The Son of Man will be delivered to men (Lk 9:43-9:44)

“Jesus said

To his disciples.

‘Let these words

Sink into your ears!

The Son of Man

Is going to be

Betrayed

Into human hands.’”

 

εἶπεν πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ Θέσθε ὑμεῖς εἰς τὰ ὦτα ὑμῶν τοὺς λόγους τούτους· ὁ γὰρ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου μέλλει παραδίδοσθαι εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων.

 

Luke indicated that Jesus said to his disciples (εἶπεν πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ) that they should let these words sink into their ears (Θέσθε ὑμεῖς εἰς τὰ ὦτα ὑμῶν τοὺς λόγους τούτους).  The Son of Man (ὁ γὰρ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου) was about to be betrayed (μέλλει παραδίδοσθαι) into human hands (εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων).  Luke had Jesus insist that they listen to what he had to say to them.  This saying about the fate of the Son of Man can also be found in Matthew, chapter 17:22, and Mark, chapter 9:31, but they both mentioned the death and resurrection of Jesus that was not mentioned here.  Mark said that Jesus was teaching his disciples.  Thus, he told them that the Son of Man was about to be betrayed into human hands, without mentioning any particular group.  They were going to put him to death.  However, after being killed, three days later he would rise again.  Matthew said that Jesus and his disciples were gathering together in Galilee, probably getting ready to go to Jerusalem.  Jesus told them that the Son of Man was about to be betrayed by human hands, without mentioning any particular group as he had done earlier.  They were going to kill him.  However, on the third day, he would be raised up.  There was no mention of the death and resurrection of Jesus here in Luke, just his human betrayal.  Have you ever betrayed anyone?

The cock crowed a second time (Mk 14:72-14:72)

“At that moment,

The cock crowed

For the second time.

Then Peter remembered

That Jesus

Had said to him.

‘Before the cock

Crows twice,

You will deny me

Three times.’

He broke down

And wept.”

 

καὶ εὐθὺς ἐκ δευτέρου ἀλέκτωρ ἐφώνησεν. καὶ ἀνεμνήσθη ὁ Πέτρος τὸ ῥῆμα ὡς εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι Πρὶν ἀλέκτορα δὶς φωνῆσαι τρίς με ἀπαρνήσῃ· καὶ ἐπιβαλὼν ἔκλαιεν.

 

This is almost word for word in Matthew, chapter 26:74-75, except that Mark has the cock crowing twice instead of once.  In Luke, chapter 22:60-62, not only does the cock crow, but Peter sees Jesus look at him to remind him of his failures.  John, chapter 18:27, has only the simple remark that the cock crowed when Peter denied Jesus the 3rd time, without Peter weeping.  Mark recounted that at that moment when the rooster cock crowed for a second time (καὶ εὐθὺς ἐκ δευτέρου ἀλέκτωρ ἐφώνησεν), Peter remembered what Jesus had said to him (καὶ ἀνεμνήσθη ὁ Πέτρος τὸ ῥῆμα ὡς εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς).  Before the cock or the rooster crowed twice (ὅτι Πρὶν ἀλέκτορα δὶς φωνῆσαι), he would deny, disown, or repudiate Jesus 3 times (τρὶς με ἀπαρνήσῃ).  Thus, Peter broke down and wept or lamented bitterly (καὶ ἐπιβαλὼν ἔκλαιεν).  The early followers of Jesus, the primitive Christian community, were in shambles.  Both Peter and Judas, two of the 12 leaders, had betrayed Jesus, while Jesus himself was about to be led off to death.  Do you have good leaders?

Peter was confronted a third time (Mk 14:70-14:70)

“Then after a little while,

The bystanders again

Said to Peter.

‘Certainly!

You are one of them!

You are a Galilean!’”

 

καὶ μετὰ μικρὸν πάλιν οἱ παρεστῶτες ἔλεγον τῷ Πέτρῳ Ἀληθῶς ἐξ αὐτῶν εἶ· καὶ γὰρ Γαλιλαῖος εἶ.

