52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, "Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs? 53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour--when darkness reigns."
Even in His arrest, Jesus reasons with the mob showing forth His divine sovereignty – they were not going to reign until it was their allotted hour. Coming out in the cover of darkness, and going forth in the force of darkness, these “religious” leaders were themselves breaking their own laws - committing illegal behavior both by arresting Jesus at night and by being accompanied by a hired accuser. As Jesus told them, “this is your hour” – what a pathetic trade off they were about to make. I am reminded of Jesus’ words commending the Church in Philadelphia regarding another “hour” yet to occur on this earth - found in Revelation:
8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9 I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars--I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. Rev 3:8-10 (NIV)
Contrast these words given above to the Church in Philadelphia with the remonstration that these ecclesiastics received from Jesus in our verses for today. Holding fast to their religiosity as their god, they received no such commendation from the lips of our Savior.
“That to which your heart clings is your god.” Martin Luther
They, who were employed in this hateful bit of service, should have known that they need not come in the dead of night nor come with swords and clubs. They knew that Jesus would not have resisted as He had been daily with them in the temple – He, right in their midst. Jesus had come to do His Father’s will and He was obedient. He continually told His followers:
38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. John 6:38 (NIV)
Jesus knew that this was all part of the plan. He was not taken by surprise. He willingly submitted to the evil deed in order to save me – in order to save you and even in order to save them. I am reminded of the chorus in the lyrics of the song “New Again”:
“Whatever happens...Whatever you see...Whatever your eyes tell you has become of me...This is not...Not the end...I am making all things new again.”
“As a blind man has no idea of colors, so have we no idea (how) the all-wise God perceives and understands all things.” Isaac Newton
“Immortal, invisible, God only wise, In light inaccessible hid from our eyes, Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise. Unresting, unhasting and silent as light, Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might; Thy justice like mountains high soaring above Thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.” Walter C. Smith
Satan, the ruler of darkness, was permitted to do his worst. Yet, praise Jesus, the darkness must give way to light – the power of darkness will be made to give homage to the Prince of Light. Talk about making beauty from ashes! Just as the prophet Isaiah tells us:
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. Isaiah 61:1-3 (NIV)
“God gives the cross, and the cross gives us God.” Madame Guyon