JESUS’ PRAYER BEFORE HIS ARREST AND THE DISCIPLES’ DESERTION (Mark 14:27–52)

This account of Jesus’ prediction of His disciples’ desertion, and its fulfillment at His arrest is interrupted by the account of Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane. In this way Mark emphasized that Jesus faced His final hour of testing alone with His Father, without human sympathy or support.

I. Jesus’ prediction of the disciples’ desertion and Peter’s denial (14:27–31)

27 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 “But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” 29 Peter said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.” 30 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” 31 But he spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all said likewise.

A. Jesus warned the disciples that they would all forsake Him.

Jesus predicted that all of the disciples would forsake him when it came to crunch time. The phrase fall away does not mean that the disciples would lose their faith in Jesus but that their courage in following him during the upcoming intense events would fail them. They would forsake him, but He then assured them that He would meet them again in Galilee after His resurrection.

Their minds and hearts were unable to receive and retain His words, for three days later, they did not believe the reports of His resurrection! And the angel had to give them a special reminder to meet Him in Galilee (Mark 16:6–7). Had they listened to His word and believed it, they would have saved themselves a great deal of anxiety; and Peter would not have denied the Lord.

B. Peter could not take it any longer.

Everyone else might lose their courage—but not him. Imagine telling God that he was wrong. Essentially, that is what foot-in-the-mouth Peter did. Even our best intentions do not always prove to be enough. Jesus was even more emphatic concerning Peter’s personal denial of him. The phrase, I tell you the truth, meant, “Not only will you deny me, but it will happen this very night.” Jesus further declared that in spite of hearing a rooster crow twice as a warning, there would be no stopping Peter’s denying Jesus as his Lord.

Peter was in denial. No way was this going to happen. Peter was just as emphatic in his belief that he would not deny Christ: Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you. Peter had no idea how weak he was spiritually and physically. His enthusiastic attitude must have been infectious; the other disciples were equally adamant that they would not deny Jesus.

II. Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane (14:32–42)

32 Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. 34 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.” 35 He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. 36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” 37 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39 Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words. 40 And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. 41 Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”

A. When about to experience great suffering, most people want to have someone with them.

Being perfectly human, Jesus wanted companionship as He faced the cross, and He selected Peter, James, and John, the same men who had accompanied Him to the home of Jairus (Mark 5:37) and to the Mount of Transfiguration.

The Garden of Gethsemane was one of Jesus’ favorite spots. He often went there with his disciples to be alone. Gethsemane was part of an olive orchard at the foot of the Mount of Olives. This garden was possibly the plot of land where an olive press extracted oil from the olives. Symbolically, Jesus would now be pressed hard concerning the fulfillment of his mission as the “sacrifice” for our sins.

Jesus knew what was about to happen to him on the cross. Not only would he suffer great physical agony but he would bear all of the sins of the world—past, present, and future. He would become the sin bearer; he would be forsaken by his own Father.

B. Jesus commanded them to keep watch.

Perhaps he was telling his disciples to “be on the lookout for those who are coming to arrest me” or “pray for me while I am praying.” I believe that it was more about His disciples praying for Him. Think about this, how would you feel if you knew you had to jump the Grand Canyon in your own strength with two people on your shoulders and your success determined the survival of all mankind. Overwhelmed, impossible, too much.

This is how Jesus felt. He was about to bear the penalty for the sins of all mankind. God would pour all of his judgment against humanity on Christ. Jesus fell to the ground because of this overwhelming task. He lay prone on the ground praying to his Father because of this heavy responsibility.

Here the Son wanted the comfort of his Father. The word Abba is the Aramaic word that means “Papa” or “Daddy.” The Jews did not use this word in addressing God because they felt it was disrespectful. But Jesus as the unique Son of God was on the most intimate terms with his Father.

Jesus knew that his Father could do anything, and he asked that he take this cup from me. Jesus showed us the clear purpose of prayer in the phrase, yet not what I will, but what you will. Prayer is not to get God to change his mind. Prayer is to align our desires and will to God’s desires and will. Jesus willingly placed his desires in submission to his Father’s will.

C. This seems to be a simple request—”keep watch.”

The disciples could not do it. Jesus, upon returning from the garden, found his disciples sleeping. They were tired. The time would have been around midnight or later, and it had been a long, emotion-filled day. Jesus singled out Peter, who claimed he would be there for Jesus. Yet, Jesus pointed out that Peter could not even watch for one hour.

After Jesus went to pray for the third time, he returned to find the disciples asleep again. The phrase, are you still sleeping and resting? shows the hurt Jesus must have felt.

Jesus’ word Enough! aroused the disciples. Then He announced, The hour has come. The Son of Man was about to be betrayed into the hands of sinners, specifically, hostile Sanhedrin members. His betrayer, Judas, had arrived. Instead of fleeing, Jesus and the three disciples (no doubt now joined by the other eight) advanced to meet Judas. The issue that prompted Jesus’ prayer had been settled.

III. Jesus’ betrayal and arrest and the disciples’ desertion (14:43–52)

43 And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely.” 45 As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. 46 Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him. 47 And one of those who stood by drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 48 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? 49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” 50 Then they all forsook Him and fled. 51 Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, 52 and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked.

A. Judas kissed Jesus as the sign that He was the one to arrest.

The fact that Judas brought such a large group of armed men is evidence that neither he nor the religious leaders really understood Jesus. They thought that Jesus would try to escape, or that His followers would put up a fight, or that perhaps He might do a miracle. Our Lord’s words in Mark 14:49 were proof that He was in control, for they could have arrested Him many times earlier, except that His hour had not yet come.

Peter did a foolish thing by attacking Malchus (John 18:10), for we do not fight spiritual battles with physical weapons (2 Cor. 10:3–5). He used the wrong weapon, at the wrong time, for the wrong purpose, with the wrong motive. Had Jesus not healed Malchus, Peter would have been arrested as well; and there might have been four crosses on Calvary

B. Jesus put an end to the hostilities.

Jesus asked those who came to arrest him, “Have you come out, as against a robber?” Jesus asked if he had shown any indications of being an insurgent or robber who was worthy of an arrest with swords and clubs.

Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. What he said and did took place openly, in broad daylight, while the course of events that enabled them to arrest him required secrecy and stealth. Despite the official sanction that cloaks their actions, they look more like robbers than he does. Nevertheless, his final comment in this scene—but the Scriptures must be fulfilled—signifies even to his followers who tried to remain faithful that Jesus would not oppose the mob that had come to arrest him.

Conclusion

We all may, and we all do, betray our Lord, though not as dramatically as Judas. It remains a heinous thing to do, and we are answerable. What Judas did not discover, though Peter did, and we now know, is that there is forgiveness even for such betrayals. (Judas took his own life, Mt. 27:3–5; Acts 1:16–20; while Peter was restored, Jn. 21:15–22.) And God can still take the broken and spoiled strands of life and weave them into the total tapestry (Rom. 8:28). We should never be complacent about sin, since all sin betrays Jesus: but nor should we be destroyed by remorse or guilt when sin overtakes us—there is forgiveness and restoration