Advent Eighteen

Part of the Karlsruhe Passion -
This one is housed in the Wallraf-Richartz Museum Cologne

The story is now set in contemporary America.  And so everything came to a final climax.  The authorities made their move.  With a tip off from Judas Jesus was found and arrested.  I was there. This is the account of what happened. 

 Arrested

Later that evening Jesus went with his people over to Kidron Valley, and loitered in the public park.  Judas, the 'grass', knew the place well.

A line of police cars slowly snaked their way through the gates of the park, lights blazing.

Jesus knew exactly what was happening.

He stood up and walked towards the officers.

They were climbing out of their cars, guns at the ready.

 "Who are you looking for?" He called out to them.

 "A guy named Jesus," they shouted back.

 "Well that's me."  He could see Judas in the passenger seat of a car.

When he said ‘that's me’, the offices started back, as if by reflex, ducking behind their vehicles.  Jesus looked bemused.

 "Who was it you wanted?"

 "Jesus from Nazareth," they said again.

 "Why that's me," he said with firmness.  "None of these other guys are involved, let them go peacefully."  (He wanted to protect his friends.)

But Simon-Peter, who had taken cover, fired the first shot.  He hit a driver in the right ear.

Jesus was upset. 

 "Put that gun down Peter.  Don't you see I have to go through with this?"

 Then the police rushed forward and pushed Jesus to the ground, handcuffed him, and marched him off to the station, first to Deputy Ananias, and then to his big boss, Caiaphas.  He was the one who had advised ‘Stitch this guy in time and you’ll save nine'.

 Jesus is eventually caught and brought in for questioning

This is an extraordinary story.  Jesus had seen the whole movie before and knew how it ended.  That gave him a distinct advantage over everyone else.  “I’m not giving up without a fight, even if it is a lost cause.”  Such bravery from Simon-Peter.  Jesus is showing that the way to win this battle is not to fight. 

PRAYER – Give me your perspective so that I can see how to fight injustice by not fighting in a physical sense.