A5- PART S

PART S: Arrest
PART S: ARREST
After suffering the agony of Gethsemane, Jesus is arrested. His chief
disciple, Peter, denies any knowledge of him.
‘You know the strain and anguish and the fear
a woman feels when she is in the throes
of giving birth: the pain is hard to bear.
For months she’s lived unsure of what’s to come
but when she’s given birth she’s overwhelmed
with joy because her child is here at last.
All else she’ll soon forget. Her child is born!
You too will suffer sorrow and distress
when I must leave, but I’ll be back again
and bringing with me everlasting joy –
an endless happiness no one can take
from you.’
The day will come when you won’t ask of me
whatever help it is you may desire:
you’ll ask directly of the One Who Is.
If you approach the Father in my name
and pray to Him as I have taught you to
without a doubt your prayer will be heard
and benefactions follow your requests.
You’ve heard me speak of this in parables
or wrapped in metaphor, but change is due –
for you must understand, because you have
loved me, and have believed that I have come
from Him, that He Himself loves you. You see?
For this, the Father sent me to this world
and I shall soon return from whence I came.
But now, I’m leaving you. I must return
to Him who sent me. Though this saddens you,
it means that I’ll be able to despatch
the Paraclete – the Spirit who will come
only if I return to my true home.
And when the Spirit comes He will help prove
how wrong the world has been on many counts.
As, in a court of Law, my Counsellor
will demonstrate what is both just and true.
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A gospel in blank verse with rhymed parables
The World’s protagonists will find themselves
on trial with no case to formulate.
The Paraclete will prove them wrong on Sin,
on Judgement and on Righteousness as well.
On sin, because they hated me and yet
they’ll learn it’s to my Father I return.
The Prince of Darkness stands condemned by me.
That makes their judgements unsustainable
so wherein lies the justice in their case?
There are still many things that you should know.
You could not bear them now but when He comes,
the bearer of the Spirit and of Truth
He’ll guide you all and you will find the Way.
He’ll speak not on His own authority
but what He hears from heaven. What’s to come
will always be well-known to Him, and what
I’ve said to you He will explain and show
how right I’ve been: and thus the name I bear
will be revered and glorified. For what
the Father has is mine, and what I’ve said
has been what He has shared with me… for we
are One.
Then Jesus raised his eyes and looked to heaven.
‘Father,’ he prayed, ‘My hour has almost come.
Please let my name be known. My sacrifice
will honour you and glorify your name,
especially since you’ve given me power to bring
eternal life to all humanity,
to every man and woman of your choice.
For they now know ‘eternal life’ is this:
to recognise Yourself as the true God
and see in Jesus Christ your only Son
the One who has been sent to spread your word
and do your work, and to exalt your name.
I did what I was sent to do on earth.
Now show them who I was before the earth
was ever made, and let them see me stand
beside you clothed in glory and in power.
These men and women whom you gave to me
I have instructed in the ways of truth
and they have kept your word. They recognise
that everything I told them comes from You:
and they believe that You it was who sent
me here on earth. But now I wish to pray
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PART S: Arrest
for people whom you gave to me as mine.
Yes, all are Yours, but all now count as mine
and by this I am glorified. The world
I do not pray for. I leave it behind:
But those whom I’ve made Yours will still remain.
For them I pray. Please know them by the name
You’ve given me. I want them to be one
as You and I are one. Judas, I lost.
Perdition’s son was he. The prophets warned
that he’d betray your cause: and they were right.
So now I’m heading heavenwards, but I’ve shared
my knowledge of these things with those I leave
for it will bring them happiness today
and later on. For now, they have to face
the hatred of the world which hated me,
for neither they nor I belong to it.
I pray that you’ll protect them from the grasp
of Satan, but, not take them from the Earth.
Instead, may they be sanctified by truth–
the truth with which you sent me to their world.
For then they’ll spread the power of your love
among those who’ll believe when I am gone
to join you, Father, and have left your work
to them. I wish them to be One as You
and I are One. May they be One with us
and so convince the world your love for them
is just as strong as is your love for me.
Jesus and his disciples sang a hymn,
then, made their way towards Gethsemane.
The name means ‘oil-press’ and it was a place
of shading olive trees, which they knew well -
a fitting place to meditate and rest.
Jesus expressed a wish to go and pray.
Accompanied by Peter, and with James
and John, the sons of Zebedee, he found
a favoured spot a little way away.
