Image: “Behold the Man” by Antonio Ciseri ​(dated AD 1860-1880)

Starter

Do you think there’s darkness and ​light in the world? What is the ​dynamic between the two?

CONTEXT

One of the most significant events in ​Jesus’ life was his death. Luke frames his ​biography around Jesus’ ministry in ​Galilee (chapters 4-9), his journey to ​Jerusalem (chapters 9-19), and his ​ministry and suffering in Jerusalem ​(chapters 19-23). Jerusalem was the ​capital city of the Jews and the center of ​Jewish religious life. For Jesus, it was the ​city of destiny. Jesus enters Jerusalem on ​the Sunday of Passover week, a Jewish ​celebration of God’s deliverance of Israel ​from oppression in Egypt. Luke says that ​“Jesus was teaching daily in the temple ​courts. The chief priests and the experts ​in the law and the prominent leaders ​among the people were seeking to ​assassinate him, but they could not find a ​way to do it, for all the people hung on his ​words.” (Luke 19:47–48)

The REIGN OF DARKNESS

22:1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. 2 The chief priests and the experts in the law were trying to find some way to execute Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.

3 Then Satan entered Judas, the one called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve. 4 He went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers of the temple guard how he might betray Jesus, handing him over to them. 5 They were delighted and arranged to give him money. 6 So Judas agreed and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus when no crowd was present.

The enemies of Jesus found an ​opportunity to arrest him on the evening ​of Passover. After eating the Passover ​meal with his disciples – a famous event ​which would later be known as “the Last ​Supper” – Jesus went to the Mount of ​Olives near the city and prayed.

45 When he got up from prayer, he ​came to the disciples and found them ​sleeping, exhausted from grief. 46 So he ​said to them, “Why are you sleeping? ​Get up and pray that you will not fall ​into temptation!” 47 While he was still ​speaking, suddenly a crowd appeared, ​and the man named Judas, one of the ​twelve, was leading them. He walked up ​to Jesus to kiss him. 48 But Jesus said to ​him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of ​Man with a kiss?”

49 When those who were around him saw what was about to happen, they said, “Lord, should we use our swords?” 50 Then one of them struck the high priest’s slave, cutting off his right ear. 51 But Jesus said, “Enough of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him. 52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders who had come out to get him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs like you would against an outlaw? 53 Day after day when I was with you in the temple courts, you did not arrest me. But this is your hour, and that of the power of darkness!”

On that dark day, the son of God was ​brought down by the ancient foe of God’s ​people. Satan killed Jesus – the blood of ​the Messiah would soon drip fresh on the ​serpent’s fangs. But Satan didn’t act ​alone. Mankind killed the Son of God. ​Jesus’ blood was on the hands of Judas, ​the disciple who betrayed his master; it ​was on the hands of the religious leaders, ​who sought his execution; and, as the ​next study reveals, it was on the hands of ​the Roman government and a shouting ​Jewish crowd. From a Biblical perspective, ​this was the darkest day in history.

THE REIGN OF LIGHT

The following episode took place before Jesus’ arrest, after the Last Supper with his disciples.

39 Then Jesus went out and made his way, as he customarily did, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 When he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”41 He went away from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.”

Earlier that evening, Jesus said “the Son ​of Man is to go just as it has been ​determined” (Luke 22:22) and “I tell you ​that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ​‘And he was counted with the ​transgressors.’ For what is written about ​me is being fulfilled” (Luke 22:37). Jesus ​recognized that his suffering had been ​determined by God and prophesied about ​in the Old Testament. The passage below ​is an ancient prophecy concerning God’s ​Servant – it was written hundreds of years ​before Jesus was born.

53:5 … he was pierced for our ​transgressions, he was crushed for our ​iniquities; the punishment that brought ​us peace was on him, and by his wounds ​we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have ​gone astray, each of us has turned to ​our own way; and the LORD has laid on ​him the iniquity of us all.

12 …he poured out his life unto death, ​and was numbered with the ​transgressors. For he bore the sin of ​many, and made intercession for the ​transgressors. (Isaiah 53, NIV)

What does this story teach about Jesus?

What does this story teach about us?

PREVIEW

Jesus stepped into the night. The Son of ​God allowed the darkness to have its way ​with him. According to the ancient ​prophecy, the Chosen One would suffer ​for the salvation of God’s people. His ​death would make atonement for their ​sins – his blood would be shed in their ​stead. On that fateful night, the Serpent ​reared its ugly head, the disciple betrayed ​his master, and the Messiah fell into the ​hands of his enemies. In the next study, ​the darkness culminates in the grisly ​execution of the one born Savior King. Yet ​remarkably, in the very reign of darkness, ​the reign of Light accomplished its ​glorious purposes.

Questions

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The Jesus Story is brought to you by Christ Community Church of San Jose

The Scriptures quoted are from the NET Bible® https://netbible.com copyright ©1996, 2019 used with permission from Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.