Palm Sunday (Sunday of the Passion): Gospel, Luke 22:1-23:56    

Luke 22:1-23:56

Another Sunday with options for the reading of the gospel. There aren’t too many of those Sundays, but in this week’s case choice may be necessitated due to time. The major reading is two full chapters of Luke. And as Dr. Mitchell at the seminary used to quip, “Whew! Those chapters in Luke are LONG.” But length can be a good thing. I just read these two full chapters and it is well worth the time spoken of above. We’re brought into those hours of trial, denial, death, and burial. It’s a dark time. The writing reflects that.

There is one verse that jumped out at me as I read and pondered this text. At this point in the account Jesus is with his disciples in the garden of Gethsemane. Judas has done his handing over of the Savior and so with guards and clamor the confrontation in the grove takes place. Jesus isn’t surprised at his enemy’s methods nor their seeming stealth and deception, having used one of Jesus' band to betray. So Jesus chides the soldiers and leaders, “When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me.” And then this: “But this is your hour, and the power of darkness” (Luke 22:53).

How bad is man? What is he like at his most devious and hateful? We’ve all grieved at the mass school shootings that have plagued our nation. We have seen riots in the streets, and just yesterday a young, talented high school student from Texas was slain; stabbed in the heart in broad daylight for asking another teen to please move so he could take his seat. Jeremiah 17:9 clings to us like a stench to a corpse. Wars, rumors of wars and upheavals great and small. But what is about to happen to God’s Son infinitely passes all other wickedness of mankind. For the mob in the garden will begin the wheels turning that will end in the death of the “Prince of Life.” Jesus knows it. He came to live it and to drink the cup of his Father’s wrath to the dregs. For you and me. While the plan was in place, it took the willed and willing motion of evil men to carry it out. In just a few hours Jesus will be dead, his disciples fearful and alone, and hearts will wonder if the sun will ever rise again. It will. We know it will.

But for these moments, “this is the power of darkness.”