Then, pausing as he left them there, he said,
‘I am consumed with sorrow and distress.
I’m overwhelmed with thoughts of pain and death.
Stay here, and stay awake and watch with me.’
With this he disappeared from view among
the olive trees, where, falling to his knees
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A gospel in blank verse with rhymed parables
He, long and fervently, began to pray
that he might be excused from what he feared.
‘Oh, Father, please do not insist that I
should drink this cup of suffering at this hour.
For You, all things are possible. You could
find other ways...and yet, if this is what
You wish, then be it so.’ With that, he rose
and stumbled back to Peter, James and John.
But night was closing in. He looked about
and found all three wrapped in their cloaks, asleep.
They’d drunk and eaten well that evening.
‘Could you not watch with me an hour?’ he asked,
as, shaking Peter into wakefulness
he cautioned him to pray and so avoid
temptation’s blandishments. ‘I am aware’
he said, ‘that flesh is weak, though spirit may
be strong. Be cautious, stay awake and pray.’
With that he left him and took up his place
of prayer once again: and once again
he begged to be let off the suffering
that he had long foreseen. He struggled on.
Into the night he prayed, then he returned
to find that Peter, as before, lay fast
asleep: but waking with a start, was too
ashamed to offer even an excuse.
A third time Jesus went away to pray.
This time of prayer for Jesus we describe
as ‘agony’. We use the word to mean
‘extremes of pain that man may face at death.’
The Greek original meant more: it meant
‘a confrontation, violent and intense.’
That’s what was signified. Here was played out
the ultimate in combat as between
the Prince of Darkness and a man, the Christ.
The prize? The destiny of all mankind!
Small wonder that the Lord should sweat with blood
as he responded, once again. ‘I will,
if you require it Father. I will drink
this proffered cup and not refuse your wish.’
Then, for the third time he returned to find
that Peter, James and John were still asleep.
‘Get up!’ he said. The moment has arrived.
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PART S: Arrest
‘Here comes that one disciple who betrays
the Son of Man into the power of those
whose minds are closed and who are steeped in sin.’
And as he spoke, from darkness they could hear
commotion… footsteps… and could see the lights
of lanterns and of torches getting close.
A troop of High Priest’s Guard: with them a squad
of Roman soldiers, helmeted and armed,
came into view with Judas to the fore.
He had been paid by the authorities
to point out Jesus at a time and place
where he could be arrested without fear
of interference from the people – folk
who dogged him everywhere. All that they lacked,
which Judas could provide, was certainty.
They needed to be sure that the man
they hoped to seize was really Jesus, not
some nobody in semi-darkness grabbed
in too much haste. So, smiling furtively
and with an action that would make his name
for ever execrated in the world’s
long history, false Judas took the hand
of Jesus with a kiss. This was the way
a student, follower, disciple or
an acolyte would show acknowledgement
of his teacher. The gesture was a mark
of public deference and of gratitude.
Of course, the irony did not escape
the Lord. ‘Thus, Judas it is with a kiss
that you betray me!’ Then deliberately
he stepped out from among his followers
confronting those who sought him, quite alone.
‘So, who exactly are you looking for?’
The High Priest’s Guard Commander raised his voice.
‘A Nazarene named Jesus. He’s the one.’
The Roman Officer confirmed the name.
‘Jesus of Nazareth. Do you know him?’
‘I am Jesus of Nazareth’, he said.
What happened next is not entirely clear.
Instead of surging forward to arrest
the man who had quite openly confessed
to be the so-called ‘criminal’ they sought
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A gospel in blank verse with rhymed parables
they all fell back… fell down, indeed… and lay
confounded and confused upon the ground
as, once again the Lord repeated, ‘I,
standing here, am the one you want.
The others must be freed and left alone.’
Unsteadily they rose and gathered round
but Simon Peter’s knife was in his hand
already slashing in his Lord’s defence.
In aiming at the head of one of those
sent out to take him into custody
Peter sliced through the right ear of a slave
named Malchus who did tasks for Caiaphas.
Then, on the instant, Jesus took command
and ordered Peter to control himself.
‘Do you not understand that, should I ask,
armies of angels would be at my side?
The world will not be conquered by the sword.
My Father’s plans, as prophets have foretold
are otherwise: so sheath your knife at once.
Today’s the day His will must be obeyed.’
Then, healing with a touch the wounded ear,
the Lord turned once again to face the Guard
despatched by the Chief Priests to capture him.
‘Why all the swords and truncheons in your hands?
