LUKE 22:47–53
THE BETRAYAL AND ARREST OF JESUS
BRIEF INTERPRETATION
Text – Luke 22:47–53
47 While he was still speaking, a crowd approached, and in front of them was one of the Twelve, Judas, who went up to Jesus to kiss him.
48 Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
49 His disciples realized what was about to happen, and they asked, “Lord, shall we strike with a sword?”
50 And one of them struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear.
51 But Jesus said in reply, “Stop, no more of this!” Then he touched the servant’s ear and healed him.
52 And Jesus said to the chief priests, temple guards, and elders who had come for him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?
53 Day after day I was with you in the temple area, and you did not seize me; but this is your hour, the time of the power of darkness.”
Historical and Jewish Context
Arrest at night with a crowd reflects fear and secrecy rather than lawful procedure. A kiss, normally a sign of affection and respect, becomes the instrument of betrayal, intensifying the moral gravity of Judas’ act. The presence of swords and clubs suggests the authorities anticipated resistance. Jesus’ healing of the wounded servant stands out as an act of mercy even at the moment of His arrest. His words about “the power of darkness” situate the event within a larger spiritual struggle, not merely a human conspiracy.
Catholic Theological Perspective
This passage reveals Jesus’ unwavering commitment to nonviolence and mercy. Catholic theology teaches that Christ freely surrenders Himself; His arrest is not a defeat but an act of obedience. By healing His enemy, Jesus embodies the love He taught—loving enemies and rejecting violence. The reference to “your hour” acknowledges that evil is permitted a limited time within God’s providence, yet it will not prevail. Christ’s authority is shown not by force but by self-giving love that overcomes darkness.
Parallels in Scripture
Ps 55:13–15 – Betrayal by a close companion.
Is 53:7 – The Servant led silently to suffering.
Mt 26:47–56 – Parallel account of the arrest.
Jn 18:10–11 – Jesus commands Peter to put away the sword.
Rom 12:17–21 – Overcoming evil with good.
Key Terms
Betrayal – Treachery disguised as affection.
Son of Man – Messianic title linked with suffering and glory.
Heal – Mercy offered even to enemies.
Hour – A moment permitted within God’s saving plan.
Catholic Liturgical Significance
This Gospel is proclaimed during Holy Week, particularly in the Passion narratives. It invites the faithful to contemplate Christ’s mercy, obedience, and refusal of violence. The passage shapes Christian moral teaching on peace, forgiveness, and trust in God amid injustice.
Conclusion
Jesus meets betrayal and violence with mercy and surrender. Even in the darkness of arrest, He remains faithful to the Father’s will and to His mission of love. The power of darkness is real, but it is neither absolute nor final.
Reflection
How do I respond when I face injustice or betrayal?
Do I trust God’s plan even when circumstances seem dark?
Jesus calls me to choose mercy, restraint, and faith over fear and retaliation.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, give me a heart like Yours—gentle, faithful, and merciful. Help me resist violence and respond to wrong with love. Strengthen me to trust the Father’s will, even in moments of darkness and trial. Amen.
DETAILED INTERPRETATION
INTRODUCTION
Luke 22:47–53 recounts the moment when betrayal gives way to arrest, bringing Jesus’ public ministry to its violent end. While Jesus is still speaking to His disciples, Judas arrives, leading a crowd armed with swords and clubs. The sign of betrayal is chilling in its intimacy: a kiss. What should express friendship becomes the instrument of treachery. Jesus’ question—“Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”—exposes the depth of the betrayal and appeals, even at this final moment, to Judas’ conscience.
As the situation escalates, one of the disciples strikes the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. Jesus immediately intervenes, stopping the violence and healing the wounded man. His action reveals the nature of His mission: salvation through mercy, not force. Jesus then addresses those who have come to arrest Him, pointing out the irony that they seize Him secretly at night, though He taught openly in the temple each day. He concludes with a solemn recognition of the moment: “This is your hour, the power of darkness.” The arrest unfolds not as chaos, but within the mysterious permission of God’s plan.
