Confronting the reign of darkness
Luke 22:47-53
47 While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
49 When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.
51 But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.
52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? 53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.”
This passage teaches us lots about Jesus. As Judas betrays Jesus, it’s clear that Jesus is not a military threat – he tells his disciples to put down their swords. He is not a political threat – he notes he is not leading a rebellion. This must have been a shock to the disciples who were still understanding who Jesus was.
What does become clear is that Jesus knew what was coming ahead and He went with purpose. Jesus went to confront and defeat the hour where darkness reigns, to overcome death, and to redeem us from wicked sin, so that we would be able to say, “O death, where is your sting?”
Thank you, Jesus, for who you are and what you came to do. Thank you that through your death and resurrection we have been redeemed from darkness into a glorious hope and joy. Amen.
Written by Ps. Andrea Molteno