31 - The Arrest and Trial

Discussion on the Last Week of the Savior's Life

  • Welcome and Introduction

    • Participants:

    • Professor Kelly Ogden (Ancient Scripture, BYU)

    • Professor David Whitchurch (Ancient Scripture, BYU)

    • Gay Strathern (Ancient Scripture, BYU)

    • Andrew Skinner (Department of Ancient Scripture, BYU)

    • Context of discussion: The significance of the events surrounding the last week of Jesus's life.

Reflections on Gethsemane

  • Moving back to the Garden of Gethsemane, specifically referenced in Matthew 26.

    • Observation: Not only Jesus and the eleven apostles were present, but also a significant figure—Satan.

    • Reference to Elder Talmadge's "Jesus the Christ" highlighting the depth of Christ's suffering in the garden.

    • Key Point: Christ’s agony is described as beyond human comprehension regarding both its intensity and cause.

    • Quote: "He struggled and groaned burden such as no other being who has ever lived on the earth might even conceive as possible."

    • Nature of Suffering: Not merely physical pain or mental anguish but a profound spiritual agony unique to Christ.

    • Final Struggle: In this hour, Christ faced the horrors that could be inflicted by Satan, illustrating the spiritual battle occurring alongside the physical suffering.

Significance of the Atonement

  • Addressing the question of why the Savior endured such suffering:

    • Contributions from Panel:

    • Professor Ogden: Christ’s suffering stemmed from profound love for each individual.

      • Sub-reference: Nephi's explanation from the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi 19).

      • Quote: "Because of his loving kindness and his long suffering towards the children of men."

    • Concern for his disciples (Peter, James, John) as a reflection of loving one's neighbor as oneself.

  • Contextual Link: Importance of doing the Father's will throughout Christ’s life.

    • Mention of physical and spiritual deaths as consequences of the Fall, which Christ overcomes.

    • Universal Scope: Redemption extends beyond humanity to all creations He is accountable for as described in Moses 1 (worlds without number).

The Nature of Christ's Understanding

  • Connections to Hebrews concerning Christ’s empathy towards human struggles.

    • Quote from Hebrews: "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities."

  • Concept of Empathy in Atonement: It encompasses not just sins but also sorrows and other human experiences.

    • Key Point: "He descended below all things" to understand human conditions fully. No one can question His understanding of pain and anguish.

Temptation and Christ’s Experience

  • Was Jesus tempted in the garden?

    • Yes, in every way, yet without sin, as documented in the New Testament.

  • Reference to C.S. Lewis's "Mere Christianity": Quote: "No man knows how bad he is until he has tried very hard to be good."

    • Exploring the strength of moral struggle through the lens of temptation and resistance.

    • Conclusion asserts, "Christ knows the full nature of temptation because He never yielded, unlike those who give in sooner."

The Arrest of Jesus

  • Transition from Gethsemane to arrest (Matthew 26:45-50).

    • Jesus's statement to disciples before being taken: Reflects a blend of resignation and authority.

    • Irony of Judas's Betrayal: Judas’s kiss was a sign of affection turned betrayal. It symbolizes the ultimate hypocrisy.

  • Description of Peter’s attempted defense with a sword:

    • Peter's action can denote devotion yet also confusion regarding the nature of Jesus’s mission.

    • Reference to the size of the arresting force as significant to emphasize danger and chaos.

    • Fulfillment of prophecy regarding the scattering of disciples during the arrest.

Peter's Denial

  • Following arrest, Jesus is taken to Annas, the former High Priest.

  • Legal Proceedings: The Jewish leaders sought false witnesses against Jesus, reflecting premeditated conspiracy.

    • Crucial moment: Jesus’s confirmation of His identity under interrogation violates Jewish law as self-incrimination should not condemn.

  • Contrast with Peter: His denial of Jesus stands as a pivotal moment of weakness.

    • Panel discussion on the nature of Peter's denial and what it reveals about human behavior under pressure.

    • Insight: President Hinckley’s views on human frailty and courage, emphasizing that even noble individuals can falter under pressure.

Conclusion on Peter's Character

  • Reflection: Peter's life post-denial showed resilience and commitment, emphasizing the complexity of human nature.

    • Critical views of Peter's denial: Acknowledging the gravity of human motives and the weight of circumstances.

    • Encouragement for empathy towards those who falter, recognizing a shared human experience of failure and recovery.

Summary Thoughts

  • The events in Gethsemane and subsequently reveal profound lessons about love, empathy, human frailty, redemption, and the depth of Christ’s Atonement.

  • The discussion encourages ongoing reflection on discipleship, mission, and personal integrity in the face of trials and temptation.