Lk 22:47 — “While he was still speaking, a crowd approached, and in front of them was one of the Twelve, Judas, who went up to Jesus to kiss him.”
This verse marks the abrupt intrusion of betrayal into the silence of prayer. Luke emphasizes the timing with painful clarity: “while he was still speaking.” Even as Jesus calls His disciples to vigilance and prayer, the hour of arrest arrives. There is no pause between exhortation and trial. What was anticipated in prayer now unfolds in history.
The arrival of the crowd signals hostility and force, standing in stark contrast to the solitude of Gethsemane. Yet Luke draws attention not first to the crowd, but to one person: “one of the Twelve, Judas.” The betrayal is not anonymous. It comes from intimacy. Judas approaches not as an enemy at a distance, but as a disciple close enough to offer a kiss.
The kiss, a sign of friendship and reverence, becomes the instrument of betrayal. Luke presents this with restrained gravity. Love’s gesture is emptied of truth. The act reveals how evil often disguises itself with familiarity and outward affection. Jesus does not resist or withdraw. He allows the betrayal to occur openly, without violence or escape.
For disciples, this verse is a sobering warning. Proximity to Jesus does not automatically guarantee fidelity. External signs of devotion must be matched by interior truth. At the same time, it reveals Christ’s steadfast love—He does not recoil even when betrayed.
Historical and Jewish Context
A kiss was a customary sign of respect between a disciple and teacher. Using it as a signal for arrest made the betrayal especially grievous.
Catholic Theological Perspective
The Church teaches that Christ freely accepted betrayal as part of His Passion, remaining faithful to love even when confronted with treachery (cf. CCC 609, 612). Judas’ action reflects human freedom misused in the presence of grace.
Key Terms
While he was still speaking — immediacy of the trial
Crowd — hostile force
One of the Twelve — betrayal from within
Kiss — sign of intimacy turned into treachery
Conclusion
Luke 22:47 brings the agony of prayer into the reality of betrayal. The Passion begins not with violence, but with a corrupted sign of love.
Reflection
Do my outward expressions of faith always correspond to interior fidelity and truth?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, keep my heart sincere and faithful. Protect me from hypocrisy and divided loyalty, and help me to remain true to You in love, even when faithfulness is costly. Amen.
Lk 22:48 — “Jesus said to him, ‘Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?’”
This verse records one of the most piercing questions spoken in the Gospel. Jesus addresses Judas directly and personally, calling him by name. There is no anger, no accusation shouted to the crowd—only a question that exposes the truth of the act. Love confronts betrayal with clarity and sorrow.
The question focuses on the contradiction at the heart of Judas’ action. A kiss—the sign of affection, loyalty, and reverence—is being used to betray. Jesus names the dissonance between appearance and reality. The act itself condemns the deed. Betrayal is not only that Jesus is handed over, but that love is manipulated to do it.
By using the title “Son of Man,” Jesus places this moment within the larger mystery of salvation. The betrayal is not merely personal; it is part of the divine plan foretold in Scripture. Yet Judas’ freedom and responsibility remain fully intact. Jesus’ question is also a final appeal—an opening, however narrow, for recognition and repentance.
For disciples, this verse is deeply challenging. It warns against a divided heart—external gestures of closeness masking interior disloyalty. It also reveals Christ’s unwavering dignity. Even in betrayal, He remains truthful, calm, and merciful.
Historical and Jewish Context
A kiss was a common sign of respect between a disciple and teacher. Using it as a signal for arrest intensified the dishonor and gravity of the betrayal.
Catholic Theological Perspective
The Church teaches that Christ confronts sin with truth and love, never ceasing to offer the possibility of conversion, even at the moment of grave betrayal (cf. CCC 612, 1847). Judas’ act reflects the tragic misuse of freedom in the presence of grace.
