Jesus completed the Passover meal with his disciples, and after a rich, private conversation with them, he lifted his face to heaven and prayed.

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son that your Son may glorify you.” John 17:1

“When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.

Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples.” John 18:1-2

At any point Jesus could have turned away from what lay before him, but instead he quietly walked toward it. He chose to go to a spot that Judas knew well and make it easy for his betrayer to find him.

Jesus Prays to His Father

It was very late by now. Jesus stopped and invited most of his disciples to sit down and wait while he prayed. He asked Peter, James and John to come a little farther with him and as they walked Jesus began to be deeply distressed and troubled. He told his friends,

“‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.’

“Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”” Matthew 26:38-39

Jesus was physically staggered at the horrible suffering that lay ahead of him. The human part of him drew back and prayed that it might not happen. But the divine part of him knew he would fulfill his Father’s will despite the sorrow and extreme pain he faced.

The Cup Jesus Had to Drink

What was it about the cup that Jesus dreaded? The cup was boiling with God’s wrath against sin. We read about this cup in the Old Testament.

“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: ‘Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. When they drink it, they will stagger and go mad because of the sword I will send among them.’ So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and made all the nations to whom he sent me drink it: Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a ruin and an object of horror and scorn and cursing, as they are today.” Jeremiah 25:15-18

Jesus looked into the cup of punishment containing the wrath of God against sin and he was horrified.  He didn’t want to drink it, but he wanted the will of his Father to be done and there was no other way to accomplish it. If Jesus did not drink the cup of God’s wrath, everyone who ever sinned would have to drink it and perish. Jesus drank the cup because God wanted to save people from sin and death.

But it provoked anguish that was so intense his sweat fell like drops of blood to the ground and an angel appeared to him and strengthened him. (Luke 22:41-44)

The Disciples Fail Jesus

Jesus asked Peter, James and John to keep watch with him as he prayed. It would have been a great comfort to have his friends with him in his hour of extreme sorrow, but they couldn’t keep their eyes open. Three times he asked them to stay awake and pray for him as he went to meet with his Father, but each time he returned to find them asleep.

Finally he said, “Look the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” Matthew 26:45-46

Judas arrived leading a large crowd of men armed with swords, clubs, torches and lanterns.

“Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: ‘The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.’ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kissed him.

“Jesus replied, ‘Do what you came for, friend.’” Matthew 26:48-50

When the men stepped forward to seize Jesus, Simon Peter drew his sword and cut off the right ear of the high priest’s servant. Jesus restored the ear and told Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” John 18:11

Mark and Matthew record that when Jesus didn’t resist arrest all of his disciples deserted him and fled. As much as they loved Jesus they were too terrified to stay with him. Yet Jesus didn’t get angry with them; he acted like God toward them.

“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love . . . He does not treat us as our sins deserve . . . for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.” Psalm 103:8,10,14.

Jesus Surrenders

“Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, ‘Who is it you want?’

‘Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied.

‘I am he,’ Jesus said.

“When he said, ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.” John 18:4-6

Jesus gave them a moment to regain their composure then asked them again who they were looking for. When they confirmed that it was Jesus of Nazareth they wanted, he asked them to set free any of his friends who were still there with him.

The soldiers bound Jesus although it wasn’t really necessary. He had already surrendered to them without a struggle.

The Trial Begins

The detachment of soldiers took Jesus back across the Kidron Valley and up to the house of Annas the priest. Peter and John followed at a safe distance, but when they reached the house, John was able to go inside the courtyard with Jesus. He came out soon after and brought Peter inside, too.

The servant girl who attended the door asked Peter if he was one of Jesus’ disciples. “He replied, ‘I am not.’” (John 18:17) Peter moved across the courtyard and joined some servants and officials warming themselves by a fire.

Meanwhile, the high priest began interrogating Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

“I have spoken openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.” John 18:20-21

One of the officials slapped Jesus for sounding impertinent, but Jesus was simple telling the truth. He had never hidden who he was, never spoken in secret. It was his right to force this sham court to admit they had nothing against him.

“‘If I said something wrong,’ Jesus replied, ‘testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?’” John 18:23

Annas didn’t want anything more to do with this case, so he sent Jesus to his son-in-law Caiaphas who was serving as the high priest that year. It would be up to Caiaphas to carry out the will of the Jewish Ruling Council and make sure Jesus was condemned to death.