The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

Context & Setting

• Main Biblical Reference: Matthew 26:47–56; Mark 14:43–52; Luke 22:47–53; John 18:1–11
• Historical Period: Roman-era Judea during the time of Passover
• Geographic Location: Jerusalem area, at the Mount of Olives (the garden called Gethsemane)
• Key Characters: Jesus, Judas Iscariot, the disciples (especially Peter), temple officers/guards, chief priests and elders

The Narrative

The Beginning:
After the Passover meal, Jesus goes with His disciples to a garden on the Mount of Olives, where He prays in deep anguish and prepares for what is coming. While He is still speaking with them, Judas arrives, having arranged to identify Jesus. A group comes with weapons, sent by the chief priests and other leaders.

The Middle:
Judas signals Jesus with a kiss, and the crowd moves to seize Him. Jesus confronts the situation openly, questioning why they come as though arresting a violent criminal, and He acknowledges that these events fulfill the Scriptures. When one disciple strikes the high priest’s servant and cuts off his ear, Jesus stops the violence; Luke notes that Jesus heals the man. John emphasizes that Jesus protects His disciples from arrest and that His surrender is voluntary.

The End:
Jesus allows Himself to be taken, and His disciples scatter in fear. He is led away toward the Jewish authorities for interrogation, marking the beginning of the formal proceedings that lead to His crucifixion. The arrest completes Judas’s betrayal and sets the Passion in motion.

Theological Meaning

This episode presents Jesus as the faithful, obedient Son who freely gives Himself over to suffering in accordance with God’s redemptive plan. The betrayal highlights human sin and broken loyalty, yet Jesus responds without retaliation, embodying His teaching to reject violence and to submit to the Father’s will. The arrest is not portrayed as Jesus being overpowered but as His purposeful surrender, initiating the sequence through which the New Covenant is established through His death and vindicated in His resurrection.

Historical & Cultural Insight

In the Second Temple period, the chief priests and Jerusalem temple authorities maintained their own security forces, often called temple police or officers. During major feasts like Passover—when Jerusalem’s population swelled—authorities could coordinate arrests to prevent unrest, which helps explain the presence of an organized group involved in Jesus’ nighttime seizure.

Key Memory Verse

“Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” — John 18:11