The scriptures must come true

As soon as Judas arrived, he went up to Jesus and said, ‘Teacher!’ and kissed him. So they arrested Jesus and held him tight. But one of those standing there drew his sword and struck at the High Priest’s slave, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus spoke up and said to them, ‘Did you have to come with swords and clubs to capture me, as though I were an outlaw? Day after day I was with you teaching in the Temple, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must come true.’

Then all his disciples left him and ran away. (verses 45-50)

Read Mark 14:43-52

Betrayal. Arrest. Intrigue. Abandonment. These are the necessary ingredients that go together to authenticate Jesus as the Suffering Servant, God’s Son and Israel’s Messiah. Only by these things would the Scriptures ‘come true’.

The Scriptures foretold that the Christ would be betrayed by a close friend (Psalm 55:12-14). The Scriptures foretold that the Christ would be considered a law-breaker and treated accordingly (Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12). The Scriptures foretold that the Chief Shepherd’s flock would abandon him when he would need them most (Zechariah 13:7). Here in these final hours of Jesus’ earthly ministry the evidence converges on the fact that God will make himself known as the world’s Saviour only through the suffering and death of the poor Nazarene.

I praise you, heavenly Father, that in your wisdom and grace you sent your Son Jesus to be the suffering servant and Saviour of the world. Give me your Spirit, so that I may grow daily as his disciple and companion in suffering. Amen.

by Adam Cooper, in ‘New Strength for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 1998)

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