 

This is similar to Matthew, chapter 26:73, Luke, chapter 22:59, and John, chapter 18:26, with some changes.  Peter was confronted a 3rd time.  John said that a man recognized, Peter, because he was a relative of the one whose ear Peter had cut off.  Matthew said that after a little while some of the bystanders approached Peter.  Luke said that it was about an hour later when another person came up to Peter.  Mark, like Matthew, said that that after a little while (καὶ μετὰ μικρὸν), some bystanders again said to Peter (ἔλεγον τῷ Πέτρῳ) that he certainly was one of those followers of Jesus (Ἀληθῶς ἐξ αὐτῶν εἶ), because he was from Galilee (καὶ γὰρ Γαλιλαῖος εἶ), a Galilean.  Matthew added that Peter’s accent in his speech betrayed him as a man from Galilee.  For a 3td time, Peter was accused of being a man from Galilee, a follower of Jesus of Nazareth.  You can never escape your accent.

 

Are you still sleeping? (Mk 14:41-14:41)

“Jesus came

A third time.

He said to them.

‘Are you still sleeping?

Are you still

Taking your rest?

Enough!

The hour has come!

The Son of man

Is betrayed

Into the hands

Of sinners.’”

 

καὶ ἔρχεται τὸ τρίτον καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς Καθεύδετε τὸ λοιπὸν καὶ ἀναπαύεσθε· ἀπέχει· ἦλθεν ἡ ὥρα, ἰδοὺ παραδίδοται ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εἰς τὰς χεῖρας τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν.

 

This is almost word for word in Matthew, chapter 26:45.  In Luke, chapter 22, and John, chapter 22, there is nothing more about these sleeping disciples of Jesus.  Mark recounted that Jesus came to his 3 disciples for a 3rd time (καὶ ἔρχεται τὸ τρίτον).  He spoke to them (καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς).  He wanted to know why they were still sleeping and taking their rest (Καθεύδετε τὸ λοιπὸν καὶ ἀναπαύεσθε)?  Jesus told them that this was enough (ἀπέχει).  He woke them up to tell them that the hour had come (ἦλθεν ἡ ὥρα) when the Son of Man was going to be betrayed or handed over (ἰδοὺ παραδίδοται ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου) into the hands of sinners (εἰς τὰς χεῖρας τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν).  The time for sleeping was over.

 

Woe to the betrayer! (Mk 14:21-14:21)

“The Son of Man

Goes

As it is written

Of him.

But woe

To that one

By whom

The Son of man

Is betrayed!

It would have been better

For that man

Not to have been born.”

 

ὅτι ὁ μὲν Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὑπάγει καθὼς γέγραπται περὶ αὐτοῦ· οὐαὶ δὲ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκείνῳ δι’ οὗ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται· καλὸν αὐτῷ εἰ οὐκ ἐγεννήθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος.

 

This is similar, exactly word for word, to Matthew, chapter 26:24, but more summarized in Luke, chapter 22:22.  Mark, like Matthew, indicated that Jesus said that the Son of Man would go to death (ὅτι ὁ μὲν Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὑπάγει), as it was written about him (καθὼς γέγραπται περὶ αὐτοῦ).  Was this a reference to the Suffering Servant in Isaiah, chapters 52-53, and Psalm 22?  However, then Jesus cursed the man who would betray the Son of Man (οὐαὶ δὲ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐκείνῳ δι’ οὗ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται).  He said that it would have been better if that man had never been born (καλὸν αὐτῷ εἰ οὐκ ἐγεννήθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἐκεῖνος).  This was a very strong curse, but without an exact identification for whom it was meant.

The prediction about the future (Mk 9:31-9:31)

“Jesus was teaching

His disciples.

He said to them.

‘The Son of Man

Will be betrayed

Into human hands.

They will kill him.

Three days after

Being killed,

He will rise again.’”

 

ἐδίδασκεν γὰρ τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς ὅτι Ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν, καὶ ἀποκτανθεὶς μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἀναστήσεται.

 

This saying about the fate of the Son of Man can also be found in Matthew, chapter 17:22-23, and Luke, chapter 9:44, with some minor changes.  This was not the first time that Jesus had talked about his future betrayal, death, and resurrection, since it was mentioned earlier in this work in chapters 8:31 and 9:12.  Mark said that Jesus was teaching his disciples (ἐδίδασκεν γὰρ τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ).  He told them (καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς) that the Son of Man (ὅτι Ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου) was about to be betrayed into human hands (παραδίδοται εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων), without mentioning any particular group.  They were going to kill him or put him to death (καὶ ἀποκτενοῦσιν αὐτόν).  However, after being killed (καὶ ἀποκτανθεὶς). three days later (μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας), he would rise again (ἀναστήσεται).

