1. Jesus, surrendered to God’s Will.

Today, on the fifth Sunday of Lent , we are going to observe Jesus’ arrest, and the very beginning of the Passion.
Firstly, I am going to invite you to take a chronological overview of the event. On the Saturday, Jesus shared a table with Martha and Mary in Bethany, where He was anointed by Mary with expensive oil. He enters into Jerusalem the following day, which is now known as Palm Sunday*, the final Sunday of Lent. On that occasion, a crowd welcomed Jesus, They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (John 12:13).

And in Jerusalem, Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple (Luke 21:37).

Then it was the following Thursday, a day in which the Church calendar today recalls as Holy Thursday**, when Jesus washed His disciples’ feet before taking the last supper with them. During the supper, Judas Iscariot sneaked out to inform the high priests who sought to accuse and arrest Jesus. With the full knowledge of the presenting danger, Jesus said to His disciples, “I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me. Come now; let us leave” (John 14:30-31).

After that, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it (John 18:1). Jesus himself, chose this place, even though he knew of Judas’ plan. Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples (John 18:2). Therefore, some commentators say Jesus was not arrested but made Himself fully available because it was the very will of God.

Judas came to the grove guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials, sent by the chief priests and Pharisees, They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?""Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “I am he,” Jesus said (John 18: 3-5).

We might say, that the betrayal of Jesus by Judas was not a crucial element in His arrest, because, if he did not betray Jesus, there were many more citizens of Jerusalem who would already recognize His face, and one of them could readily have informed solders. Furthermore, Jesus actually surrendered Himself intentionally by declaring His identity. So it was Jesus who controlled the scene, not Judas. Even Jesus repeated the question and answer :"Who is it you want?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” “I told you that I am he,” Jesus answered. “If you are looking for me, then let these men go” (John 18:7-8).

In the above verses, I want to draw your attention to the last phrase, “let these men go”, which shows us that His concern was not at all for Himself, but about the safety of His disciples. Jesus’ attitude is exactly what He taught when He portrayed himself as the good shepherd, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).

John emphasized the fact that it was Jesus who wanted them to escape, whereas Mark and Matthew present the disciples’ reaction in this way: Then everyone deserted him and fled (Mark 14:50). Then all the disciples deserted him and fled (Matthew 26:56). But, John’s intention was to faithfully report Jesus’ desire to have his disciples escape from this incident, in order to spread His teaching, and remain as surviving witnesses.

Concerning that passage, Mr. Aburaki, a preacher and composer of hymns, made an interesting remark: “The prosecution against Christians by the Tokugawa government (1603-1867), caused crucial damage to Christianity because its preachers compelled believers not to escape when they were confronted by danger. They should have told them instead, to protect themselves, even by disguising their faith if necessary, in order to maintain the number of active believers. This would have allowed them to spread the teachings of Jesus to the following generations.” Mr. Aburaki might be right as History shows us the Apostles became Active fugitives, and through them the Church was founded and christianity grew, spreading the message of Christ widely across the land.

2. The Passion as a ‘Hand Over’ Act of God.

Despite Jesus’ intentions, Peter reacted violently, John states: Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus )¡ÊJohn 18:10). Conduct which Jesus did not appreciate: Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” (John 18:11).

The Cross was Jesus’s destiny determined by God, which could not be changed. From our place in history we can see that Jesus knew that Jerusalem was the most dangerous place for Him to be. So, if He wanted to avoid the Cross, he would not have gone there. The same applies to the meeting in the olive grove which was well known to Judas. Regardless of all the risks Jesus came to Jerusalem, then to the garden of olives, because He made the decision to be a good shepherd, who will die for His sheep, in other words to accept God’ will. Without Jesus’ death, there is no salvation.

Now to conclude this portion of the lecture, we need consider that the Passion, which ends on the Cross, is not a passive event such as being arrested, on the contrary, it was an intentionally chosen act. Concerning this issue a Pastor of Yukinoshita church, Mr. Hirose, presents one of Karl Barth’s exegesis of, “Church Dogmatics”, whose analyses meticulously focuses upon the conduct of Judas:

In Matthew chapter 26 the word “betray” is repeated two times in verses 21 and 23. It is translated from ¦Ð¦Á¦Ñ¦Á¦Äί¦Ä¦Ø¦Ì¦É in original Greek text, which means “hand over.” The same word used in the verse 15 as ”…hand him over….” Barth focused on the very word and analyses it in three steps; the first being: “hand over of Jesus by God to the humans.” The second: “hand over of Jesus by Judas to the Jewish authority.” The third: “hand over of Jesus’ teachings by His disciples to the whole world”.

