Study Notes: The Passion - Arrest (Christianity)

Hey everyone! Welcome to your study notes for a very important and dramatic part of Jesus' life, often called The Passion. The word "passion" here doesn't mean romance; it comes from a Latin word that means 'to suffer'. In this chapter, we'll explore the events leading up to Jesus' arrest, from his own predictions about his suffering to his unjust trial before the religious leaders.

Don't worry if some of these concepts seem tricky at first. We'll break everything down step-by-step with simple explanations and examples. Let's get started!


1. The Shadow of the Cross: Jesus Predicts His Suffering

Imagine knowing something difficult is going to happen to you, and trying to prepare your friends for it. That's exactly what Jesus does in this section. He knows his mission as the Messiah involves suffering and death, but this was a shocking idea to his followers.

Why did the Messiah have to suffer?

Most Jewish people at the time expected the Messiah to be a powerful, victorious king who would defeat the Romans and restore Israel's glory. Jesus's message was completely different. He taught that he had to suffer, be rejected, and die to save people from their sins. This was a radical and confusing idea for his disciples.

The Three Predictions

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus clearly tells his disciples three times what is going to happen to him in Jerusalem. (See Mark 8:31-33, 9:30-32, 10:32-34)

He predicts he will:

1. Be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and teachers of the law.
2. Be killed.
3. Rise again after three days.

Peter's Big Mistake (and why we can relate!)

After the first prediction, Peter takes Jesus aside and tells him off! He can't accept that the Messiah would have to suffer. It's like expecting your favourite superhero to win a huge battle easily, but instead, they tell you they have to lose on purpose to save everyone. You'd probably argue against it, just like Peter did!

Jesus's response is very strong. He tells Peter, "Get behind me, Satan!" because Peter is thinking from a human perspective, not God's.

The Messianic Secret: Shhh... For Now!

Throughout his ministry, Jesus often told people not to tell others that he was the Messiah. This is called the Messianic Secret. Why the secrecy?

  • Wrong Expectations: If he announced he was the king, people would immediately expect a military uprising against Rome, which wasn't his mission.
  • Perfect Timing: He needed to control the timing of the big reveal. He wanted people to understand he was a suffering Messiah before his identity was fully public.
Key Takeaway

Jesus tried to prepare his disciples for his suffering and death, but they struggled to understand because it went against their expectations of a powerful Messiah. This sets the stage for the conflict and confusion to come.


2. The King Arrives: Events Before the Suffering

As Jesus and his disciples get closer to Jerusalem for the Passover festival, the tension builds. Jesus now starts to make his identity more public, but in a very specific way.

Entrance into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday)

This is a huge moment! Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a young colt, fulfilling an old prophecy about a humble king. The crowds go wild, laying their cloaks on the road and waving palm branches, shouting "Hosanna!" (which means "Save us!"). (See Mark 11:1-10)

  • The Colt: Symbolised that he was a king of peace, not war (who would ride a warhorse).
  • Palm Branches: These were symbols of Jewish victory and nationalism. The crowd thought they were welcoming a political hero who would free them from Rome.
  • The Misunderstanding: The people welcomed him as the kind of Messiah they wanted, not understanding his true mission was to suffer.

Anointing at Bethany: A Beautiful, Sad Moment

Just before his arrest, Jesus is having dinner at a friend's house when a woman comes and pours a very expensive jar of perfume on his head. (See Mark 14:1-11)

Some disciples complain about the waste of money, but Jesus defends her. He says her act has a deeper meaning: she is preparing his body for burial. While the disciples are still arguing, this woman understands the seriousness of the moment. At the same time this is happening, the religious leaders are finalising their plot to arrest Jesus, and Judas agrees to betray him.

Key Takeaway

Jesus publicly presents himself as the Messiah upon entering Jerusalem, but the crowds misunderstand his mission. The anointing at Bethany shows that his death is near, and sets his betrayal by Judas into motion.


3. The Final Hours: The Last Supper and Gethsemane

On the night before he died, Jesus shared a final, deeply meaningful meal with his disciples and prayed in a garden called Gethsemane.

The Lord's Supper: More Than Just a Meal

This meal was the traditional Jewish Passover feast. (See Mark 14:12-31)

Quick Review: What is Passover?

Passover is a Jewish festival celebrating how God freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The key event was when God "passed over" the houses of the Israelites, sparing their firstborn sons, because they had marked their doors with the blood of a lamb.

During this meal, Jesus gave the traditional foods a new meaning:

  • The Bread: He broke it and said, "Take it; this is my body." He was showing that his body would be broken for them.
  • The Wine: He shared a cup of wine and said, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many." He was showing that his death would create a new relationship (a new covenant) between God and humanity.

This event is known as Maundy Thursday and is the foundation for the Christian practice of Holy Communion.

Gethsemane: A Prayer of Agony and Surrender

After the supper, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He was in deep distress, knowing what was about to happen. (See Mark 14:32-42)

This scene shows Jesus's full humanity. He "shrinks away from his suffering" and asks God if there is any other way. Think about a time you had to do something you were truly afraid of. Jesus felt that fear and anguish.

But in the end, he surrenders to God's plan, praying, "Yet not what I will, but what you will." While he prays, his disciples (Peter, James, and John) fall asleep, showing they still don't grasp the gravity of the situation.

Key Takeaway

At the Last Supper, Jesus redefines the Passover feast around his own coming death. In Gethsemane, he shows both his human fear of suffering and his divine commitment to follow God's will, even when his closest friends fail him.


4. The Betrayal and Arrest

The moment of conflict finally arrives. Jesus is betrayed by one of his own and arrested unjustly.

The Kiss of Betrayal and the Arrest

Judas Iscariot arrives with a mob of armed guards sent by the Jewish leaders. He identifies Jesus by giving him a kiss—a sign of friendship turned into an act of betrayal. (See Mark 14:43-52)

Here are the roles played by the different groups:

  • Judas: The betrayer who hands Jesus over.
  • The Guards: They carry out the physical arrest.
  • The Disciples: They panic and run away, abandoning Jesus.
  • The Jewish Leaders: They were the masterminds who planned the arrest.

Before the Council: An Unjust Trial

Jesus is taken to the house of the high priest to face the Sanhedrin—the supreme Jewish religious council. (See Mark 14:53-65)

This trial was unjust for several reasons:

  • It was held at night, which was against their own laws.
  • They used false witnesses who couldn't even agree with each other.

Finally, the high priest asks Jesus directly: "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?"

Jesus drops the "Messianic Secret" once and for all and declares, "I am."

For the Sanhedrin, this was blasphemy (the crime of claiming to be God). They immediately condemned him to death based on his own words.

Common Mistake to Avoid

Don't mix up this Jewish trial with the later Roman trial before Pontius Pilate. This first trial was a religious one where Jesus was condemned for blasphemy. Because the Jewish leaders didn't have the legal authority to execute someone, they then had to take him to the Romans.

Key Takeaway

Jesus is unjustly arrested through the betrayal of Judas and the cowardice of the other disciples. In a biased night-time trial, the Sanhedrin condemns him to death for blasphemy after he publicly confirms he is the Messiah.