Key Terms
Judas — personal address highlighting responsibility
Betraying — deliberate act of treachery
Son of Man — messianic title bound to God’s plan
Kiss — sign of love corrupted into deceit
Conclusion
Luke 22:48 exposes the deepest irony of the Passion: love betrayed by the gesture meant to express it. Jesus confronts this moment not with force, but with truth spoken in sorrow.
Reflection
Are there ways in which my outward signs of faith fail to match the truth of my heart?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, keep my love for You sincere and undivided. May my words, actions, and intentions reflect true fidelity, and never allow me to betray You through hypocrisy or fear. Amen.
Lk 22:49 — “When those who were around him saw what was going to happen, they asked, ‘Lord, shall we strike with a sword?’”
This verse reveals the disciples’ immediate and instinctive reaction to the arrest. Seeing betrayal turn into imminent violence, they move quickly from confusion to action. Their question is earnest and urgent. Loyalty surges, but it is still shaped by misunderstanding. They are ready to defend Jesus—but on their own terms.
Luke highlights the tension between intention and discernment. The disciples do not act blindly; they ask first. Yet their question itself shows that they still interpret the crisis in worldly categories—conflict met by force, threat answered with violence. They have not yet grasped that Jesus’ path to victory will not be through resistance, but through surrender.
The address “Lord” reveals sincerity. Their love is real. But love without understanding can still oppose God’s will. This moment exposes how easily good intentions can conflict with divine purpose when fear takes control. The disciples stand at a crossroads between obedience and impulse.
For disciples today, this verse is deeply instructive. In moments of crisis, zeal can rush ahead of discernment. True fidelity requires not only willingness to act, but patience to wait for Christ’s direction—even when danger feels urgent.
Historical and Jewish Context
In situations of arrest or mob action, armed resistance was a common instinct, especially among groups fearing unjust treatment. Carrying small swords made such reactions possible.
Catholic Theological Perspective
The Church teaches that zeal must always be guided by charity and obedience to God’s will (cf. CCC 1762, 2304). Christ’s kingdom is not defended by violence, even when motives appear righteous.
Key Terms
Those around him — disciples acting collectively
Saw what was going to happen — awareness of imminent danger
Strike with a sword — instinctive recourse to violence
Lord — sincere but incomplete understanding
Conclusion
Luke 22:49 captures the clash between human instinct and divine purpose. The disciples are willing to fight for Jesus, but they have not yet learned how He chooses to save.
Reflection
When crises arise, do I act out of impulse and fear, or do I pause to seek Christ’s will?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, guide my zeal with wisdom. When danger or injustice confronts me, teach me to seek Your will before acting, and to remain faithful to Your way of peace. Amen.
Lk 22:50 — “And one of them struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear.”
This verse shows how quickly intention turns into action once fear takes control. Although the disciples had asked Jesus whether they should strike, one of them acts without waiting for His reply. Zeal overrides obedience. Luke reports the act plainly, without naming the disciple, keeping the focus on the meaning rather than the individual.
The violence is sudden and misguided. A sword meant for defense becomes an instrument of harm. The target is not a soldier but a servant—someone with little power, caught in the machinery of events beyond his control. The cutting off of the right ear is a vivid detail, emphasizing the personal and bodily cost of impulsive action.
Luke deliberately places this act in stark contrast to Jesus’ prayerful surrender. While Jesus submits Himself freely, His followers attempt to control events through force. The moment exposes how easily fear can distort love into violence, even in those closest to the Lord.
For disciples, this verse is a warning. Good intentions, when separated from obedience and prayer, can cause real harm. Acting “for Jesus” without listening to Jesus can contradict His mission rather than serve it.
Historical and Jewish Context
Servants often accompanied officials during arrests. Violence against such a person could escalate conflict and invite severe retaliation.
Catholic Theological Perspective
The Church teaches that violence, even when motivated by misplaced zeal, contradicts the way of Christ, who chooses redemptive suffering over force (cf. CCC 2305). This moment prepares for Jesus’ decisive rejection of violence.
