The Story
After "The Last Supper," Jesus and the disciples head to a garden in Gethsemane.
(Technically, this was not really the last meal they had together if we take Luke 24 at it's word. But "the last supper before the crucifixion" or "the last supper with all 13 of the guys together before that assclown Judas screwed it all up" is a too long a title for a DiVinci painting).
Matthew 26:36-46 tells the story of Jesus in Gethsemane on the night He is betrayed by Judas. The night He begins the final portion of His journey to the cross. In Matthew's account, Jesus tells the disciples to sit and wait while He goes a little distance away to pray, taking Peter, James, and John with Him.
Jesus, knowing what was about to happen, is understandably upset and "began to be grieved and agitated" (vs 37). In addition to the physical torture, Jesus was about to be cut off from communication with God the Father (His Father) for the first time in eternity. It weighed heavily on Him. He told Peter and the two Jays, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me,” and then walked a short distance away from them, "threw Himself on the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.'”(vs 38-39).
When Jesus went back over to the Peter and J-rock 1 and two, they were asleep. He woke them up, told them to stay awake and to pray because they didn't know the avalanche of shit that was about to overtake their lives. Then He walked away again, prayed again, came back, and found them asleep again. This time He let them sleep. But then it happened a third time. At this point Jesus knew Judas was almost upon them. He woke them up, gave them shit about sleeping, and told them to watch what was about to go down . . .
Other than the humor in Jesus repeatedly shaking the disciples awake, like a frustrated mother of adolescent boys who will be late for their first period class, for the 3rd time this week (there's a joke in here about an alarm clock with a "Jesus Christ!" snooze feature), why even write a Card Talk about this episode?
Because of what everyone seems to miss while they were sleeping.
Something that writer of John noticed, and changed in his version of the narrative.
Something that people so used to harmonizing the gospels into one seamless story, don't ever see.
Something that begins to be revealed with the asking of one question:
where was Judas?
The Story Before The Story
As mentioned above, the Last Supper is the story which precedes this one. During the Last Supper itself, and shortly before they left to go to the garden, Matthew records this scene
When it was evening, he [Jesus] took his place with the twelve; and while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, “Surely not I, Lord?” He answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that one by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that one not to have been born.” Judas, who betrayed him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” He replied, “You have said so.” (Matthew 26:20-25)
As is often the case, the two other synoptic gospels record similar stories. In both Mark and Luke's versions of this event, while we we learn of Judas' intent earlier in the chapter, Jesus does not reveal the name of the betrayer at the dinner table, and the disciples are left to wildly speculate among themselves (c.f. Mark 14:17-21 and Luke 22:20-23).
Furthermore, in all three of the synoptic gospels, all of the disciples travel to the garden together and are apart of the sleepy-time story (c.f. Mark 14:32-42 & Luke 22:39-45).
TL:DR - In the synoptic gospels, Judas doesn't leave the table, he goes to Gethsemane with the group
The John's gospel was not satisfied with this version of events-- not at all-- and adds some interesting details (highlighted below):
After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to him; Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.”
Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival”; or, that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. (John 13:21-30)
tl:dr John adds Judas leaving the Last Supper early.
By itself, an addition is interesting, but when coupled with a deletion, it's fascinating:
John also deletes the sleeping disciples from his account.
While this change preserves the narrative continuity, and answers the question posed above (Judas left the party early to betray Jesus), it misses the importance of the sleep recorded in the synoptic gospels.
While You Were Sleeping
Fast forward to the final time Jesus wakes up the disciples and tells them that "the betrayer is at hand" (Matthew 26:46c). Now keep reading:
While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. (Matthew 26:47)
Q: If Judas went to Gethsemane with the rest of them, and just "Arrived" at this moment, when did he leave the garden to get the crowd?
A: While the other disciples were asleep!
Seriously guys? You had ONE JOB: stay awake and watch. But Jesus saw all of this coming, and it is all foreshadowed in the synoptic gospels.
Earlier in chapter 24 of Matthew, the book takes an apocalyptic turn as Jesus discusses the coming of the Son of Man, the end of the current age: it's all very mysterious and confusing (as apocalyptic literature tends to be). But in Matthew 24:36-44, Jesus tells His disciples that they must "keep awake" and be watchful for when the end will come, but in the meantime they have work to do.
More to the point, they need to be watchful for the end because they have work to do.
(And yes, Mark 13:32-36 and Luke 21:34-38 record the same conversation, each coming in the days before The Last Supper and the sleeping in the Garden. And yes, John cuts this conversation from its gospel as well.)
In the midst of national and international events, considering our personal and community responsibilities, perhaps this is a great reminder to keep our eyes open.
Perhaps this is a good lesson in unintended consequences.
Perhaps you should ask yourself what are you are sleeping through.
Perhaps, if we're honest and thoughtful, we can hear the piercing voice from on high attempting to wake us from social and spiritual stupors.
Stop hitting snooze: you have work to do.
But what do we know: we made this game and you probably think we're going to Hell.
from The Agony in the Garden, Andrea Mantegna — c. 1455