He Surrendered

Today's reading: Matthew 26:47-67

'Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels?' - Matthew 26:53 ESV

We don't hear a lot of teaching about the night hours that led up to Jesus' crucifixion. Sure, we know Jesus was in the Garden, sweating blood, but we don't really dig into the time where he was falsely accused during the cloak of night.

Let's make one thing clear: Jesus was not apprehended because of the mob's force. He was forthright with his words above. The arrest was actually a surrender. The powers that were at his disposal would boggle our minds like they did when Elisha's servant got a glimpse of heaven's armies in 2 Kings 6:17:

'Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.'

What unseen angelic hosts were surrounding Jesus as he's being "captured" in the Garden?

Our Savior surrendered.

It would be a painful night of spitting, slapping, bleeding, mocking, sorrow, and intense pain even before he made it to the cross.

And he did it for you. He did it for me. It was the only way.