Capturing God

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting February 23 to study Luke 22:39 through 53.  This is a smaller chunk, but I wanted to take the trial and denial in one sitting.  The parallels to this are in Matthew 26:36-56 and Mark 14:32-52.  But also read John 18:1-12.

If you have time to read this in various translations, you will some variety in word choice, but the essential meaning remains in each.  The passage breaks nicely into two parts, Jesus' prayer and arrest.  John only has the arrest, unless you count John 17 as the prayer in the Garden.  Most readers don't, because it's simply too different. 

Each Gospel writer emphasizes something different.  Focus on Luke's emphasis, but to do that, you'll need to at least see how he's different from the others.  If you have a "Harmony of the Gospels" you will find this task a lot easier.  The Blue Letter Bible site (not the app) has one if you don't.

Make sure to take good notes and questions as you go through the Gospel accounts.  After you have your own notes and questions, refer to commentaries you have available.  Revise your notes and questions as necessary.  After your own work go back through with the questions below:

• Gethsemane is supposed to be on the Mount of Olives.  But Luke isn't that precise.  The others are, so we know Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Why do you think Luke would not include such a detail?
• In Luke 21:37, Luke includes the detail that Jesus "camped" out on the Mount of Olives rather than stay in some house in the city.  Since there were so many pilgrims in Jerusalem, this isn't odd.  But what does that also tell you of the "privacy level" of the Mount of Olives at this time?
• In the other Gospels, Peter, James, and John are singled out to follow Jesus deeper into the garden.  Why do you think Luke would leave out such a detail?
• In Luke Jesus instructs all the disciples to pray and in Matthew and Mark only tells the three to "keep watch".  Why do you think Luke is more inclusive and focus' on prayer here?
• In Matthew and Mark both, Jesus prays three times.  Luke has only once, but it's intense.  See if your favorite translation footnotes verse 43 and 44.  If they don't it's not important, but it's possible these verses were added later.  Why do you think that would be unlikely?
• Luke is the only Gospel writer to mention why the disciples were so tired.  What do you think Luke means by "...from sorrow"?  What do you think they are grieving?
• Luke has the crowd show up immediately while Jesus is telling them to pray to avoid temptation (repeating His earlier command).  What is interesting to you about Luke's crowd (v.47) as opposed to the other Gospels (including John)?
• Matthew and Mark explain the kiss of Judas, Luke says he tried to kiss but Jesus didn't let him, and John doesn't even mention any sort of attempt by Judas.  What do you think happened?
• Then there was sword play.  The servant has his ear cut off.  In Matthew and Mark someone does it.  In Luke someone does it but Jesus heals it.  And in John Peter does it to Malchus.  What do you do with the differences?
• In Matthew, Jesus tells them that to live by the sword one dies by the sword, and that He has legions of angels to fight if it were warranted.  In Mark, Jesus just moves on to address the "angry mob".  In Luke, Jesus simply says to stop it (then heals the man).  In John, Jesus addresses Peter telling him not to prevent this from happening (allusion to the Garden prayers in the other Gospels?).  So what do you think happened?
• Now, in verse 52, Luke has the make up of the crowd.  Matthew has a crowd from the chief priest and elders with swords and clubs.  Mark has a crowd with swords and clubs.  Luke finally mentions the make up but the chief priests and and officers of the temple are actually there.  And John continues to refer to the Roman soldiers, a detail missing from all the others.  Why do you think such details might have been difficult to sort out from this event?
• What Jesus says to the crowd is similar in Matthew, Mark, and Luke; but very different in John.  Luke has Jesus referring to "this hour and the power of darkness" which is missing from the others, and John has Jesus going out to them, and them literally falling down at His approach.  Again, why do you think these details might be difficult to sort out?
• Read verse 53 of Luke in a couple of translations.  At least use a King James and an NIV.  It's even better to have a New American Standard or English Standard Version with those.  Literally, the verse reads: "...but this is of you the hour and the power of darkness."  The pronoun "this" matches exactly with the objects "hour" and "power".  What do you think Jesus means by the "power of darkness" being of them?

That should keep us busy for the time we have.  Remember to consider this passage as it applies to you?  For instance, when have you ever tried to solve a problem God doesn't have (with a sword, screw driver, or sack of groceries)?  There are other points of application you can find.  Make sure those make it into your notes.