LUKE 22:45-48 DOUBLE-CROSSING KISS

DOUBLE-CROSSING KISS

LUKE 22:45-48

(See also Matthew 26:40-50,

Mark 14:37-44, and John 18:1-8)

Luke 22:45-46 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

Susie: Matthew, Mark, and Luke record the fact that Jesus found the disciples (whom He had commanded to watch and pray) sleeping instead. Only Luke adds that they were sleeping “for sorrow.” Since I battle depression, I understand the good doctor’s assessment. They were so overwhelmed with what Jesus had foretold during the Passover meal, that they fell asleep at the very time they should have stayed awake.

Susan: They were ambushed by an onslaught of extreme grief at the thought of their Master leaving them. Perhaps they thought if they could just sleep for a while, they could wake up from this nightmare. Or perhaps they were so exhausted from their brains going tilt at the thought of one them betraying Him, they needed to rest in order to gather their thoughts.

Susie: Their response to being overwhelmed was to be unable to hold their eyes open.

Susan: Matthew and Mark highlight the reality that Jesus went back and prayed the same prayer of submission three times, and all three times He returned to find the disciples sleeping.

Susie: Again, Jesus made it clear that they should be praying for themselves that the Lord would not allow them to sink into temptation. In both Matthew and Mark, Jesus addresses this admonition directly to Peter, the one who would be the first to succumb to the temptation to deny knowing Him! It is also noteworthy, that the Apostle John, in his gospel, does not mention Jesus’s prayer in the garden or the fact that the disciples fell asleep. He focuses instead on what happened next, the betrayal.

Luke 22:47 And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.

Susie: All four gospels speak of the crowd that came to arrest Jesus, but John omits the kiss of betrayal and gives the greatest detail of the crowd.

John 18:3 So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.

Susan: Matthew and Mark underscore that Judas had prearranged the signal of the kiss with the religious leaders. He had premeditated the method of this iniquity of betrayal before ever entering the garden.

Susie: Luke points out that Judas was not only with the crowd of religious leaders and soldiers but was leading them. It would be dark in the garden full of olive trees, thus the need for a sign to distinguish which one was Jesus.

Luke 22:48 But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?

Susie: Jesus addressed Judas by name. There could be no doubt that He recognized Judas in the dark, and He wanted Judas to know this and remember that He knew him by name. Judas was more than a mere acquaintance. He had walked with Jesus from the beginning of His ministry on earth.

Susan: Jesus referred to Himself as “The Son of Man.” This title was widely accepted as referring to the Messiah when used in Old Testament prophecy. Jesus was saying, “Wake up! Pay attention! You are betraying the One who came to deliver all who believe and trust in me as Messiah.” Although Judas walked with Jesus for three years, he never truly trusted Jesus which is why he was given the title “the son of perdition.”

Susie: Jesus asked whether Judas was truly betraying Him with a kiss—the sign of brotherly affection. He was proving himself to be a betrayer of the Lord and not truly a member of the family of God.

Ponder this and Apply it: Notice that in His darkest hour, Jesus urged the disciples to pray for THEMSELVES. He knew they would go through many trials after His arrest and especially after His death and would need strength. Many times, we intercede for others or ask for specific things (jobs, provision, healing) from the Lord; but how often do we pray, “Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13) as Jesus taught His disciples to pray? Each day we need to ask the Lord to enable us to respond with the mind of Christ in each situation we may face.