Were you sent out to find a partisan,
a robber or a gang of criminals?
My message has been one that all can hear.
I’ve made no secret of the truth I bring.
I’ve taught in synagogues quite openly
and in the Temple in Jerusalem.
No-one laid hands upon me then. Why now?’
‘This is the hour when Powers of Darkness reign,’
was all he said when he was held and bound
and, unresisting, led away. Meanwhile
disciples and his followers alike
took to their heels and fled. One, notably
dressed only in a linen cloth, when seized,
slipped free, and ran stark naked, terrified,
into the shelter of the olive groves.
If John’s account is followed we can date
with some exactitude, the Lord’s arrest.
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PART S: Arrest
It was the fourteenth day of Nisan. Dawn
would herald in the Preparation Day
for Passover. The Christian way to date
would give, as near as we can tell, the seventh
of April, thirty Anno Domini.
The Temple slaughter of the Pascal lambs
would have already started. Time was short.
The ‘Jesus Question’ must be solved at once.
This would explain why Jesus should be led
not into custody, to wait till day
but straightaway and well into the night,
quite friendless, hands bound, with a guard close by
to face the accusations of a court –
the Sanhedrin, the highest in the land.
In keeping with the custom of the time
the Lord would not have been allowed to speak
when taken first to Annas, who would try
to fix precisely what the charge would be
with which the Nazarene might be accused.
For him it was important that the facts
were undisputed and were verified
by other witnesses. Here was the snag.
The smallest details had to be confirmed.
Meanwhile, as prisoner still, and under guard
The Lord stood waiting in the outer court
unable to play any part within.
Those who stood up to give their evidence,
convened, no doubt, to make the strongest case
against this man from Galilee, were found
unable to agree. The hearing failed
to put together a coherent charge
that Caiaphas, as judge, could place before
the Sanhedrin to expedite a trial.
Of all his scattered followers, just two,
had trailed behind the Temple guards, unseen,
intent on knowing what his fate would be
now Jesus had been taken prisoner.
The Rock was there, for Peter had to know,
and he was rash enough to take a chance.
The other man, it’s thought, was probably
the youngster, John, the fourth evangelist.
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At the High Priest’s official residence
a member of the household staff, a maid,
was posted at the door to keep an eye
on those attempting to get in. Since John,
it seems, had high-placed friends, he was allowed
to follow without hindrance. The Rock
could not: for he was recognised and stopped.
When John had had a word on his behalf
the maid reluctantly, at last, gave way.
‘Aren’t you a follower of his?’ she asked
‘that Law-breaker that they have just brought in?’
‘Not me!’ said Peter, and at once brushed past
into the courtyard. There, since it was cold,
the servants and arresting officers
had built a fire – so Peter joined the ones
who stood and warmed themselves. It was not wise.
The flames revealed his face. A bystander
was quick to recognise that Peter was
someone he’d often seen in company
with Jesus – who had now been made to stand
well-guarded and well-distanced from the fire.
(No comfort for the prisoner and no warmth
and kept away from those who’d captured him.)
‘You (a)re one of this man’s followers’, he said.
‘Don’t be absurd. I’ve never heard of him.
I’ve just dropped in to get a warm. It’s cold.’
And pulling up his cloak around his ears
the Lord’s most trusted follower moved off
to find another spot not quite as near
the blaze. An hour of waiting passed, or more,
while Annas listened to the evidence
behind the closed doors of an inner room.
Out in the yard the conversation flowed
and, rash as ever, Peter would join in.
His accent was another give-away.
A kinsman of the man whom Peter’s knife
had injured said, ‘Your accent’s just like his.
You and the prisoner are from Galilee.
You’re certainly his follower – that’s sure!’
“How many bloody times, then, must I say
I do not know this character, this rogue,
this public nuisance? Damn me if I do!”
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PART S: Arrest
Just as he cursed, the first hint of new day
was welcomed by a crowing cockerel
and Jesus, out of hearing as he was,
caught Peter’s eye, and he recalled at once
something forgotten that the Lord had said,
‘Before cock-crow, you will deny me thrice.’
He had been right, as ever. Lest his tears
should rouse suspicions further, Peter rushed
without a word into the night, and wept:
and wept as if his heart would break. It might
have been that moment when a stir within
the house revealed that Jesus would be soon
escorted to the Chief Priest to be tried.
The charges brought against him must have stuck.
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A gospel in blank verse with rhymed parables
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