What Judas Brought to the Garden

Judas Betrays Jesus

Judas is one of the most well-known villains in the Bible. Most people recognize him as being the one to betray Jesus. His decision to betray the Lord is what might be expected by one of his character. Jesus called him the “son of perdition” (John 17:12). He was identified as a thief (John 12:4-6). After betraying Jesus, instead of repenting and making things right, “he went away and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:4-5). Peter also pointed out that all of this was foreknown by God and revealed in prophecy (Acts 1:16-20).

Shortly before being betrayed, Jesus “went forth with His disciples over the ravine of the Kidron, where there was a garden, in which He entered with His disciples” (John 18:1). It was here in the garden where Judas would betray the Lord. He knew the place to go because “Jesus had often met there with His disciples” (John 18:2).

So Judas went to the garden to betray Jesus. But notice what he brought with him. “Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons” (John 18:3). It is interesting to see what Judas brought to the garden, particularly in light of what Jesus brought to the world.
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All Spiritual Blessings in Christ

Ephesians 1:3

Paul began his letter to the Ephesians by offering praise to God: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). There are many reasons why God is worthy of all praise and honor; but in this passage, Paul directed our attention to the spiritual blessings we have from Him. We give glory to God because he has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3).

As Paul continued, he listed some of the spiritual blessings available to us:
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The Fourfold Foundation of the Gospel

Cross

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).

As Paul wrote to the brethren in Corinth, he reminded them of the fundamental truths in the gospel upon which everything else was built. In the verses above, the apostle mentioned four facts that are “of first importance” to God’s saving message.
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The Good Shepherd

Throughout the gospel of John, Jesus described Himself in various ways. One term He used is the good shepherd (John 10:11). In the context surrounding this claim, Jesus showed us what His work as a shepherd entails, how He can be called the good shepherd, and why no one else is more qualified than He is to do this work.

So what makes Jesus the good shepherd?
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Did Jesus Bend the Rules for the Woman Caught in Adultery?

Jesus and the Woman Taken in Adultery

On one occasion when Jesus was in the temple, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman before Him who had allegedly been caught in the act of adultery. It is an interesting account, and some have tried to use it to argue that we should not try to strictly follow God’s word. But as we examine the passage, we can see that Jesus teaches just the opposite – we must be careful and diligent to follow what God’s word teaches.

The scribes and Pharisees brought this woman before Jesus, claiming that she was “caught in adultery, in the very act” (John 8:4). Then they tested Jesus: “Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do you say?” (John 8:5). They were trying to find some reason to accuse Him, presumably either to take Him before the Roman rulers or to turn the people against Him. In either case, Jesus initially ignored their question.

When they pressed Him, He responded, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). Then, one by one, each of them left until there was no one left but Jesus and this woman. He asked her, “‘Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?’ She said, ‘No one, Lord,’ And Jesus said, ‘I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more’” (John 8:10-11).
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Cannibalism & Discipleship: Which is More Difficult to Accept?

Jesus Teaching

Jesus taught the multitudes, “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh” (John 6:48-51).

Jesus’ words perplexed the people who were listening to Him. They wondered, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” (John 6:52). They were thinking in terms of eating His physical flesh and blood body. In the following verses, Jesus continued on this point: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life… For My flesh is true food and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. …he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me” (John 6:53-57).
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“Behold, the Lamb of God”

Cross

John’s mission was to prepare the way for Christ (Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 3:1). On a day when he saw Jesus coming to the place he was preaching and baptizing, John announced, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

There is a lot in John’s statement. Much of it may not have been understood at first. This is to be expected with prophecies. But as time went on and different things happened (Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, the establishment of His church, etc.), those who heard him could go back to declarations like this one and see more clearly the clues that were given and confirm the fact that God was behind all of this.
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