Under Pressure

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,’ he said to them. ‘Stay here and keep watch.’ Mark 14:32-35 (NIV).

The events of Holy Week are like an epic movie that takes you through all the emotions. The disciples must have been euphoric as they witnessed Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, with the crowds welcoming Jesus as a king, spreading their cloaks and branches on the road, shouting, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ and ‘Hosanna in the highest’ (Mark 11:9-11). The following day we see Jesus’ righteous anger overflow, as he overturns the tables of the money changers, and clears the temple area of those selling merch, who in turn must have been pretty angry as Passover week was probably a ‘best seller’ for doves. Onlookers may have felt bewildered, as Jesus is not behaving in a way that yesterday’s crowd expected.

Jesus continues to teach in the Temple, however his messages of love for God and love of neighbour are interlaced with more ominous parables predicting his death, and apocalyptic end times. He does not succumb to the flattery of the Pharisees, as they try to outwit him with religious questions, but instead issues warning against the teachers of the law. His popularity is dropping rapidly, not just amongst the religious leaders, but also amongst his own disciples. I wonder what emotions were going through Judas Iscariot’s mind as he watched a woman pour a very expensive jar of perfume on Jesus’ head, as he reclined at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, in Bethany? Perhaps, shock, jealousy, indignation at the loss of earnings from the potential sale of this perfume, or bitter disappointment that Jesus was not the sort of Messiah he was expecting? Luke’s gospel describes how, ‘Satan entered Judas…[who] went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus.’ Luke 22:3-4 (NIV).

Judas’ betrayal is not the only one over the course of this week. At the last supper, Jesus predicts that even one of his closest three companions, Peter, before the cock crows twice, ‘will disown me three times.’ (Mark 14:30). Peter, undoubtedly deeply wounded by this accusation, is emphatic that this will never happen, and declares he is willing to die with Jesus. As the emotions, and drama builds, we get to the nighttime scene where Jesus and his disciples go to the Mount of Olives, and enter a place called Gethsemane, so that Jesus can pray.