Over the brook Cedron

The Brook Cedron had been the place of many memorable events. In particular it was where King David was betrayed, 2 Sam. 15. 23, when he was forced out of the city by his son Absalom. Now another King was about to cross that same brook, and He too would be betrayed and thrust out of the city. But rather than a scene of defeat it would be the scene of an unforgettable victory.

As we contemplate the events of this chapter the darkness can almost be felt. The devil had his men and their mission was straight-forward: extinguish the Light of the world. By this time Satan had entered Judas, and he came with the intention of betraying the Lord. At first glimpse we might wonder how a man who had such knowledge of the Lord could act so callously. And yet it is no different from the reaction of the world to the offer of mercy that God extends to it today. Worldliness is still the same. It is simply to want the gifts without the Giver. Judas showed that he was always after what he could get out of his relationship with the Lord, and had no true love for the Giver.

Peter’s denial of the Lord, on the other hand, was not the same as Judas’ betrayal. Peter’s was not denying who Christ was but rather it was a denial of his association with Him. Peter’s failure sprang from a lack of understanding of his own weakness. In chapter 13 he boasted about his willingness to go into death with the Lord and now he won’t even stand with Him. So often we fall the same way. We fail to recognize our weaknesses and to seek the Lord’s help when the trial comes.

The Lord’s reaction to the betrayal of Judas and the arrival of the soldiers demonstrated the power that He possessed as the Son of God. His power did not come from a show of force with staves, swords, and shields, but was derived from who He was, the great ‘I am’. If His earlier miracles displayed His power over creation, disease, and death, His submission to His enemies displayed His self-control. He could have called more than twelve legions of angels. He could have wiped these men off the face of the earth. And yet He willingly took the cup that the Father had given Him.