Gospels In Harmony – Christ Begins His Three Days in the Earth

Mat 26:46-57, Mark 14:41-53, Luke 22:47-54, John 18:3-14

[Study Aired January 4, 2022]

Mark 14:41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 
Matt 26:46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
Mark 14:43 And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, 
John 18:3 having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, 
Mark 14:43 and the scribes and the elders cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. 
Matt 26:48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
Mark 14:44 and lead him away safely. 
John 18:4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? 
John 18:5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.
John 18:6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
John 18:7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
John 18:8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
John 18:9 That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.
Matt 26:49 And forthwith Judas came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.
Matt 26:50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come?
Luke 22:48 Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?
Matt 26:50 Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus,
Luke 22:49 When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
John 18:10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
Luke 22:51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him. 
John 18:11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
Matt 26:52 for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Matt 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
Matt 26:54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
Luke 22:52 Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?
Luke 22:53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
Matt 26:56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. 
Mark 14:51 And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:
Mark 14:52 And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked. 
John 18:12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, 
John 18:13 And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.
Matt 26:57 where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
John 18:14 Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

In our study today Christ is taken into custody by the leaders of the Jews. They have had enough of the Gospel of Christ and have judged him to be a heretic worthy of death. In our last study Christ was at His wits’ end and begged the Father to release Him from what was to come, if it were His will. After an angel ministered to him, Christ, knowing the will of the Father, submitted to the Father’s will. Now it is time for the three days in the heart of the earth to begin.

Matt 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

The preaching of the gospel is now over, and the next stage has begun.

Mark 14:41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 
Matt 26:46 Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.
Mark 14:43 And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, 
John 18:3 having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, 
Mark 14:43 and the scribes and the elders cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. 
Matt 26:48 Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.
Mark 14:44 and lead him away safely.

Judas was chosen to betray our Lord. This is for our sake. Christ must go away so the Comforter can come.

John 16:7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

Christ knew what was going to take place and boldly spoke to the group coming to seize him, and it shocked them.

John 18:4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?
John 18:5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.
John 18:6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.

This is a fulfillment of the scriptures.

Psa 40:13-15 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me. Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil. Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.

Psa 70:1-3 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. Make haste, O God, to deliver me; make haste to help me, O LORD. Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt. Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha.

Isa 28:11-13 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Christ asks them a second time.

John 18:7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
John 18:8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way:
John 18:9 That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.

John 17:11-12 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Only the son of perdition is lost. Judas represents the son of perdition within each of us. We all have betrayed Christ and come short of the glory of God.

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Judas now fulfills his calling.

Matt 26:49 And forthwith Judas came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him.
Matt 26:50 And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore art thou come?
Luke 22:48 Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?
Matt 26:50 Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus,

Now the other disciples are fearful of losing the Lord and want to take action.

Luke 22:49 When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?
John 18:10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.

Peter drew his sword and cut off the right ear of the high priest’s servant. This has been set up since the foundation of the world in order to destroy the old and bring in the new. Christ performs His last miracle and heals the injured man.

Luke 22:51 And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him.

The right ear, being one member of the body, must be healed so the body can be one.

1Co 12:12-21 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

Christ now scolds the disciples, reminding them that their way is not His way.

John 18:11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
Matt 26:52 for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Matt 26:53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
Matt 26:54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?

The scriptures must be fulfilled.

Isa 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

At this stage in our walk we resist evil, thinking it is the right thing to do. Christ must do the will of the Father and resist not evil.

Matt 5:38-39 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Christ now acknowledges to the Jews that it is their time to take Him so the scripture will be fulfilled.

Luke 22:52 Then Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and the elders, which were come to him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and staves?
Luke 22:53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
Matt 26:56 But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

The disciples have now forsaken Christ not long after they swore they would never be offended.

Matt 26:31-33 Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

We do not have the faith required to not be offended at this time in our walk with Christ. Until the holy spirit comes to us, we will be offended by the truth.

Mark 14:51 And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:
Mark 14:52 And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

This man represents our old man’s sin being uncovered because of our lack of faith and understanding what is taking place.

John 18:12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, 
John 18:13 And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.
Matt 26:57 where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
John 18:14 Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

As was mentioned earlier, Christ is now captive in the earth, and His judgment is beginning. We all go through this same judgment and must submit to what is written in our books.

Matt 16-18 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.

Christ does make a way of escape for us and will not lose any he has been given.

Matt 10:19-22 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Joh 6:39-40 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.