The Fateful Night

The major series of events -

• The Passover observed, (also known as "The Last Supper") recorded in Matthew 26:17-29, Mark 14:12-25, Luke 22:7-38, and John chapters 13 and 14.

• At about 8 or 9 p.m., He went out, crossed the Kidron Valley, and entered the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives (in photo) where He deeply prayed, and was arrested. Peter sliced off the ear of Malchus with a Sword in a bold, and unnecessary, attempt to defend The Lord (Jesus' powerful bodyguard Angels were all there of course, but by that time they would have had their orders to just stand back and do nothing. It could not have been easy for them to just watch the merciless brutality that was being inflicted on The Son of God, when any single one of them could have wiped out an entire Roman Legion) (Matthew 26:36-56, Mark 14:32-52, Luke 22:39-53, John 18:1-11).

• Jesus was then taken to the house of the Caiaphas, the high priest, where the Sanhedrin (see Sadducees and Pharisees) had assembled, and held there from about midnight to dawn. After courageously fighting for The Lord just before, Peter then denied three times that he even knew Jesus, followed by the rooster crowing, just as Jesus said would happen (Matthew 26:57-75, Mark 14:53-72, Luke 22:54-65, John 18:12-27). Early that morning, Judas Iscariot went off and hanged himself (Matthew 27:1-9).

• At daybreak Jesus was taken to Pontius Pilate (Luke 22:66-71, 23:1-3) who declared that "I find no basis for a charge against this man." (Luke 23:4). He then sent Jesus to Herod (see The Herods), who happened to be in Jerusalem at the time (Luke 23:6-7).Throughout the entire night, Jesus had been brutalized and mocked.

• Herod, after listening to the accusations, also declared Jesus an innocent man, having done nothing deserving death (Luke 23:6-15). He then sent Him back to Pilate.

• Pilate again tried to have Jesus released, but eventually gave in to the crowd. He released the murderer Barabbas, and handed Jesus over to be crucified, knowing full well that He was an innocent man (Luke 23:13-25).

• Jesus was then taken out of the city for the Crucifixion at Calvary (Matthew 27:32-56, Mark 15:16-41, Luke 23:26-49, John 19:16-37). See How Did Jesus Christ Die?.

• The burial, possibly in the The Garden Tomb (Matthew 27:57-61, Mark 15:42-47, Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42).

The so-called "trial" of Jesus was in fact no trial at all. It was the most outrageous travesty of justice that has ever occurred, in which nearly everyone, accusers and officials alike, knew without doubt that Jesus Christ was completely innocent of any charge. But then, His innocence was the point of His mission. He didn't come to die for what He had done; He came to die for what we have done.

Fact Finder: What was the name of the man who buried the body of Jesus Christ in his own new tomb?
Luke 23:50-53
See also Joseph Of Arimathea