Arrest of Jesus
Encyclopedia
The arrest of Jesus is a pivotal event recorded in the Canonical gospels. The event ultimately leads, in the Gospel accounts, to Jesus' crucifixion
. Jesus was arrested by the Temple guards of the Sanhedrin
in the Garden of Gethsemane
, shortly after the Last Supper
(during which Jesus gave his final sermon), and immediately after the Kiss of Judas, which is traditionally said to have been an act of betrayal.
The arrest led immediately to his trial before the Sanhedrin
, during which they condemn him to death. In Christian theology
, the events from the Last Supper until the death and resurrection of Jesus
are referred to as The Passion
.
According to the Canonical Gospels, after the Last Supper
, Jesus and his disciples travel to Gethsemane
, a garden located at the edge of the Kidron Valley
, thought by scholars to probably have been an olive grove. Once there he is described as leaving the group so that he can pray privately.
The synoptic
s state that Jesus asked God that his burden be taken from him, and requesting not to need to undergo the events that he was due to, though giving the final choice to God. Luke states that an angel
appeared and strengthened Jesus, who then returned to his disciples. The synoptics state that the three disciples that were with Jesus had fallen asleep, and that Jesus criticized them for failing to stay awake even for an hour, suggesting that they pray so that they can avoid temptation.
At this point Judas
appears on the scene, accompanied by a crowd that includes the Jewish priests and elders and people with weapons. When the band of men enters the garden in search of Jesus
, he steps forth and asks them, "Whom seek ye?". They answer that they were indeed seeking Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus replied and spoke, "I am He", at which point all members of the arrest party fall back and on the ground.
At this point Judas gives Jesus a kiss
, as a pre-arranged sign to those that had accompanied Judas as to who Jesus was. Having been identified, the crowd arrests Jesus, although one of Jesus' disciples tries to stop them by using a sword to cut off the ear of one of the men in the crowd. The Gospel of John specifies that it had been Simon Peter who had cut off the ear of Malchus
, a servant of Caiaphas
, the high priest. Luke adds that Jesus healed the wound. John, Matthew, and Luke state that Jesus criticized the violent act, insisting that they do not resist Jesus' arrest. In Matthew, Jesus makes the well known statement: all who live by the sword, shall die by the sword
.
Crucifixion of Jesus
The crucifixion of Jesus and his ensuing death is an event that occurred during the 1st century AD. Jesus, who Christians believe is the Son of God as well as the Messiah, was arrested, tried, and sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged, and finally executed on a cross...
. Jesus was arrested by the Temple guards of the Sanhedrin
Sanhedrin
The Sanhedrin was an assembly of twenty-three judges appointed in every city in the Biblical Land of Israel.The Great Sanhedrin was the supreme court of ancient Israel made of 71 members...
in the Garden of Gethsemane
Gethsemane
Gethsemane is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem most famous as the place where, according to Biblical texts, Jesus and his disciples are said to have prayed the night before Jesus' crucifixion.- Etymology :...
, shortly after the Last Supper
Last Supper
The Last Supper is the final meal that, according to Christian belief, Jesus shared with his Twelve Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The Last Supper provides the scriptural basis for the Eucharist, also known as "communion" or "the Lord's Supper".The First Epistle to the Corinthians is...
(during which Jesus gave his final sermon), and immediately after the Kiss of Judas, which is traditionally said to have been an act of betrayal.
The arrest led immediately to his trial before the Sanhedrin
Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus
The Sanhedrin trial of Jesus refers to the Canonical Gospel accounts of the trial of Jesus before the Jewish Council, or Sanhedrin, following his arrest and prior to his trial before Pontius Pilate...
, during which they condemn him to death. In Christian theology
Christian theology
- Divisions of Christian theology :There are many methods of categorizing different approaches to Christian theology. For a historical analysis, see the main article on the History of Christian theology.- Sub-disciplines :...
, the events from the Last Supper until the death and resurrection of Jesus
Crucifixion of Jesus
The crucifixion of Jesus and his ensuing death is an event that occurred during the 1st century AD. Jesus, who Christians believe is the Son of God as well as the Messiah, was arrested, tried, and sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged, and finally executed on a cross...
are referred to as The Passion
Passion (Christianity)
The Passion is the Christian theological term used for the events and suffering – physical, spiritual, and mental – of Jesus in the hours before and including his trial and execution by crucifixion...
.
Biblical narrative
Last Supper
The Last Supper is the final meal that, according to Christian belief, Jesus shared with his Twelve Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The Last Supper provides the scriptural basis for the Eucharist, also known as "communion" or "the Lord's Supper".The First Epistle to the Corinthians is...
, Jesus and his disciples travel to Gethsemane
Gethsemane
Gethsemane is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem most famous as the place where, according to Biblical texts, Jesus and his disciples are said to have prayed the night before Jesus' crucifixion.- Etymology :...
, a garden located at the edge of the Kidron Valley
Kidron Valley
The Kidron Valley is the valley on the eastern side of The Old City of Jerusalem which features significantly in the Bible...
, thought by scholars to probably have been an olive grove. Once there he is described as leaving the group so that he can pray privately.
The synoptic
Synoptic Gospels
The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the Synoptic Gospels because they include many of the same stories, often in the same sequence, and sometimes exactly the same wording. This degree of parallelism in content, narrative arrangement, language, and sentence structures can only be...
s state that Jesus asked God that his burden be taken from him, and requesting not to need to undergo the events that he was due to, though giving the final choice to God. Luke states that an angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
appeared and strengthened Jesus, who then returned to his disciples. The synoptics state that the three disciples that were with Jesus had fallen asleep, and that Jesus criticized them for failing to stay awake even for an hour, suggesting that they pray so that they can avoid temptation.
At this point Judas
Judas Iscariot
Judas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
appears on the scene, accompanied by a crowd that includes the Jewish priests and elders and people with weapons. When the band of men enters the garden in search of Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, he steps forth and asks them, "Whom seek ye?". They answer that they were indeed seeking Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus replied and spoke, "I am He", at which point all members of the arrest party fall back and on the ground.
At this point Judas gives Jesus a kiss
The Kiss of Judas
According to the Synoptic Gospels, Judas identified Jesus to the soldiers by means of a kiss. This is the kiss of Judas, also known as the Betrayal of Christ, which occurs in the Garden of Gethsemane after the Last Supper, and leads directly to the arrest of Jesus by the police force of the...
, as a pre-arranged sign to those that had accompanied Judas as to who Jesus was. Having been identified, the crowd arrests Jesus, although one of Jesus' disciples tries to stop them by using a sword to cut off the ear of one of the men in the crowd. The Gospel of John specifies that it had been Simon Peter who had cut off the ear of Malchus
Malchus
In the Gospel of John in the New Testament of the Bible, Malchus is the servant of the Jewish High Priest, Caiaphas, who participated in the arrest of Jesus...
, a servant of Caiaphas
Caiaphas
Joseph, son of Caiaphas, Hebrew יוסף בַּר קַיָּפָא or Yosef Bar Kayafa, commonly known simply as Caiaphas in the New Testament, was the Roman-appointed Jewish high priest who is said to have organized the plot to kill Jesus...
, the high priest. Luke adds that Jesus healed the wound. John, Matthew, and Luke state that Jesus criticized the violent act, insisting that they do not resist Jesus' arrest. In Matthew, Jesus makes the well known statement: all who live by the sword, shall die by the sword
Live by the sword, die by the sword
"Live by the sword, die by the sword" is a saying derived from a Biblical parable to the effect that if you use violence, or other harsh means, against other people, you can expect to have those same means used against you; "You can expect to become a victim of whatever means you use to get what...
.