Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Thursday, March 28, 2013 Read – Luke 22:39-23:16 The scene moves to the Mount of Olives. Luke shortens Mark’s story at this point since he has already spoken of the testing and prediction of Peter’s denial. Once they arrive at the mount the action moves immediately to the prayer of Jesus. Luke’s version is significantly different from Mark’s once again. There is no mention of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32 compared to Luke 22:40). Jesus does not single out Peter, James and John but warns all of the disciples to pray that they will not enter into temptation (Mark 14:33). Jesus withdraws from the disciples to pray asking if the cup might be withdrawn from him. This is similar to Mark although only Luke speaks of an angel from heaven coming to strengthen Jesus (Luke 22:43). Only Luke tells of Jesus sweating what appeared to be like great drops of blood in his agony (Luke 22:44). The agony of this encounter is intense indeed and very real. Luke does not report that Jesus returned three times to find the disciples sleeping – in Luke’s version Jesus returns only once (Compare Mark 14:37-41). And only Luke explains the reason for the disciples sleep is because they are sorrowful (Luke 22:45). Readers of Luke are reminded of the scene on the Mount of Transfiguration where the disciples are also fighting sleep, something only Luke reports (Luke 9:32). Upon his one and only return Jesus does ask his disciples why they sleep but gone is the reprimand that appears in Mark. There is no mention of the spirit being willing but the flesh being weak (Compare to Mark 14:38). If anything Jesus is sympathetic of his disciples and he once again invites them to rise and pray that they do not entering into temptation. The words are barely out of Jesus’ mouth when Judas appears leading a crowd. Unlike Mark, Luke does not identify the crowd being made up of chief priests, scribes, and the elders (Mark 14:43) – there is no mention of just who this crowd is in Luke but Luke’s readers can be sure this is not the same crowd that protected Jesus in his encounter with the religious authorities. Luke tells us that Jesus took the initiative and asked Judas if he had come to betray him with a kiss – Jesus is clearly in control in spite of what will happen to him. Mark had placed the initiative for the kiss in Judas’ control (Mark 14:43). Readers of Luke are reminded of his discussion from earlier regarding the necessity of the disciples buying a sword when those around Jesus ask if they should strike. There is no immediate reply from Jesus and someone does strike cutting off the ear of the slave of the high priest. At that point Jesus puts an end to the scuffle with the word, “Enough!” Only Luke tells us that Jesus healed the man’s ear. Now Luke identifies those who have come out against him as the chief priests and captains of the temple and the elders and asks them why they have come in the cover of darkness when Jesus has been working in the open every day – and then Luke gives an interpretive answer – “this is your hour and the power of darkness” (Luke 22:53). Sometimes what one does not say is as important as what one does say. It is important to notice that Luke does not say that all the disciples abandoned Jesus and ran away. In fact, earlier when Mark had warned them that they would all fall away (Mark 14:27), Luke chooses to simply omit what Mark says. Luke does not tell us exactly what the disciples did – but if he wanted us to believe that they all abandoned Jesus all he would have had to do was quote a few more words from Mark. Once again Luke has presented the disciples in a far more favorable light! The story now moves to the trials of Jesus. It is at this point that Luke differs more significantly from Mark – and from all the other gospels – than at any other point in his gospel story. One can’t help but wonder if Luke has indeed decided to follow another source. We will need to think about that as we proceed. Mark tells his readers that immediately upon his arrest the religious establishment in Jerusalem convened and began the trial of Jesus (Mark 14:53). That trial would have happened in the dead of night. Luke simply tells his readers that upon his arrest Jesus was taken to the house of the high priest and held in custody during the night (Luke 22:54) – no trial proceeding begin until morning (Luke 22:66). More significantly, the content of the trial proceeding is significantly different in Luke. There is no mention in Luke of the false witnesses who are used to attempt to convict Jesus (Mark 14:57). There is no mention of the charge against Jesus that he had said that he would destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days (Mark 14:58). There is no mention of the High Priest interrogating Jesus directly and asking him the direct question, “Are you the Christ?” (Mark 14:61) – and, most significantly, no answer from Jesus, “I am!” (Mark 14:62). In Luke’s proceeding Jesus is asked, “If you are the Christ, tell us” (Luke 22:67) and Jesus answer is, “If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I ask you, you will not answer” (Luke 22:67-68). Luke inserts an additional question from the authorities, “Are you the Son of God, then?” and Jesus answer is ambiguous, “You say that I am” (Luke 22:70). Jesus will make the same response to Pilate to his question. This is hardly the same response. There is no mention of the high priest tearing his clothing as a sign of the guilt of Jesus (Mark 14:63). There is no mention of the charge of blasphemy (Mark 14:64). The official proceedings do not conclude with the mocking of Jesus – Luke had related that information earlier as having taken place during the night while Jesus was in custody (Luke 