VERSES: Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:3-13
MEMORY VERSE: John 18:7. "Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth."
BOOK TO REMEMBER: Amos. Write "Amos" on small slips of paper and hand out to students at the end of class, so they might memorize another book of the Old Testament.
PRAYER: Thank God for sending His only begotten Son to die on the cross for our sins.
SPECIAL SONG: No, Not One (see June 2014 - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #6 on this blog. Click on orange circle to hear tune.) Jesus Loves Me (see February 2014 - Songs We Sing In Bible Class #2 on this blog. Click on orange circle to hear tune.)
VISUAL AID: Large Activity (see below) or draw a picture on the white board or chalkboard.
LESSON POINTS:
- While Jesus was still talking to the rest of His disciples about getting up from their sleep because the one who was going to betray Him was near, Judas came with a huge crowd who were holding lanterns, torches, swords and wooden posts called staves. In the crowd, there were chief priests, elders, Pharisees and scribes.
- Before they entered the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas had made an agreement with these Jews. For thirty pieces of silver (about $15.00), he would identify which man in the small group was Jesus. Judas would betray Jesus with a kiss, pretending to be Jesus' friend, but really only wanting the money that he was promised from the Jews. The kiss was a sign that meant to the Jews that THIS man was Jesus and to take Him away safely.
- As soon as Judas came to Jesus, Judas said, "Hail, Master," and kissed Him. Jesus called Judas a friend. He said, "Friend, from where did you come? Judas, will you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?" He asked the crowd whom they were looking for. They answered Him, saying, "Jesus of Nazareth." Judas was standing with the large crowd. As soon as Jesus said "I am He," the men fell backward to the ground. Even though Jesus knew the answer, He asked them again, "Who are you looking for?" They said, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus told the crowd, "I told you that I am the one you are looking for; let these other men go." Then the Jews laid their hands on Jesus and took Him.
- That is when Peter drew his sword and cut off Malchus, the high priest's servant's right ear! Jesus told Peter to put up his sword and said, "The cup that My Father has given Me, I must drink it." Then, Jesus touched Malchus' ear and healed him. Jesus said to the large crowd, "Why have you come out with swords and staves like I was a thief? Was I not in the temple with you every day, but you did not arrest me then. But now is your hour, the hour of darkness."
- That is when all the disciples ran away and left Jesus bound. The crowd led Him away to the high priest. Jesus' friends deserted Him and He was left alone with the Jews.
- Reading all four of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) at the same sitting and blending them or harmonizing them together is a great way to learn the whole story of Jesus life, death, and resurrection, or as much as the Lord has revealed to us. By God choosing to have four writers tell the same story, the reader receives the benefit of small details one writer might leave out, but another includes.
- When Jesus healed Malchus, the high priest's right ear, a person might have thought that was enough for everyone to know right then that Jesus was the Son of God, if they had not known before. They must not have cared by that time; they were too fixated on arresting Jesus.
- It is interesting to notice that, of the four authors of the four Gospels, Luke, the doctor (Colossians 4:14), was the one who mentioned that Peter had cut off Malchus' right ear and healed the ear. Other writers had mentioned that someone had cut the high priest's servant's ear off, but no one but Luke mentioned that Jesus had healed his right ear. Perhaps this was because Luke's occupation was being a doctor.
- Jesus knew that all that had happened to Him was in God's plan. He was to die on the cross to save the people from their sins. Had Jesus done anything wrong? Had He done anything worthy of death? No. Jesus was innocent and pure just like the unblemished lamb that was to be sacrificed in the Old Testament (1 Peter 1:19).
Materials needed: 9" x 12" tan construction paper, crayons, marker, scraps of shiny red and silver foil, glue, scissors.
- Hand out tan paper.
- Draw a mob of men looking angry with torches and swords in their hands.
- Add a couple of olive trees.
- Color.
- Hand out red and silver foil.
- Cut small ovals with points out of both colors of foil.
- Glue red foil at the end of the torches and silver foil where a sword should be.
- Write "HAIL, MASTER!" in red crayon in the middle of the blank area.
- Write "Matthew 26:49" below "Hail, Master!"
- In black crayon, write "The Betrayal" at the bottom of the paper.
- Write "Judas" on the one selected to be Judas.