God passed over the land sparing those who marked their doorposts with blood. God did kill the firstborn sons of those who did not, including Pharaoh's firstborn son. During that night Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and told them to all get out of Egypt.
That is a brief explanation of what Jesus, the disciples and all the land were preparing to celebrate. While most people were preparing to do the things that were part of these feasts, the teachers and priests were still trying to make a plan to get rid of Jesus. They agreed to wait until after Passover for fear the people would turn on them.
While the priests were making their plans, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of a former leper who was most likely once healed by Jesus. While they were eating, Mary, the sister of Martha and also the brother of Lazarus, brought in a jar typically about a pint in size and shaped with a long neck. She broke the neck off and poured the perfume over Jesus' head. Anointing a guest's head during Jewish festival meals was often done as a custom.
Some of those eating with Jesus criticized her for using what could have been sold for a years wages to help the poor. Jesus stopped their attack on her and told them she had dome a beautiful thing. Jesus told them the poor would always be around them and they would always have a chance to help them. However, He added, He would not always be with them, for His death would be coming soon. This was one of the last opportunities they would have to show their love for Him, which Mary had just done.
Jesus then commented that, in essence, what Mary had done was anoint His body preparing Him for His burial. Anointing a person for burial was something that was regularly done. If you look to Mark 15:46 through Mark 16:2, you will see that when Joseph of Arimathea took Jesus' body, he wrapped it in linen and placed it in a tomb. Notice that he did not anoint it. Also notice that both James and Salome bought burial spices to anoint Jesus' body but when they got there, He was not there. Again, His body was not anointed. It is interesting how Jesus commented that her anointing Him did so for His burial and it actually happened that way. As Jesus said, what she did that day has been talked about ever since.
While all that is going on, Judas went to the priests and those who wanted to kill Jesus and made a deal to betray him. If you have noticed, there were many times we are told those who wanted to kill Jesus held back for fear of the response of the people. Judas offered a plan that would not have such concerns and that was to take Jesus when He was away from the public in the olive grove. In essence, their fear of the people had held them at bay but Judas presented the help they needed to follow their plan to get rid of Jesus.
On the first day of the seven days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Jesus gave them instructions regarding the preparation for their Passover meal. They went out and found everything as Jesus told them and they prepared for the meal in the upstairs room that had already been set up.
While Jesus and the twelve were at the table eating, Jesus told them that one of the twelve would be the one who would betray Him to those wanting to kill Him. He added that it had to be that way in accordance with the Scriptures and how terrible it would be for the man who did it. As we know, it was Judas, and I have pondered the comment about how terrible it would be for Him. Some might think of his punishment but I think the terrible thing Jesus mentioned may have been the guilt Judas felt afterward. He not only betrayed Jesus, but his friends, and disregarded all he had been taught. The guilt over what he had done was so severe that he could not escape it and he hanged himself.
Jesus then took some bread that was used as part of the festival. Part of this celebration was to remove yeast (which is what makes bread rise) from all their foods and their entire home. They and their homes had to be yeast free for this part of the time of Passover and Unleavened Bread. The searching for and the cleaning of yeast represents the search for sin in our lives that must be discarded so we can be obedient to God. Jesus blessed it, broke and passed it to the disciples, instructing them to take it saying it was His body.
During the feast, then and now, there is a white linen bag called a unity bag. There are three compartments in this bag. They represent the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each compartment holds a piece of unleavened bread, something like a cracker. Remember that yeast/leaven represents sin and the cracker have no yeast/leaven signifying they are sinless as God is sinless. The cracker is made with indentation lines or stripes and is pierced with a lot of holes. In one part of the ceremony, the middle cracker is removed and broken in two. One part is put back in the middle pouch the other half is wrapped in a white linen and is hidden as the body of Christ was wrapped in linen and put in a tomb. The children then search all over for it and the one who finds it holds it from the father of the house until he pays a ransom for it. The ransom is usually paid in silver (as Judas was paid). Once that is done, the cracker is shared and eaten with the third cup of wine.
Much more detail on this process is given here; http://www.tedmontgomery.com/bblovrvw/C_4b.html
Then Jesus took the wine. It was a red wine mixed with water, again part of the festival. This was most likely the third of the four cups of wine used in that meal. The third cup was a celebration of God's promise to redeem His people. Jesus was that redemption which is why He called the cup of Redemption (also called cup of blessing) His blood. He gave thanks for it, gave it to them and they all drank of it.
These are important things for us as Christians to know. For more details and deeper explanation, I highly encourage you to search the four cups of wine at Passover.
Here is the one I refer to: http://mikeratliff.wordpress.com/2008/03/26/the-four-cups-of-wine-of-passover
(The three sites I show in blue are not linked but would need to be copied and pasted.)
