Crucifixion And Death In The Gospels

1543 Words4 Pages

The story of Jesus in the garden and his arrest is one of the most important events to take place in the entire New Testament. It marks the end of Jesus’ ministry, and ultimately results in his crucifixion and death. This event is vital to the story of Jesus and the story of the New Testament as a whole, and the gospels of Mark and John are often similar to one another in the telling of said story. The person leading Jesus’ arrest, a violent reaction from one of Jesus’ followers, and the “cup” metaphor are some examples. While similarities between the two gospels are easily found, differences between the two accounts of Jesus’ arrest are just as prevalent. How Jesus is portrayed, his reaction to his arrest, the arresting party, and many other …show more content…

In Mark, Jesus exclaims, “Abba, father, all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will” (mk 14:36). This rejection of the cup is reversed in the gospel of John, and in Jn 18:11 Jesus says, “Put your sword into its scabbard. Shall I not drink the cup that the father gave me?” This contrast between Jesus’ attitudes regarding this cup serve to highlight how he feels about his arrest. The “cup” is a physical representation of god’s will, so when Jesus asks with him to take away the cup in Mark’s gospel, he is pleading with god to forego his arrest. The same thing can be said about the cup in the gospel of John, and when Jesus accepts the cup he is saying that his arrest is unavoidable as it is the will of …show more content…

Since John’s gospel makes use of high Christology, it is likely that he is writing for a Jewish audience, because such an audience has very strong ties to the faith, and views Jesus as divine much like John does. This glorification of Jesus exists prominently throughout John’s telling of Jesus at the garden and his arrest and it is clear that John wants his readers to do so as well. Following the will of God is also a major value in John’s gospel; an example of this being Jesus accepting his death/arrest, as he knows it is God’s will (Jn 18:11). The differences between the gospels of Mark and John ultimately reveal their own personal ideals on Christianity, and were created with specific audiences in

More about Crucifixion And Death In The Gospels

Open Document