Analysis of the Passion Week Timeline (PART 15): Event Numbers 12-14 – Garden Arrest and Overnight Inquisition

With today’s program, let’s begin with the arresting officers of the Judean High Court recorded in John 18:12 –

Then the detachment [of troops] and the captain and the officers of the Judeans arrested Yeshua and bound him.

Those who were sent to apprehend Yeshua in the Garden of the Mount of Olives were officers dispatched by the Temple priests and the religious Judeans, sent to arrest Yeshua and deliver him to the religious authorities for breaching Jewish religious laws. These officers of the religious court are referred to in Greek as hyperetes (literally an “under-rower”) – assistants, attendants, helpers, servants to the priestly class – the possible equivalent of what was called a chazzan in the synagogue of Judaism. In Yeshua’s time, some among them were also members of a society of religious separatists, scholars, and enforcers of Judean Oral tradition. They pursued a centuries-long struggle against the high priestly sons of Tzadok, who were charged with judging and teaching in the Land based on Ezekiel 44:15-16 and 23-24. But their religious authority was removed by Pharisaic interests among those seeking to democratize the Judean religion.

After bringing an answer to this, we will then ask the question, why did Yehudah or Judas identify Yeshua to the Temple priesthood attendants using a kiss? Why does the man John Mark give us this particular story detail? We’ll look at this within the context of Psalm 2.

We’ll also look into the testimony of John Mark, who is mentioned in Acts 15:37, among other places. He was a wealthy young man, scholar, priestly ruler, and scribe. But more so, it appears that he was sympathetic to the cause of the Qumran sons of Tzadok but also worked as an officer of the high court under Annas and Caiaphas. However, at the same time, he was also a secret believer in Yeshua. Was this the same man who wrote the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of John?

Join us for the lesson today in Episode 128, Part 15, and Events 12-14 in the chronology of Yeshua’s last week and Passover event.