Judas Iscariot (Mk 3:19-3:19)

“There was Judas Iscariot,

Who betrayed him.”

 

καὶ Ἰούδαν Ἰσκαριώθ, ὃς καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτόν.

 

Judas Iscariot can be found in all the lists of the apostles in Matthew, chapter 10:3-4, and in Luke, chapter 6:14-16.  However, Mark gave him special attention at the end.  He named him (καὶ Ἰούδαν Ἰσκαριώθ).  Then he said that he was the one who betrayed Jesus (ὃς καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτόν).  The list was now complete.

Conclusion: Passion, Resurrection and Great Commission

 

This gospel concluded with the events of the last week of Jesus, a main preoccupation of all four gospels.  Jesus had entered Jerusalem in triumph.  He held a last supper and prayed to be spared.  He was betrayed by Judas.  Then he was tried by the Jewish leaders and before The roman governor Pontius Pilate.  Jesus was crucified as king of the Jews and mocked by all.  At his death, there was an earthquake, when the veil of the Temple was cut in two, and the saints rose from their tombs.  Mary Magdalene and the other women discovered the empty tomb.  Jesus told them to tell the disciples to meet him in Galilee.

There was a plot to kill Jesus.  Jesus spoke to his disciples and gave his fourth prediction about the death of the Son of Man.  Then the chief priests and the elders gathered to plot the arrest of Jesus.  However, before that, there was an anointing by the unnamed women in Bethany as she poured oil on Jesus.  Others wanted to know why she was wasting oil.  Jesus said that she had done a good thing by anointing him for burial.  Thus, she would be remembered.  Meanwhile, Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.

Then they made the preparations for the Passover.  Where would the Passover be?  There was a house for the Passover meal, as the disciples prepared for the Passover evening meal.  Jesus announced the betrayal.  Who would betray Jesus?  This betrayer would be cursed, as Judas spoke out.  At the Last Supper Eucharist, Jesus said that this was his body and blood with eschatological implications.

They went to the Mount of Olives.  Jesus predicted that the apostles would scatter.  He was going to go to Galilee.  Peter said that he would never desert Jesus.  Then Jesus warned Peter about his desertion, but Peter was adamant that he would never deny Jesus.

They went to Gethsemane as Jesus took his three favorite apostles.  He prayed to his Father while these apostles slept.  There was a second prayer of Jesus, as he came a second time to the sleeping apostles.  He prayed a third time.  Then Jesus woke them up.

Judas arrived and kissed Jesus, as they then seized Jesus.  Someone cut off the ear of the high priest’s slave.  However, Jesus told them to put their swords away as the disciples fled.

Jesus went before Caiaphas the high priest, while Peter followed Jesus to the courtyard of the high priest.  They were looking for false testimony.  Finally, two witnesses came forward.  The high priest spoke and Jesus responded.  He called the words of Jesus blasphemy, as they mocked Jesus.  Peter’s denied Jesus three time and then he remembered Jesus’ words.

The elders and Pharisees planned to kill Jesus.  They would deliver Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor.  Meanwhile, Judas repented, but he hung himself.  He returned the pieces of silver to the Temple, but it was used to purchase a graveyard called the Field of Blood to fulfill a prophecy of Jeremiah.

Jesus went before Pilate as he asked him if he was the king of the Jews?  However, Jesus did not respond.  The governor was going to release one prisoner at the festival time.  However, the people wanted the prisoner Barabbas rather than Jesus.  Pilate got a warning from his wife.  Nevertheless, the crowd wanted to crucify Jesus.  Pilate claimed that he was innocent of his blood but the crowds said that his blood be on us.  Barabbas was then released.  Jesus went to the governor’s head quarters where the Roman soldiers mocked him.

They prepared Jesus for the crucifixion.  They got Simon of Cyrene to help with the cross as they went to Golgotha.  They divided his garments and wrote on the cross Jesus, King of the Jews.  There were two robbers who derided and and taunted Jesus, just like the Jewish religious leaders had mocked Jesus.

