by Donald Senior, C.P.

The sense of crisis and danger that Luke injects into the passion story is apparent here in the haunting scenes of Jesus' anguished prayer, his nighttime arrest and interrogation.

After the Passover feast, Jesus and his disciples go "to the Mount of Olives" (22:39). Luke situates this dramatic prayer of Jesus on that mountain where Judaism expected the end of the world to take place. And Luke alone describes Jesus' prayer as an "agony," one that causes him to perspire so that his sweat becomes as drops of blood. Greek literature used the term agonia to describe the extreme exertion of an athlete in training. So intense and anguished is Jesus' prayer as he prepares to encounter death that an "angel from heaven" comes to Jesus to strengthen him.

Jesus asks his disciples to join him in prayer that they, too, "would not undergo the test" (22:40). The "test" here means that final struggle between good and evil that Judaism expected at the end of the world, a "test" experienced whenever a person of faith encounters the aggressive power of death and evil in the world. Jesus' own prayer has that same fierce intensity: he is dedicated to doing his Father's will but he also prays for deliverance from the power of death. The very act of prayer, of pouring out one's anguish and fear before God, brings strength. So Jesus stands up and goes to find his disciples sleeping--"from grief" the evangelist notes, softening the impact of yet another sign of their weakness. Once again Jesus warns them of the approaching "test"; the community may not be ready for the fierce power of death but Jesus, the Son of God, is.

At that moment Judas brings a crowd to arrest Jesus. In Luke's account, his treacherous kiss never reaches Jesus because the Servant-Master already knows its purpose: "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" (22:48). The disciples, dazed by this onslaught and still not comprehending Jesus' teaching, reach for their weapons: "Lord, shall we strike with a sword?" (22:48). It is a question that Christians have often asked when confronted with evil. Without waiting for a reply, one disciple (unlike John, Luke does not identify him as Peter) slashes off the ear of the High Priest's servant. Characteristic of this gospel, Jesus' response to the issue of violent reprisal is to reach out and heal the wounded man. The Jesus who taught his disciples to "love your enemy" and not to return evil for evil (6:27-36) lives by his own words.

"This is your hour," Jesus tells the armed crowd, "the time for the power of darkness." (22:53). But the reader knows that beyond this nighttime, the resurrection day will come.

The scene shifts. Those arresting Jesus bring him to the house of the high priest (22:54-65). Here he will be interrogated and beaten throughout the night (22:63-65). These scenes of a furtive and violent arrest, of nighttime torture and interrogation have been repeated over and over in the history of Christian martyrdom, including our day.

Peter had followed his Master to the courtyard of the High Priest's house and mingled with the crowd around a fire built to cheat the cold night air (22:54-62). But Peter's attempt to merge with the crowd fails; a maid recognizes him in the light of the fire: "This man too was with him." Fear rising in his throat, Peter vigorously denies that he even knows Jesus. But a little later the danger comes again as another person recognizes him, then "an hour later," another who catches Peter's Galilean accent. Each time Peter--the leader of the twelve--denies that he ever heard of Jesus.

The first readers of this gospel, for whom Peter was still a fresh memory and the ancestor of their faith, must have found this scene painful. Luke adds a touch of exquisite drama and deep compassion. Unlike the other passion stories, the evangelist has staged this scene so that Peter and Jesus are within sight of each other: the warming fire and the knot of soldiers torturing Jesus are in the same courtyard. As the cock crows--the very signal that Jesus had foretold to Peter (22:34)--Jesus turns and looks at his disciple. That gaze penetrates Peter's heart; he remembers Jesus' words, words warning of failure but also promising forgiveness, and leaves the courtyard weeping in remorse.

Email questions or comments about this page to Fr. Victor Hoagland, C.P. Copyright 1997, Passionist Publications, Union City, NJ USA. Passionist Publications reserves all rights to text, illustrations, and HTML.