Key Terms
Struck — impulsive violent action
High priest’s servant — powerless figure harmed
Cut off — real and lasting injury
Right ear — vivid sign of damage caused by zeal without discernment
Conclusion
Luke 22:50 exposes the danger of acting without obedience. Violence erupts not from malice, but from fear and misunderstanding—yet it still wounds and opposes Christ’s way.
Reflection
Do I ever act rashly “for God” without first listening to His will in prayer?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, restrain my impulses when fear rises within me. Teach me to act only in obedience to Your will, and never to harm others in the name of serving You. Amen.
Lk 22:51 — “But Jesus said in reply, ‘Stop, no more of this!’ Then he touched the servant’s ear and healed him.”
This verse reveals the decisive authority and mercy of Jesus at the moment of crisis. With a firm command—“Stop, no more of this!”—Jesus immediately halts the spiral of violence. His words are brief but absolute. There is no negotiation, no justification, no tolerance for further harm. The way of the kingdom is made unmistakably clear.
Jesus’ next action is even more striking. He reaches out and heals the wounded servant—the very one harmed by His own disciple. Mercy interrupts violence. Healing replaces injury. Even as He is being arrested, Jesus exercises divine compassion toward an enemy. The miracle is quiet, immediate, and complete.
Luke presents this moment as a revelation of Jesus’ true power. He is not overpowered; He restrains power. He does not save Himself; He saves others. The healing affirms that His mission is not to destroy, but to restore. The final miracle before the Passion is an act of mercy.
For disciples, this verse is foundational. It defines Christian response in moments of conflict: rejection of violence, obedience to Christ, and active mercy—even toward those who oppose us. The disciple’s sword is silenced; the Lord’s healing hand remains active.
Historical and Jewish Context
Healing acts were signs of divine authority. To heal an enemy at the moment of arrest was unprecedented and deeply countercultural.
Catholic Theological Perspective
The Church teaches that Christ definitively rejects violence as a means of advancing God’s kingdom and reveals mercy as the highest expression of divine power (cf. CCC 2305, 612). Jesus’ healing act embodies love of enemies.
Key Terms
Stop — authoritative rejection of violence
No more of this — end of coercive action
Touched — personal, compassionate intervention
Healed — restoration instead of retaliation
Conclusion
Luke 22:51 reveals the heart of Christ’s mission. At the moment of betrayal and arrest, Jesus chooses mercy over force and healing over harm.
Reflection
When conflict arises, do I allow Christ to stop my impulses and shape my response with mercy?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, still my heart when anger or fear rises within me. Teach me to reject violence, to obey Your word, and to extend healing mercy even in moments of injustice. Amen.
Lk 22:52 — “Then Jesus said to the chief priests and temple guards and elders who had come for him, ‘Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?’”
This verse reveals Jesus’ calm dignity as He addresses those who have come to arrest Him. For the first time, He turns directly to the authorities themselves—the chief priests, the temple guards, and the elders—naming them openly. There is no fear in His voice, only truth spoken with clarity and restraint.
Jesus exposes the injustice of their actions through a pointed question. He is being treated like a criminal, a robber, despite having taught openly and peacefully. The swords and clubs reveal not His guilt, but their fear. Power that lacks moral confidence resorts to force, even when confronting innocence.
Luke highlights the irony sharply. The one who healed, taught, and restored life is arrested as though dangerous. Violence is marshaled not against wrongdoing, but against truth. Jesus does not resist or flee; He unmasks the contradiction by naming it. His question stands as a silent judgment on their methods.
For disciples, this verse teaches courage rooted in truth. Jesus does not defend Himself with force, but with integrity. He shows that unjust power can be confronted by truth spoken calmly, without hatred or retaliation.
Historical and Jewish Context
Robbers were treated as violent criminals and often arrested with force. Religious leaders typically conducted legal proceedings publicly, making this nighttime arrest highly irregular.
Catholic Theological Perspective
The Church teaches that Christ willingly accepted unjust treatment, revealing the misuse of authority and fulfilling God’s plan of salvation through patient endurance (cf. CCC 608, 612). Truth exposes injustice without resorting to violence.
