He was numbered with transgressors

Luke 22:35-53 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

And He said to them, “When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?” They said, “No, nothing.” ³⁶ And He said to them, “But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one. ³⁷ For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘And He was numbered with transgressors’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment.” ³⁸ They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”

³⁹ And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. ⁴⁰ When He arrived at the place, He said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” ⁴¹ And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, ⁴² saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” ⁴³ Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him. ⁴⁴ And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground. ⁴⁵ When He rose from prayer, He came to the disciples and found them sleeping from sorrow, ⁴⁶ and said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

⁴⁷ While He was still speaking, behold, a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was preceding them; and he approached Jesus to kiss Him. ⁴⁸ But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” ⁴⁹ When those who were around Him saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” ⁵⁰ And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹ But Jesus answered and said, “Stop! No more of this.” And He touched his ear and healed him. ⁵² Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders who had come against Him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against a robber? ⁵³ While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.”   

In today’s text Jesus says: “For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘And He was numbered with transgressors”      The word transgressor, is more than a sinner. This prophetic word about Jesus was not referring to His association with outcasts and sinners. Jesus would be numbered with and treated as a criminal, not for actually breaking the law, but because His righteousness was offensive. The Light of the World was offensive to the darkness.  In Luke 21:11-13, Jesus warns the disciple that this same fate may also happen to them. He says: and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. "But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name's sake. "It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony.…

The day may come and indeed seems to already be coming when those who follow Jesus, those who represent the light in the darkness, may be numbered with criminals. Jesus says it will lead to an opportunity for your testimony. Jesus continues His exhortation in verses 14-15 saying: “So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves;  for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.”    If we worry about and try to prepare our own defense it causes us to look beyond what God is doing in the moment. We need to trust and follow Him each day, yielding to the Holy Spirit.

When Jesus went out to the garden to pray, He told His disciples:  “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.”   Jesus Himself prayed:  “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” The account of Jesus prayer continues saying:   And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground.   Jesus fervent prayer was not to ask that He might avoid His destiny and purpose. He came to die for the sins of all mankind. He knew it would be. Jesus fervent prayer is recorded in John 17, His high priestly prayer, interceding on behalf of His disciples and all who would come to know and follow Him. When He finished praying He again said to His disciples: “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”      We too must remain diligent and fervent in prayer so that we do not slumber and enter into temptation. Temptation may come in many forms, but if we remain yielded to the Holy Spirit and pray as Jesus prayed:   “not My will, but Yours be done,” He will deliver us from temptation.

The account of Jesus betrayal continues, Jesus says to Judas, His betrayer:   “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”      We too, if we follow Jesus may come to be betrayed by the lips of those who are close to us. Jesus says:  “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; ³⁶ and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. (Matthew 10:34-36)   The sword He brings though is neither an offensive or defensive weapon, rather it is the sword of the word of God. Hebrews 4:12 says:    For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.   If we would follow Jesus we too would wield the sword of truth.

Again it is not a sword of offense or defense we carry. In today’s text it says:   “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” ⁵⁰ And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹ But Jesus answered and said, “Stop! No more of this.” And He touched his ear and healed him.”    Jesus never asks us to do something He hasn’t done or prepared us for. He says:  "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.…(Matthew 5:44-45)

Jesus says: “While I was with you daily in the temple, you did not lay hands on Me; but this hour and the power of darkness are yours.”   Some will choose darkness over light. In John 3:17-21 Jesus says:  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. ¹⁸ “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. ²¹ But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”     If we would follow Jesus, we would not concern ourselves that some will choose darkness over light. If we will follow Jesus we will heed His word which says:  “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; ¹⁵ nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶ Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.