Luke 22:46-50

Luke 22:46 (KJB)
And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

Jesus then came back from His time of prayer and He found the disciples sleeping. As Jesus was praying, agonizing, and sweating those great drops of blood the disciples were fast asleep. The word “sleep” is in the present tense which means they had prolonged sleep while Jesus was agonizing in prayer. Jesus comes over to them and asks them why they are sleeping. Then He says to them to rise and to pray so they will not enter into any temptation. The Christian is to pray before they encounter anything which could cause them to stray. This is what Jesus as trying to get through to them because if they lack spiritual strength when they encounter trials or temptations, then they will surely fall, as all of us would.

Luke 22:47 (KJB)
And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him.

This verse begins the betrayal of Jesus as the multitudes probably containing temple guards had now come out to the Garden of Gethsemane. This group was led by Judas who has now fulfilled his promise to the religious leaders that he would deliver Him. Then Judas approaches Jesus and gives Him a kiss so they would identify who Jesus was. (Mat 26:48 KJV) Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.

Luke 22:48 (KJB)
But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?

Then Jesus turns to Judas and asks him if he betrays the Son of man with a kiss? (Mat 26:24 KJV) The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. Jesus uses the words “Son of man” to add a stronger meaning to His question other than “betrayest me with a Kiss?” It reminded Judas of who He was betraying.

Luke 22:49 (KJB)
When they which were about him saw what would follow, they said unto him, Lord, shall we smite with the sword?

Jesus had just told them to get swords and here they are asking if they should smite the crowd with a sword? If you recall, they only had two swords among them and did they really think that those two would be able to defeat that large crowd? They were able to discern the situation at hand but unable to discern the teachings of Jesus about the Kingdom and His coming suffering.

Luke 22:50 (KJB)
And one of them smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear.

Then Simon Peter took his sword and drew it and wanted to fight and had wielded it and took off the ear of Malchus. (John 18:10 KJV) 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. Peter stated that he would die with Jesus instead of forsaking Him but this would be the last time Peter would be brave until after the resurrection. Maybe Peter thought that when Jesus saw the sword drawn it would have been a good time for Jesus to rebuke those who came for Him. Peter was forgetting that this was savoring the things of men and not the things of God. That is what Jesus told him when he made his confession that Jesus was the Christ.

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