Jesus offered it as His blood sealing the covenant between God and His people. It was poured out as a sacrifice for many. It was He who was sacrificed for their sins. He ended with the fact that He would not drink wine again until a day in the Kingdom of God.
Another interesting connection was when Jesus was crucified there was a point in Mark 15:36 when a person ran to Jesus with a stick holding a sponge filled with sour wine for Him to drink. As if was offered to Jesus someone yelled, "Wait, let's see if Elijah comes to take Him down." Jesus then gave a loud cry and died without ever tasting wine again.
(I have attended a Passover Seder and seen and was told all these things in person. I believe it made such a difference in how I saw things that I truly encourage you to research and study this. While it is a part of Jewish life, it is also a part of who we are as Christians.)
Here is a very good site covering the seder: kedoshimministries.wordpress.com/2012/04/07/passover-the-seder-plate
Following all that, they said a hymn and went to the Mount of Olives.
While they we walking, Jesus told them they would all desert Him. He quoted Zechariah chapter 13, using part of verse 7 that states, "Strike the shepherd that the sheep may be scattered" (NIV). Second only to Isaiah, Zechariah presented more prophesies about the Messiah than anyone else. His writings in the book of Zechariah offer consolation and hope with a calling to repentance and ends with the prophecies concerning Jesus, His reign and return.
Jesus was saying that He would be stuck down and His followers would scatter. Jesus continued by telling them He would rise from the dead and meet them in Galilee.
Peter heard all He said and proclaimed that he would never desert or abandon Jesus. Jesus' response was that Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed twice. Peter came back with a firm, "No! Even if I have to die with you, I will never deny you!" And all the other disciples vowed the same (14:27-31).
They then went to the olive grove named Gethsemane. Jesus left some of them there to sit and to pray and took Peter, James and John further into the grove with Him. Jesus became greatly troubled and spoke to them saying, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me" (NLT). The weight of Jesus' grief and sorrow was so heavy that He felt as if it could kill Him. He carried not only the weight of His immediate future but the battle against darkness, the impending separation from the Father, and the penalty He had to bear for all the sins of all men. He was in a place we could never begin to comprehend. He shared His sorrow with those three disciples and asked for them to watch with Him. Jesus went even farther into the grove "and fell" to the ground. Those couple words tell us how burdened, exhausted, and weakened He was by all that was to come. He walked in, then literally fell to the ground. He prayed that if it was possible, God would relieve Him of what He had to do. Even though He wanted to be free from those things, He would continue to be obedient to the Father's will.
Jesus walked back to the three to find them sleeping. Jesus addressed Peter who boldly claimed he would never deny or desert Him. Jesus asked the one who made that claim if he was sleeping. I wonder if Jesus might have thought or even implied something like-here you are, the one who claimed he would die rather than deny me and you haven't even been able to stay awake and pray. I wonder if those thoughts went through Peter's mind. Jesus instructed Peter to "keep watch and pray so that you will not give into temptation". I think that maybe Jesus was advising to keep watch for those that would be coming for Him and that he (Peter) should pray so that he would not deny Jesus as he was told he would. Jesus had told Peter he would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed twice and I might think Peter would pray with all he had so that would not happen. Rather than do so, he fell asleep. Peter's heart and spirit were willing to stand strong for Jesus but the flesh, the body is so much weaker.
Jesus went back into the grove and "prayed the same prayer as before" (NLT). He went back and again asked to be relieved of what was to come but again said He would be obedient to the Father's will.
Jesus again went back to the three and found them sleeping. They were so disturbed by their own inability to stay awake that they had nothing to say. Jesus then told them to go ahead and sleep. There was nothing left to be done, it was too late, He had been betrayed and that behold, Judas was there to betray him.
As soon as Jesus said that, Judas arrived with a crowd of people carrying swords and clubs who had been sent by the religious priests, elders, and teachers. Judas agreed to give the crowd a sign to identify Jesus, which was to be a kiss on the cheek.
Many places in the New Testament we are told to greet one another with a holy kiss
(2 Corinthians 13:12, Romans 16:16, 1 Corinthians 16:20, 1 Thess. 5:26 and 1 Peter 5:14). The holy kiss was a kiss between believers signifying brotherly affection or respect and was to come from an overflow of love in one's heart for the other. It was common that friends greeted each other with a kiss, as well. I would think the sign of a kiss chosen by Judas was particularly hurtful and disrespectful of who Jesus was and the fellowship they had shared during their time together. The kiss of friendship, respect and love was used as the means of betrayal and destruction.
(In fact, I wondered if Judas kiss is where the term "the kiss of death" originated. In my searching I found that more often than any other explanation, it is believed,"the kiss of death" phrase originated in reference to Judas betraying kiss. Not as often, but in second place the gangland kiss marking someone for execution is also referred to as the kiss of death. It is interesting that the gangland sign of marking one for death is Judas same sign.)
