When He Was Betrayed, Christ Felt What We Would Feel, September 18

“Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.” Mark 14:42^L.

And now they hear the heavy tramp of soldiers in the garden.... “And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely. And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master; master; and kissed him.” Mark 14:44^L. “But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?”(Luke 22:48^L)...

To the multitude Jesus said, “Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.” Mark 14:48^L.

John′s record of this event is “Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.... Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest′s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant′s name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” John 18:3~6, 10~11^L.

At this saying terror seized upon the disciples. They were now all together again, surrounding their Lord; but at the proposition of Peter, they “all ... forsook him, and fled.” Mark 14:50^L.

The human nature of Christ was like unto ours. And suffering was really more keenly felt by Him, for His spiritual nature was free from every taint of sin. The aversion to suffering was in proportion to its severity. His desire for the removal of suffering was just as strong as human beings experience....

How intense was the desire of the humanity of Christ to escape the displeasure of an offended God; how His soul longed for relief is shown in the words of the Sufferer, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”(Matthew 26:39^L)... All the accumulated sin of the world was laid upon the Sinbearer, the One who was innocent of all sin, the One who alone could be the propitiation for sin, because He Himself was obedient. His life was one with God. Not a taint of corruption was upon Him.—Manuscript 42, 1897.