Of course the third one was effected after Jesus’ death and in this case, ¦Ð¦Á¦Ñ¦Á¦Äί¦Ä¦Ø¦Ì¦É, means ‘to deliver by narrating, to report’. Thus we might say that the Passion of the Cross was not an incident created from human acts, but the destiny determined by God in order to save humankind.

3. Let’s drink from the cup given by God

To contemplate further today’s lecture I have chosen verse 33 from John 16 as the invocation verse: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

2000 years ago a Rabbi (which means teacher) was arrested and crucified. It was because the Jewish leaders were jealous of him. And, the the ruling Roman policy at the time, wanted to avoid any Jewish rioting movements, or uprising. So there was little or no support from the authorities, or from the people themselves who were disappointed by the real meaning of the Rabbi’s teaching.

In this world, those who protest against powerful authorities place themselves at risk of being unfairly killed, in order to hide from the public the facts of the matter which would offend the social convention. For the very same reason Jewish leaders killed Jesus and tried to conceal the significance of the incident. But, these matters cannot always be concealed and in this case the truth was revealed. How and why Jesus was arrested, judged and crucified, were reported through His disciples’ personal testimonies, who were greatly encouraged by the Resurrection.

From this study today, we have learned that any evil act committed here on earth will be brought to light and judged, because God knows everything. Another lesson we took from the occasion of Jesus’ arrest was the fact that a ‘bitter cup’ is often given by God. Jesus was arrested not in a passive way, but by participating in the act of God’s will, ¦Ð¦Á¦Ñ¦Á¦Äί¦Ä¦Ø¦Ì¦É - means, ‘hand over’. In a sense, God colluded in the hand-over of Jesus to the Jewish authorities. So we might have to drink our bitter cup if it was given and willed by God, as Jesus did.

There is a wide held belief today within a denomination which teaches that we are all born to be loved by God, so our life is bathed in happiness. Yes, of course, the saying contains some truth. Nevertheless, I can’t help feeling perplexed by it because I can’t find any notion of the Cross nor repentance there.

God loves us so much that He gives us the bitter cup of trials, only through which do we come to recognize our sin, and embark on the path to repentance, then on to salvation. Without that path of suffering, there will be no change in our current lives, nor will we have a vision for a better future.

I have told you several times about the life of Bonhoeffer, the Lutheran Pastor who lived in Germany under domination of the Nazi regime. After that political party took power in 1933, he founded with other members, the Confessing Church, and he also participated in the German Resistance movement.

He compelled his compatriots to practice political disobedience, which eventually put his life at risk. So much so, his friends strongly advised him to go to the USA, which he did. Upon his arrival he began teaching theology. The year was 1939. However, he later changed his mind, and went back to Germany. He was convinced, as a Pastor, that it was wrong for him to abandon his flock, even in the face of added pressure, and the continual risk of arrest and imprisonment.

He thought, if he could not share in the same suffering and pain, endured by his friends and compatriots, he would no longer have the heart to preach. After returning to Germany, he was involved in plots to assassinate Hitler, which was uncoverd. He was duly arrested in March 1943, imprisoned, and eventually hanged in 1945, at the age of 39. If he had remained in the USA, he could have lived a much longer and better life. Nevertheless, he dared to go back to his country and death, as Jesus went to Jerusalem, and Gethsemane.

Indeed, as the verse of the Lord’s prayer, ‘lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil’, shows that we are very weak humans. If it is possible we want to ignore temptations and trials. But, once the bitter cup of God is given to us we should not try to avoid it, or run away. We have to drink from it as Jesus did. Then, at that very time, we too, should hear a voice which is saying: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Notes:
*According to the Church calendar, Palm Sunday, or Passion Sunday, is celebrated in 2008, on Sunday 16th March.
“Maunday Thursday” or “Holy Thursday,” further reading:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maundy_Thursday#Name_in_English