Jesus was taken and arrested with no charges being given. Peter drew his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus who was the servant of the high priest. Jesus did not resist His arrest but He did criticize them for coming armed and ready to fight. He asked them why they had come for him in such a secret way and why they had not arrested Him in public, in the temple. (Remember, they had not arrested Him several times before for fear of the people. Arresting Him in a secluded garden where no one was around showed they were still fearful of the people and cowardly.) Jesus finished by saying they could have done it in the temple where it made more sense but it had to happen this way to fulfill what the scriptures said about Him. (Isaiah 53:3: "He was forsaken and betrayed of men.")
As we go on from here, consider other things that had to be fulfilled as were written in the scriptures:
Isaiah 53:7-9 " He was oppressed and afflicted yet He did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter and as sheep before its shearer is silent so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgement he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the lands of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth."
Then, as Jesus predicted, all His disciples deserted Him and ran away. Mark is the only book that tells of the young man following Jesus who the crowd tried to grab but ran away losing his cloak and running away naked. Some theologians believe Mark was that man. They also think that Mark's father owned the house where they had their passover meal. It may have happened that, after the meal, Mark dressed for bed but was later awakened by a servant who told him a crowd had come for Jesus. Mark may have run to Gethsemane to warn Jesus but had arrived after He had been arrested and all the disciples had run away. So he followed behind but may have been seen as a witness when the effort to grab him was made.
Jesus was taken to the high priest's home to stand before all the religious leaders. The religious leaders were trying to find cause and build a case against Him so they could kill Him. The crowd was full of many false witnesses who shouted out accusations but continually contradicted each other. Peter had followed the crowd and entered into the courtyard of the high priest waiting to see what would happen.
Finally someone said that Jesus said, "I will destroy this temple made with human hands and in three days I will build another made without human hands." The priest then asked Him what he had to say for Himself but he remained quiet. Then the priest asked Jesus, "Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?" Jesus replied, "I Am (notice I Am - this said in this manner was Jesus' declaration that he is the Messiah, He is the Son of God) and you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God's right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven." Jesus saying they will see this was not referring to His return in their lifetime but that they would see Him seated at the right hand of God at the time of judgement. This was a prediction that when that time comes, they will see for sure that He is the Messiah.
As the priests sign of his belief that what he just heard was blasphemy, he tore his inner robes. He must also have been relieved and filled with happiness for now Jesus had incriminated Himself (in His opinion) and he could get rid of all the false witnesses and their inability to come up with charges against Him. The high priest called out to the group, saying that they had heard Jesus' blasphemy and called for a verdict. They all responded that Jesus was guilty and deserved to die.
An interesting point is when they blindfolded Jesus, beat Him and called for Him to "prophesy to us" as to who was beating Him. This blindfolding episode here refers to what would be a test to see if a person was the Messiah. They saw this presented to them in Isaiah 11:2-4. Part of what is written there was what they interpreted the Messiah would/could do. "He will not judge what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth." As they saw it, if He was the Messiah, He would not have to see to tell them who it was that was beating Him. Then the guards mocked Him and spit on Him and beat Him and took Him away.
While all this was happening, Peter remained in the priest's courtyard waiting to see what would happen. While there, a servant girl noticed him warming himself at a fire. She said to him, "You were one of those with Jesus at Nazareth." In denial, Peter replied that he had no idea what she was talking about and walked away from her. Just then a rooster crowed. I found it interesting that given the prediction Jesus had given to Peter, he didn't seem to even notice the crow of the rooster. One might think he would have heard it crow and realize what was happening and either run far away or stand strong and admit he was one of Jesus disciples. Of course, that being said, these thing had to happen or Jesus' prediction would have not been true.
The girl was sure and would not let it go. She began telling others about Peter. She exclaimed, "This man is definitely one of them!" Peter again denied that he was with Jesus. A bit later others confronted Peter saying, "You must be one of them because you are a Galilean." Peter's response was much stronger calling for God to curse him if he was lying. He repeated he was not one of Jesus' men. Immediately the rooster crowed the second time and Jesus words about Peter denying Him three times before the rooster crowed twice, came to mind. (They say this episode with Peter would have happened within a two hour period.) In Luke 22:61 it is written that at the time Peter denied Him the third time, Peter saw Jesus turn and look at him and remembered His words. Peter then broke down and wept.
All had run away but two of the disciples were more involved. Judas' betrayal of Jesus led to his suicide. Peter's betrayal of Jesus led to sorrow, a broken heart and repentance followed by a life lived for Jesus.
We can read in Romans 3:23-25a (NAS) "For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declared we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins." People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood. Like Judas and Peter, we all have betrayed God and like Judas and Peter, we have to decide how we will move on from there. That choice is on our shoulders. We can choose to repent and follow Christ or not. Again, like Judas and Peter, one decision leads to life and the other leads to death.