Key Terms
Chief priests / elders — religious authorities
Temple guards — agents of enforcement
Robber — false criminalization
Swords and clubs — fear-driven coercion
Conclusion
Luke 22:52 reveals Jesus confronting injustice with truth and calm authority. He does not resist arrest, but He refuses to let falsehood go unnamed.
Reflection
When I face injustice or misunderstanding, do I respond with integrity and truth rather than fear or aggression?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, give me the courage to stand in truth without hatred. Teach me to trust Your way when I face injustice, and to respond with dignity, faith, and peace. Amen.
Lk 22:53 — “Day after day I was with you in the temple area, and you did not seize me; but this is your hour, the time for the power of darkness.”
This verse brings Jesus’ confrontation with His arresters to a solemn conclusion. He contrasts their present actions with His past openness. “Day after day” emphasizes consistency and transparency. Jesus taught publicly, peacefully, and without concealment. There was no need for secrecy, weapons, or nighttime force. Their methods now reveal not His guilt, but their fear.
Jesus then names the deeper reality beneath the surface events. “This is your hour” acknowledges that a moment of apparent triumph has been granted to those opposing Him. Yet He immediately clarifies its nature: it is “the time for the power of darkness.” Luke lifts the scene beyond human injustice into the realm of spiritual conflict. What unfolds is not only a legal arrest, but a cosmic struggle.
Crucially, Jesus speaks without panic or bitterness. Darkness is given an hour, not dominion. Its power is real but limited. By naming it, Jesus shows mastery over it. Even now, He remains the Light who sees clearly, unmoved by deception or fear. The Passion unfolds under God’s permission, not outside His sovereignty.
For disciples, this verse is deeply instructive. There are moments when evil seems to prevail and truth is silenced. Yet such moments are temporary. Faith holds firm by remembering that darkness has an hour—but God has eternity.
Historical and Jewish Context
Nighttime was often associated symbolically with evil and disorder. Public arrests were expected for legitimate cases, making this covert action suspect and unjust.
Catholic Theological Perspective
The Church teaches that God permits a limited reign of evil to bring about a greater good—the redemption accomplished through Christ’s Passion (cf. CCC 309, 635). Darkness is real but ultimately defeated.
Key Terms
Day after day — public innocence and openness
Did not seize me — exposure of unjust tactics
Your hour — limited permission of evil
Power of darkness — spiritual opposition to God’s plan
Conclusion
Luke 22:53 names the mystery of the Passion. Darkness is allowed its moment, but it does not have the final word. Jesus enters the night with full awareness and sovereign peace.
Reflection
When darkness seems to prevail, do I trust that God’s truth and light are still at work beyond what I can see?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, Light of the world, strengthen my faith when darkness appears powerful. Help me to trust that Your victory is sure, and that every hour of darkness is held within Your saving plan. Amen.
CONCLUSION
For believers today, Luke 22:47–53 confronts the reality of betrayal, misunderstanding, and misuse of power. Jesus is rejected not by strangers alone, but by one of His own. The passage warns against the danger of outward closeness without inner fidelity. Betrayal can wear the appearance of affection while concealing a heart turned away from truth.
At the same time, this scene reveals Jesus’ unwavering commitment to mercy and obedience. Even as He is arrested, He refuses violence, heals an enemy, and submits freely to the Father’s will. Darkness may seem to prevail, but it does not overpower Christ’s love. The Gospel invites believers to trust that God remains at work even in moments of apparent defeat, calling disciples to respond to hostility not with retaliation, but with faithfulness and mercy.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, You faced betrayal and violence with truth, mercy, and obedience. Guard our hearts from false loyalty and hidden compromise. Teach us to remain faithful to You when darkness surrounds us. Free us from responding to evil with violence or fear, and help us to follow Your way of mercy and trust. May we stand with You in every trial, confident that Your love overcomes the power of darkness. Amen.