Three Years That Changed the World – Lesson 20

Betrayal in the Garden

(Jesus in John 18)

Jesus finished his teaching time with his disciples (John 13-17):

1. He taught them to serve (John 13)
2. He comforted and encouraged them (John 14)
3. He taught them to lean into him, abide in him, obey him and to love him (John 15)
4. He prepared them for what was about to take place with not just himself (death on a cross) but also the persecution they would face (John 16)
5. He taught them how to pray (John 17)

After Jesus finished praying, he and the disciples left Jerusalem, then cross the Kidron Valley, and head to the western slope of the Mount of Olives where they will visit the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus frequented this area to teach his disciples and to pour out his heart to the Father. It will be Judas who betrays Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and his personal knowledge of its significance will aid Judas as he guides the religious leaders in arresting Jesus there. It is sad to think that Judas (a trusted friend) will betray Jesus in this sacred place, but Judas, who is motivated by greed, seems to care more for himself than anything else.

There is an interesting parallel to another garden mentioned in the Bible – the Garden of Eden, where a different type of betrayal occurred.

The Garden of Eden

1. A beautiful place where God walked and communed directly with Adam and Eve
2. A perfect place of intimacy between God and his creation
3. A place where Satan tempted Eve to betray God (commit sin) and led Adam to do the same

The Garden of Gethsemane

1. A sacred place where Jesus communed with his Father
2. A quiet place where Jesus often taught his disciples and shared his deepest thoughts
3. A place where Satan led Judas to betray Jesus

The remainder of John 18 tells the story of the arrest of Jesus, his 3 religious trials and his 3 civil trials, along with Peter’s denial of Jesus, not just once but 3 times.

It is worthwhile to stop and remind ourselves that, despite the hatred, jealousy and evil desires that the Jewish religious leaders had toward Jesus, they were only capable of pulling off this sham trial and ultimately the most vile and criminal death sentence ever brought against an innocent man, because God allowed it. This plot to kill Jesus had been in the works for some time (John 5:18) but now in God’s timing he permitted Judas to betray him and hand him over to the religious leaders so they could carry out their plans to silence Jesus. Sadly, Pilate is unable to stop the vehement and vicious hatred the religious leaders had for Jesus, and as we will see in the next chapter, they will cry out – “crucify him”!