The Real Jesus of the Four GospelsAtwater, John Birdseye
Religion
The Real Jesus of the Four Gospels
Atwater, John Birdseye
Jesus Christ -- Biography
The prediction of Peter thrice denying his master takes a little
different form. Instead of saying to the apostles, "All ye shall be
offended because of me this night," Jesus addresses Himself to Peter
alone. Evidently, having some doubt of his constancy, He says: "Simon,
Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as
wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." Peter then
asserts, "Lord, I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison and to
death." Jesus then predicts that Peter will deny Him thrice before the
cock crows (Luke XXII:31-34).
There follows a passage very difficult to understand, in view of the
fact that a short time later Jesus rebukes one of His followers for
cutting off the ear of the high priest's servant. He reminds His
apostles of the time when He sent them forth without purse or scrip, and
they lacked for nothing. He then tells them that now they should take
both purse and scrip, "and he that hath no sword, let him sell his
garment and buy one." "And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords.
And He said unto them, It is enough" (Luke XXII:35-38).
The visit to the Mount of Olives and the prayer offered there is
described more briefly than in Matthew or Mark. There is no mention of
the garden of Gethsemane, but Luke adds that an angel from heaven
appeared, "strengthening Him" (Luke XXII:39-46).
John's version of the Last Supper is quite different from that of the
other three evangelists. He omits any description of the selection of
the place for the feast. He places the supper before the Passover,
apparently correctly, instead of its being the celebration of the
Passover, as in the other three Gospels (John XIII:1). He omits any
mention of the blessing and passing of the bread and wine. He alone of
the evangelists relates that, after the supper, Jesus took a basin of
water and a towel, and washed the apostles' feet, impressing on them a
lesson in humility (John XIII:4-17). Jesus says to the apostles that one
of them shall betray Him. Peter and John ask Him, "Who is it?" Jesus
answers, "It is the one to whom I shall give a sop." He then gives the
sop to Judas, and says, "What thou doest, do quickly." Judas goes away
at once, although none of the apostles (unless Peter and John)
understand that He is accused (John XIII:18-30). After his departure,
John has Jesus delivering a long discourse, covering four chapters and
part of another, none of which appears at this time in the other three
Gospels. After this is finished, Jesus goes with His disciples over "the
brook Cedron," into a garden, but there is no mention of the praying
there, which appears in the other Gospels (John XVIII:1).
THE BETRAYAL
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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