22:63-65). The charge against Jesus is never mentioned in Luke’s version of the trial – unless we are to understand by implication that he is accused of claiming to be the Son of God since it is after his response to this question that the authorities say that they need no further evidence having heard it from Jesus’ own lips (Luke 22:71). There is enough of Mark to lead readers to assume that Luke is still using Mark as his source – however Luke has certainly done considerable editing! Readers of Luke need to ask why Luke may have done this. Why does Luke move the proceeding to daytime? Perhaps Luke was aware that proceeding at night would have been illegal and thus invalid! Luke does want his readers to know that the religious establishment in Jerusalem was responsible for handing Jesus over to the Romans – but he wants them also to know that their proceeding were legal and valid – they acted on behalf of the Israel that did not welcome the visitation of God. Trying to explain why Luke stripped Mark of all the other details is far more challenging. Perhaps we will be able to think more fully about that after we have heard the proceedings before Pilate. Because Luke has moved the legal proceedings to the daytime, his story about the denial of Peter comes prior to any of Jesus’ trials. That may not be very important – but it does take away some of the drama that all three other gospel writers invest in the event. In Mark, Matthew, and John, Peter is clearly on trial at the very same moment Jesus is on trial – John better than any weaves the two stories together (John 18:12-27). Here Luke is following Mark more closely although there are a few modifications – Luke does not say that Peter invoked a curse upon himself; and most significantly, Luke has Jesus turn and look at Peter following the third denial. That look along with the cock crow led Peter to remember – his turning again had begun! The scene now moves to the trials before the government officials. Once again there are great difference between Mark and Luke – even greater than the previous trials. The only place where they are in concert is in Pilate’s question of Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” (Mark 15: 2 = Luke 23:3)! Jesus’ response is the same in both Mark and Luke – the same ambiguous response, “You have said so” that Jesus made when the religious authorities asked him if he was the Son of God. Prior to the question Luke tells us the religious establishment had accused Jesus of perverting the nation, forbidding paying taxes to Caesar, and claiming to be Christ the King (Luke 23:2). Significantly there is no mention of claiming to be the Son of God which seems to be the crux of the matter in the religious trial! Such an accusation would not have registered with Pilate – he could care less! Mark tells us that Pilate went on to question Jesus further. When Jesus refused to respond Mark tells us Pilate was amazed and was left only to wonder! Luke does not mention any other questioning by Pilate and moves immediately to the first of three pronouncements by Pilate that he finds Jesus innocent. The religious leaders will not accept this verdict and persist claiming again that Jesus has been leading an insurrection from the time he began in Galilee. The mention of Galilee appears to give Pilate an out – if Jesus is from Galilee then the government authority they need to appeal to is Herod Antipas who is the ruler of Galilee. Pilate attempts to pass the buck. Only Luke tells the story of the trial of Jesus before Herod Antipas! Readers of Luke’s gospel need to remember that twice before Herod Antipas had played a part in the story. When the crowds were wondering just who Jesus was and some of them wondered if perhaps he was John the Baptist raised from the dead, Herod Antipas had said that he knew he had killed John so Jesus certainly could not be him – and Luke tells us that Herod tried to see Jesus (Luke 9:9). Later Luke tells us that some Pharisees came to warn Jesus to flee from their territory because Herod was attempting to kill him (Luke 13:31). The actual meeting between Herod and Jesus is rather uneventful in Luke’s telling – it must have been incredibly disappointing to Herod – Jesus refuses to say a thing! The religious authorities continue with their accusation of insurrection. Herod seeks a sign and gets none. In the end it is Herod’s soldiers who dress Jesus up as a “pretender king” clothing him in gorgeous apparel and send him back to Pilate. Luke informs us that Pilate and Herod became friends that very day – which may be more a fulfillment of Psalm 2:2 than reflecting historical reality – at least according to other historian of the time such as Josephus and Philo who maintain the disdain between Herod and Pilate through the reign of each. Since only Luke had told the story of Pilate sending Jesus to Herod, only Luke tells the story of the response of Pilate upon Herod’s return of Jesus to him. Though Herod does not make an official proclamation that Jesus is innocent – at least one that readers of Luke’s gospel are privileged to hear – Pilate concludes that Herod has also concurred that Jesus is innocent. At this point both of the political authorities involved have declared Jesus to be innocent. In what is an even more official sounding proclamation Pilate makes his second declaration that Jesus is innocent and announces his judgment that he will have Jesus flogged and then released. Flogging itself would have been a life-threating punishment that some did not survive; however, Pilate could care less about that – his point was that he did not find the accusations against Jesus credible – he was no insurrectionist! The religious establishment of Jerusalem will not be satisfied and they will persist in their appeal to Pilate.