submitting to God's will in all righteousness, whatever it entails!