Are you still asleep? It is enough, the hour has come...
Mark 14:41
And He came the third time [to Peter, James and John asleep], and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.”
Judas knew where to find the Master.
He led officers of the chief priests (the temple guard), some Pharisees, and perhaps elements of the Roman cohort and their commander across the ravine of the Kidron to Gethsemane, the garden of the olive press. It was a place where Jesus often met with His disciples. They came with lanterns and torches and weapons. (John 18:1-12).
It was a location away from the crowds of the city that included many of Jesus' followers. Perhaps Jesus was thinking of their safety, intentionally creating conditions that would have prevented the opportunity for an uprising and potential massacre by the Roman soldiers stationed in Jerusalem for the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread.
As they left for Gethsemane, Jesus said something puzzling to His disciples: “Let him who has no sword sell his robe and buy one, for the Scripture must be fulfilled in Me, ‘And He was classed among criminals,' for that which refers to Me has its fulfilment” (Luke 22:37). By evoking the words of Isaiah 53, Jesus accepted the mantle of the prophet’s Suffering Servant (Isaiah 53:12), a role with anticipated consequences about which He had repeatedly warned His disciples, (Mark 8:31–35, Mark 9:30–32, Mark 10:33-34). His disciples could not fathom what He was talking about.
They assured Him that they already had two swords. The pair was not enough to resist a contingent of the Roman cohort, but probably enough to ward off thieves who might be lurking in the darkness. The weaponry was enough to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy but not enough to have a meaningful impact on what was to happen that night. Jesus responded to them, “It is enough (sufficient)” (Luke 22:36-38).
After several hours, they were all asleep again despite His urging, almost begging that they remain awake, watch and pray with Him.
He looked westward alone, down towards the ravine and could see a file of torches and lanterns making their way towards the garden. Perhaps the muffled clang of metal armor, shields and weapons echoed through the hills.
Jesus woke them up. “Are you still resting? Are you still asleep?”
“It is enough,” (apechō, sufficient, to have wholly or in full, to hold oneself, to have received).
The stage is set. The players have assembled. The curtain rises. The next act is about to begin.
“Get up. We must be going. The one who betrays Me is at hand” (Mark 14:42).
Enough swords. Enough sleep.
I have settled and steeled My heart.
You have slept away your time for abiding, for vigilance and prayer.
Violence and betrayal, evil and injustice are upon us.
His followers were not ready. They had been caught asleep.
“They all left Him and fled” (Mark 14:50).
May we not scatter with them but rather steadfastly watch, pray and face the evil with Jesus.
Have a blessed, contemplative third Sunday of Lent.
