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Jesus A modern English blending of the New Testament
Introduction Table of Contents
Chapters
Charles Templeton Home Brad Templeton Home Brad's Photo Pages
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Jesus and the apostles crossed the Ravine of Cedars, climbed
the Mount of Olives, and walked to a place Jesus knew well: a garden known
as Gethsemane. "Wait here," he told the apostles. "I'm going over there
to pray. Simon, James, John - you come with me." As the three of them went with him, Jesus was suddenly almost
overwhelmed with grief. "Oh my soul!" he cried out. "The agony! I don't know whether
I can stand it! Stay here and keep a lookout." He continued on a stone's-throw and collapsed. "Oh my Father," he prayed, "You can do anything; if it is
possible, let me draw back from this agony. But let it be as you want, not
I." An angel came and strengthened him. He continued to pray in an agony of spirit, the perspiration
running down his face like blood, and dropping to the ground. After a time he got to his feet and went back to where the
apostles were. Exhausted by their grief - and because it was now early morning
- they had fallen asleep. He shook Peter awake. "You're sleeping, Simon?" he said. "Couldn't you stand watch
for even an hour? Stay awake, and pray that you may escape the testing ahead.
I know you want to stay awake, but the body's a weak thing." He left them and went off to pray. "Oh, my Father," he groaned. "If there is no other way,
your will be done." When he returned to the apostles, some time later, he found
that they had fallen asleep again. He went back to the garden to pray again
and then returned to where they lay. "Go ahead, have you sleep now," he said, "But no. Look! I'm
about to be betrayed. Get up men. The traitor is here." The council had assigned a band of temple-guards to Judas.
Even as Jesus was speaking, they marched toward him, their lanterns and
torches lighting the darkness. Judas - who knew where Jesus was because
he'd been there often - was walking ahead of the guards. Knowing what was
about to happen, Jesus stepped out of the darkness and walked toward them.
"Who are you looking for?" he asked. "For Jesus of Nazareth." "I'm Jesus of Nazareth." The front rank stepped back and some of the guards fell to
the ground. He spoke to them again. "Who do you want?" "Jesus of Nazareth." "I am Jesus of Nazareth as I told you. So if it's me you're
after let these others go." (He was concerned that the prophecy be fulfilled
: I have lost none of those you gave me.) They had assigned to Judas a cohort under the command of
a tribune and some men of the temple-guard. Judas has established a pre-arranged
plan."The signal will be a kiss," he had told them, "and the man I will kiss
is Jesus. Arrest him and take him away safely." He walked up to Jesus. "Hello, Teacher," he said, and kissed him affectionately.
"Judas," Jesus said, "do you betray me with a kiss?" Then
he said, "Do what you've come to do, friend." The apostles realized what was happening. "Shall we fight,
Teacher?" they whispered. Peter didn't wait. He drew his sword and with a swipe cut
off the right ear of the high priest's servant, a man by the name of Malchus.
"No more of that, Simon," Jesus said. "Put your sword away.
Live by violence and you'll die by violence. Do you not want me to obey
God? Surely you realize that even now I could ask him to send legions of
angels to rescue me. But if I were to do that how would the scriptures be
fulfilled?" He walked over to Malchus, touched his ear and healed it. They put him under arrest, bound his hands, and prepared
to lead him away. "Why these swords and clubs?" Jesus said to the officer in
charge. " You'd think I was a brigand. I've been teaching in the temple
every day; why didn't you arrest me then? But no matter, this is your hour,
a time for the fulfillment of scripture and a time when darkness has its
way." The apostles turned and ran. As the soldiers marched Jesus away, a young man dressed only
in a linen robe, followed. One of the soldiers seized him but he struggled
free and ran off naked, leaving his robe in their hands. The guard marched Jesus to the home of Annas, the father-in-law
of the high priest. Annas interrogated him about his disciples and his teaching.
Peter and one of the other disciples followed at a distance.
The other apostle was known to the high priest so, while Peter waited outside
by the gate, he went in to the courtyard and got permission for Peter to
enter. As they were passed through the gate, a girl, one of the housemaids,
studied Peter's face. The night was cold and the officers of the guard and
some of the household servants had built a fire in the center of the enclosure.
Peter stood outside the circle for awhile and then edged his way in and
sat down among the group to warm himself. The housemaid had continued to
watch him. She spoke up. "Aren't you one of the that fellow's followers?" she said.
"That fellow from Galilee - Jesus?" "What are you talking about, woman?" Peter said. " I don't
even know the man." He got up and went out on the porch . Another housemaid saw
him there and whispered to some of the men standing about," That man there
. . . he was with Jesus. I saw him." "You're one of them, aren't you?" one of the men called out.
"What do you mean?" Peter said. "I don't know him. I swear
I don't." An hour passed. One of the servants who had been standing
out in the courtyard - a relative of Malchus - walked up to him. "Didn't I see you with him in the Garden?" "You most certainly did not!" "But I did. You're one of his people.You're a Galilean. Your
accent's a dead giveaway." Peter began to curse and swear. "You're talking absolute
nonsense," he shouted. "I tell you I do not know the man!" Nearby, a rooster crowed. Jesus turned and looked at Peter.
And he, remembering, went out, his body heaving with bitter sobs. Within the house Annas had been plying Jesus with questions.
"I have spoken quite openly," Jesus told him. "I've taught
frequently where the people gather; in the synagogues and in the temple.
There have been no secret meetings. But why ask me about my teaching? Ask
the people who've been listening to me. They'll tell you what I've been saying."
A soldier leaned across and slapped his face. "What do you mean, talking to the high priest like that?"
he said. "If I've answered wrongly," Jesus said, "tell me in what
way. But if I haven't, why have you struck me?" Annas had him taken to Caiaphas' house, still bound and under
guard. The council had been assembled there to hear potential withnesses.
They were hoping to find someone whose testimony would provide them with
the grounds on which to seek the death penalty. A number of men presented
themselves. One man was willing to swear that he had heard Jesus say, "I'm
going to tear down this manmade temple and build another untouched by human
hands," but they could find no one to substantiate his story. Finally, two
men came before them whose testimony agreed. "This fellow said he could destroy God's temple and rebuild
it in three days," they testified. Caiaphas rose to his feet and turned to Jesus . "How do you respond to these chargers?" he said. "Have you
nothing to say?" Jesus did not speak. "Are you the Christ?" Caiaphas asked. "If you are, say so."
"If I did," he replied, "you wouldn't believe me, and if
I were to put question to you, you wouldn't answer them." "I call upon you, in the presence of the living God," Caiaphas
thundered, "to tell us if you are the Christ, God's son." "I am. And I'll tell you more. You, Caiaphas, are going to
see the son of man seated at God's right hand and coming from heaven on the
clouds in the sky." Caiaphas ripped his robe ceremonially. "Blasphemy ! You heard it - blasphemy! What do we need witnesses
for? You yourselves heard him blaspheme." He turned to the council. "What
is your verdict?" "Guilty!" they said. "He deserves to die." The soldiers who were guarding him began to slap him and to spit in his face. One of them took a blindfold and
covered his eyes and then struck him. "Come on there, prophet," he said. "Come on, Messiah, tell
us who hit you?" There was more of the same. The guards were ordered to take
him away. As they led him out they continued to pummel him.
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