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(1a) Mark 14:43-50

/14:43/ Immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; and with him there was a crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. /14:44/ Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard." /14:45/ So when he came, he went up to him at once and said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him. /14:46/ Then they laid hands on him and arrested him. /14:47/ But one of those who stood near drew his sword and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. /14:48/ Then Jesus said to them, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? /14:49/ Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. But let the scriptures be fulfilled." /14:50/ All of them deserted him and fled.

= Matt 26:47-56
/26:47/ While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. /26:48/ Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "The one I will kiss is the man; arrest him." /26:49/ At once he came up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed him. /26:50/ Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you are here to do." Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. /26:51/ Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. /26:52/ Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. /26:53/ Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? /26:54/ But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way?" /26:55/ At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not arrest me. /26:56/ But all this has taken place, so that the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled." Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.

= Luke 22:47-53
/22:47/ While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him; /22:48/ but Jesus said to him, "Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?" /22:49/ When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked, "Lord, should we strike with the sword?" /22:50/ Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. /22:51/ But Jesus said, "No more of this!" And he touched his ear and healed him. /22:52/ Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, and the elders who had come for him, "Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a bandit? /22:53/ When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness!"

(1b) John 18:1-12,20

/18:1/ After Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. /18:2/ Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. /18:3/ So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. /18:4/ Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them, "Whom are you looking for?" /18:5/ They answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus replied, "I am he." Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. /18:6/ When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they stepped back and fell to the ground. /18:7/ Again he asked them, "Whom are you looking for?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." /18:8/ Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go." /18:9/ This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken, "I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me." /18:10/ Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest's slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus. /18:11/ Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?" /18:12/ So the soldiers, their officer, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him.
/18:20/ Jesus answered, "I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret.

RCL: Palm Sunday, Good Friday
ECUSA & RC: Palm Sunday, Good Friday

 

John Dominic Crossan

Item: 269
Stratum: II (60-80 CE)
Attestation: Single
Historicity: ±

Reflection

This poem originated as a contribution to the HODOS online community by Gene Stecher. It is published with Gene's consent but he explicitly retains full rights as the creative author. You welcome to use it for personal study and worship, but it should not be published in any other form without the author's prior consent. Index to Gene Stecher's poems

 

Specialist threat,

Generalist protection,

Leprous hospitality,

Prostitute blessing,

Hypocritical offense.

Passover prepared,

Betrayer declared,

Body given,

Blood poured.

Kingdom awaited.

Jesus ambivalence,

Disciple avoidance,

Destiny acceptance,

Arrest-party arrival,

Violence futility.

Clandestine grab,

Scriptures fulfilled,

Young-[wo]man watched,

Young-[wo]man deserted,

Young-[wo]man proclaimed.

 

For my phrase "Prostitute blessing", see Patterson's explanation of Lk 7:36-50 in his "Dirt, Shame, Sin", Hoover's Profiles, p. 203-204.

" Young man" may be Mark's insertion of the Initiate of his community into the events of the final hours. The initiate experiences fear and desertion as well as the privilege of proclamation (Mk 16:6-7) as he graduates from the "linen cloth" garb of initiation into Jesus' death (Mk 15:46) to the" white cloth" garb of good-news resurrection bearer. [And of course in Secret Mark the young man was "taught the mystery of God's domain" prior to either of these events; Acts of Jesus, p. 117]

It's a helpful exercise, I think, to assume the identity of each participant in this drama: Jesus, temple specialist, crowd member, leper, female annointer, I-object, sleeping disciple, betrayer, arrest-party member, sword wielder, young-man/woman. - Gene