Gethsemane

As is my wont, I'll break down Jesus in Gethsemane by contrasting the accounts in the four Gospels:

1. Jesus enters Gethsemane--all four Gospels record this, but John's account of the entrance differs from the other three

2. Judas greets Jesus--all four report basically the same thing

3. Disciples defend Jesus, with only John stating that it was Peter who cut the soldier's (Malchus) ear

4. Jesus stops the disciples from fighting, and all four Gospels have DIFFERENT quotes for Jesus--I found that fascinating

5. A person fled--only reported in Mark, and it is hypothesized that it WAS Mark who fled

6. The disciples at this point desert Jesus, but only one account (Matthew) states this

Some interesting variances on a critical event--nothing Earth-shattering, just worthy of reporting.

Now I'll comment a bit on Judas, since I've often thought about him and just what befell him. I used to think of him as Pharaoh, a tool used by God to accomplish his ends, but both Luke (in Acts) and John suggest otherwise. As far back as John 6:70-71, Judas was identified as a "devil," and we'll read in Acts 1:16-20 just how the remaining disciples felt about Judas. I still won't go as far as to state where Judas is today, because it was never my decision in the first place, but the best description I've ever heard on the matter suggests that even though Judas fulfilled prophecy, it didn't have to be HIM--he chose to betray Jesus.

The  important part of these events is that each and every day, we enter Gethsemane with God in our own way. If we falter, or even worse, betray him in the face of adversity or obstacles, we're just the same as the disciples, and to be perfectly honest, we all have at one point or another. However, just like the disciples, we will be forgiven, not through anything we can do on our own, but through Christ's death and resurrection. Never forget that part.

Scott