After Jesus shared the Last Supper with his disciples, he went alone to a garden to pray to his Father. Jesus had given himself to his disciples in the Eucharist and was now preparing to give his life for all of humanity. He prayed, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42) Jesus trusted in God his Father and knew God was with him in his suffering. As Jesus prayed he was in “such agony” that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground.
Later that night, Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’s own Apostles betrayed Jesus in the garden by greeting him with a kiss. By this sign that he had arranged, Judas identified Jesus to those who had come to arrest him. These men took Jesus before the Sanhedrin, the supreme religious court of the Jews, and before Caiaphas, the high priest. Caiaphas said to Jesus, “I order you to tell us under the oath before the living God whether you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” (Matthew 26:63)
Jesus said to the priest, “You have said so.” (Matthew 26: 64). The high priest said, “He is blasphemed!” (Matthew 26:65). Caiaphas was accusing Jesus of blasphemy, of referring to God in a disrespectful way. And the rest replied, “He deserves to die!” (Matthew 26:66). Jesus was then taken before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. When Judas heard this, he regretted what he had done. Judas was so overtaken with grief that he went off and took his own life.
At first, Pontius Pilate wanted to release Jesus, but Pilate’s enemies accused him of trying to stir up a rebellion against the emperor. So Pilate decided to let the crowd decide Jesus’ fate. They shouted out for Jesus’s Crucifixion. And Thus, Pilate handed over Jesus over to them to be crucified.