Darkness fell over the land as Jesus died.  The cry of Jesus was interpreted as a call to Elijah.  They gave him sour wine to drink.  Would Elijah save Jesus?  When Jesus died, the Temple curtain was torn in two.  Tombs opened and the dead rose and appeared in Jerusalem.  He truly was  the Son of God.

There were women from Galilee, especially the women called Mary.  Joseph of Arimathea got the body of Jesus and put it in his tomb as the women called Mary were vigilant.  Meanwhile, there was a gathering with Pilate, since the Jewish religious leaders wanted to have the tomb secure.  Thus, a custodial guard was set up at the tomb.

The two Marys visited the tomb, where there was another earthquake with an angel at the tomb.  The guards were afraid, but the angel speaks to the women to tell them to let the disciples know what happened.  The women left the tomb and Jesus appeared to them.  Meanwhile, the guards told the chief priests in Jerusalem what had happened.  These religious leaders paid the guards to tell everyone that someone stole the body of Jesus while they were sleeping.  Thus, this stolen body story spread.

After the resurrection, the remaining eleven disciples returned to an unnamed mountain in Galilee.  There the post-resurrection Jesus gave them authority in heaven and on earth with his great commission:  They were to make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them with a Trinitarian formula.  They were to follow his commandments because Jesus would be with them until the end of time.

Peter remembers Jesus’ words (Mt 26:74-26:75)

“At that moment,

The cock crowed.

Then Peter remembered

What Jesus had said.

‘Before the cock crows,

You will deny me

Three times.’

He went out.

He wept bitterly.”

 

καὶ εὐθὺς ἀλέκτωρ ἐφώνησεν.

καὶ ἐμνήσθη ὁ Πέτρος τοῦ ῥήματος Ἰησοῦ εἰρηκότος ὅτι Πρὶν ἀλέκτορα φωνῆσαι τρὶς ἀπαρνήσῃ με· καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἔξω ἔκλαυσεν πικρῶς

 

This is almost word for word in Mark, chapter 14:72, except that Mark has the cock crowing twice instead of once.  In Luke, chapter 22:60-62, not only does the cock crow, but Peter sees Jesus look at him to remind him of his failures.  John, chapter 18:27, has only the simple remark that the cock crowed when Peter denied Jesus the 3rd time, without Peter weeping.  Matthew recounts that at that moment when the rooster cock crowed (καὶ εὐθὺς ἀλέκτωρ ἐφώνησεν), Peter remembered what Jesus had said (καὶ ἐμνήσθη ὁ Πέτρος τοῦ ῥήματος Ἰησοῦ εἰρηκότος).  Before the cock or the rooster crowed (ὅτι Πρὶν ἀλέκτορα φωνῆσαι), he would deny, disown, or repudiate Jesus 3 times (τρὶς ἀπαρνήσῃ με).  Thus, Peter went out and wept or lamented bitterly (καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἔξω ἔκλαυσεν πικρῶς).  The early followers of Jesus, the primitive Christian community, were in shambles.  Both Peter and Judas, two of the 12 leaders, had betrayed Jesus, while Jesus himself was about to be led off to death.

Fourth prediction about the death of the Son of Man (Mt 26:2-26:2)

“You know

That after two days

The Passover is coming.

The Son of Man

Will be handed over

To be crucified.”

 

Οἴδατε ὅτι μετὰ δύο ἡμέρας τὸ πάσχα γίνεται, καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται εἰς τὸ σταυρωθῆναι.

 

This is something similar to this in Mark, chapter 14:1, and in Luke, chapter 22:1, where there was talk of the Passover in 2 days, but no mention of the future death of Jesus.  Jesus said to his disciples that they should know (Οἴδατε) that in 2 days (μετὰ δύο ἡμέρας), the Passover would take place (τὸ πάσχα γίνεται), just like in Mark and Luke.   However, Matthew has Jesus issue his 4th prediction about his death.  He said that Son of Man (καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου) would be betrayed or handed over to be crucified (παραδίδοται εἰς τὸ σταυρωθῆναι).  This was similar to the same predictions in the preceding chapters, 16:21-23, 17:22-23, and 20:17:19.  The Passover was a major Jewish celebration in Jerusalem, celebrating the Israelite Exodus from Egypt.