In Matthew 26:47-56, Mark 14:43-52, and John 18:2-11, we have accounts of the arrest of our Lord. These reports, when compared one with another, are in perfect, agreement in the essential details. There are some facts that one writer records and that are not given by others. Such unanimous agreement, with minor details only differing, is one of the surest proofs of truth--judged by the laws of evidence, which obtain in the courts of the land.

In Luke 22:47-65 we have this writer's account of the betrayal and arrest of our Lord. According to verse 47 a multitude, along with Judas, one of the twelve disciples, came in order to arrest Jesus. Prior to their arrival Judas had instructed those accompanying him that he would kiss Jesus, and thus by this act identify Jesus to the mob with him.

According to verse 48 Jesus addressed Judas saying: "Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?" We remember that, while Jesus was observing the Passover Supper, He had foretold that the one to whom He would give the sop would betray Him that night. Here was the fulfillment of our Lord's prediction.

When the disciples who were with Jesus saw what was about to take place, namely, that the mob with Judas had come to arrest Jesus, they said: "Lord, shall we smite with the sword?" (vs. 49). Before Jesus could answer them, Peter, who was always very impulsive and aggressive, drew his sword and struck at the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear. Then Jesus "answered and said, Suffer ye them thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him." In the light of these facts it seems hard for us to comprehend how Judas and those with him could continue with their plan of seizing Jesus--but they did.

According to 22:52,53: "Jesus said unto the chief priests, and captains of the temple, and elders, that were come against him, Are ye come out, as against a robber, with swords and staves? 53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched not forth your hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness." They were afraid to put forth their hands against Jesus in the light, the daytime, when the masses of people were present. They knew that the great populace would not stand for any foul play against Jesus, when they could act according to their better judgment.

When Jesus was arrested, as we have just seen, He was hurried away to be tried for an alleged crime against the Romans and against the nation.

When Jesus was arrested, He was taken to the house of Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was, according to Roman appointment, acting as high priest that year. According to John 18:12,13 Jesus was taken first to the house of Annas: "12 So the band and the chief captain, and the officers of the Jews, seized Jesus and bound him, 13 and led him to Annas first; for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year." This trial before Annas was only a preliminary inquiry. John is the only one who tells us of it.

Being hurried through the preliminary hearing, Christ was taken from the palace of Annas to Caiaphas, who had assembled a night session of the Jewish Sanhedrin to try our Lord: "14 Now Caiaphas was he that gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people" (John 18:14).

In Matthew 26:57-68 and Mark 14:58-65 we have an account of our Lord's trial before the Sanhedrin.

In John 18:12-14 we have an account of His being led from Annas to Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin in order that He might be tried. Caiaphas, as we have already seen, was, by Roman appointment, the high priest that year. The Romans, who had control over Palestine at that time, dictated the policies of the Jewish nation very largely and went so far as to depose and appoint certain ones as high priests. Of course, those who were selected and appointed by the Romans were of such a character that they followed the dictates of the general policies of the Romans. Under these conditions it is natural that the high priests were of a political nature and were nothing, as a rule, but men who were time servers.

Luke gives us his account of the arrest of Jesus in chapter 22, verses 54-65 of his Gospel. In verse 54 he informs us that "they seized him, and led him away, and brought him into the high priest's house." Since the trial before Annas was simply a preliminary hearing, Luke passes over that incident and speaks of Jesus as being arrested and then taken before the acting high priest, Caiaphas.

We are told that Peter followed the Lord afar off. Since the weather was cold, there was a fire kindled in the middle of the court of the high priest. Peter sat down with others around this fire. "And a certain maid seeing him as he sat in the light of the fire," looked steadfastly at him and said, "This man also was with him." Immediately Peter, with vehemence, denied, saying, "Woman, I know him not." A little while later another saw him and said, "Thou also art one of them." But Peter said, "Man, I am not," After the lapse of about half an hour another confidently affirmed, saying, "Of a truth this man also was with him; for he is a Galilaean." Peter's indignant, vehement reply was, "Man, I know not what thou sayest." Immediately after that, while he was still speaking, the cock crew. At this juncture the Lord looked at Peter from His position. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the cock crow this day, thou shalt deny me thrice." Then Peter went out of the court and wept bitterly.

The men that held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him. Moreover, they blindfolded Him and asked Him, saying, "Prophesy: who is he that struck thee?" Many other things they spoke against Him, reviling Him.

Let it be remembered that this was at a night session. The reason for making this assertion is found in verse 66: "And as soon as it was day, the assembly of the elders of the people was gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away into their council, saying ..." This statement makes it clear that, after Jesus had been brought before the high priest and had been judged by him at a night session, Christ was brought before the same body after day. According to Jewish law no one could be tried and condemned at a night session of the court. In order, therefore, to maintain a semblance of legality, there was a hurried day session called of the same court that had already tried and condemned Jesus.

"And as soon as it was day, the assembly of the elders of the people was gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away into their council, saying", 67 If thou art the Christ, tell us. But he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: 68 and if I ask you, ye will not answer." Thus it is clear that a second trial is here mentioned.

The court put the direct question to Christ to answer as to whether or not He was the Messiah. Knowing their innermost intents and heart, Jesus stated that, if He told them, they would not believe. They were not eager for truth. Moreover, He said that, if He should ask them, they would not answer. They had set their hearts like a flint in opposition to Him. Nothing that He could say or do would change their minds.

But Jesus did give this bit of information to them in the form of a prophecy: "But from henceforth shall the Son of man be seated at the right hand of the power of God." Matthew gives a little fuller account of this prediction in the following words, which Jesus uttered in answer to Caiaphas' question as to whether or not He was the Christ, the Son of the living God: "Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven" (Matt. 26:64). Jesus knew that He was going to die, and that He, after His resurrection, would ascend to the right hand of the throne of God according to Psalm 110, verses 1 and 2. Moreover, He knew that they would die, but that they would go to Sheol, the place of confinement of unsaved people awaiting the judgment of the great white throne, which occurs after the Millennium. From their place in Hades Jesus declared that from henceforth, that is, from that time on, they could look up to the heavens and see Him seated at the right hand of God in the place of honor, power, and authority. Moreover, He said that they would see Him when He would arise from His seat at the right hand of the throne of God, and would come back to this earth in power and glory. These utterances of our Lord show that some of the limitations of the flesh are laid aside by those in the spirit world--both those who are lost and those who are saved.

Luke is the only one of the Evangelists who tells us so very vividly about the two different gatherings of the Sanhedrin--the one at night and the one early the next morning. We praise God that Luke did give us this additional information. When, however, we read the account of Christ's being before the Sanhedrin as recorded, for instance, in Matthew 26:57-75, the events which occurred at the night session are seen to be blended with those which occurred in the morning gathering of the Sanhedrin. The same remark is true of the picture which we see in Mark 14:53-72. If we had only Matthew and Mark we would think that there was but one convening of the Sanhedrin, and that was the one at which Peter denied our Lord, but, in the light of Luke's account, we know that Peter denied the Lord Jesus at the night session. When, however, we read Matthew and Mark in the light of the plain facts that are given by Luke, we see that there was, after the morning trial, a consultation of the Sanhedrin, in which they decided to bind Jesus and to take Him to Pilate to be condemned. Thus we see that there is perfect harmony between all of the records of the account.