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BETRAYED WITH A KISS
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16
Mark 14:43-52

Matthew 26:47-56

 

“…Whomsoever I shall kiss,

that same is he…”

 

BETRAYED WITH A KISS
 
Judas Iscariot led a group of Jewish priests and elders together with the temple police armed with lanterns and torches, swords and rods to arrest Jesus. He betrayed his Master with a kiss. A kiss was a special expression of love. It was customary for a disciple to honour his Master with a kiss. Judas kissed the Lord not out of love but hatred. By kissing Jesus, Judas added insult to injury. It reveals how wicked Judas really was.
 
Having received strength from His Father after His prayer at Gethsemane, Jesus was full of courage when His enemies came to seize Him. He readily identified Himself as the One whom they sought. Peter tried to defend the Lord and managed to cut off the ear of Malchus, the high priest’s servant, with his sword. Jesus rebuked Peter and healed Malchus. The Lord, if He had wanted to defend Himself, could have called down more than 12 legions (i.e. 72,000) of His fighting angels (Matt 26:53). But Jesus, as the Lamb of God, willingly allowed Himself to be taken for the sake of His people whom He had come to redeem in fulfilment of Scripture.
 
At the arrest of Jesus, a certain young man fled naked from the scene together with Jesus’ disciples (Mark 14:51,52). This incident is found only in Mark. It is likely that the young man was John Mark himself who wrote this very Gospel, sharing his own personal experience in such great detail.
 
Jesus was left all alone, forsaken by all His friends. They were all cowards. Not only were His disciples cowardly, but also His enemies. They came to arrest Him under the cover of night, armed with weapons as if He were a dangerous criminal. They knew very well that Jesus was a harmless and peaceful person who had done only good for the people. He had always been transparent and above board in His actions. He carried no weapon. He never incited the people to revolt or riot. Jesus walked openly and taught publicly in the temple. Why did they not arrest Jesus publicly in broad daylight but in the shadow of darkness? Their hideous operation bespeaks their very own wicked intention. They wanted to nail a righteous man. They were the criminals not Jesus.
 
THOUGHT: “[T]he kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” (Prov 27:6)

PRAYER: (Pray after Psalm 2.)

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