The Bible records the arrest happened at night, and Les Feldick notes the mock trial that followed continued through the entire night into the morning.
In Matthew 26, Judas betrayed Jesus in the garden, and soldiers arrested Him. Les Feldick points out that the religious leaders then took Jesus through a mock trial that went 'all the way through these night time hours.' Only in the morning did they bring Jesus before Pilate, the Roman governor. The clips do not explicitly state why the arrest was timed at night, but the nighttime arrest set the stage for the all-night proceedings that followed.
Matthew 26:47 — This verse records the moment of Jesus' arrest when Judas arrived with a great multitude at night.
Matthew 27:1 — This verse shows the morning after the nighttime trial when the chief priests took counsel against Jesus.
Matthew 26:47 records that while Jesus was still speaking, Judas came with 'a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.' The following verse describes Judas' kiss as the sign, and verse 50 says, 'Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.' After the arrest, Matthew 26:57 says, 'And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.' Then Matthew 27:1 says, 'When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.' The arrest, the night trial, and the morning delivery to Pilate all follow in sequence.
Les Feldick, teaching through Matthew 26-27, walks through the arrest and trial of Jesus. He highlights that a huge number of soldiers came with Judas to arrest Jesus in the garden, and that Jesus' power was such that the soldiers were stricken backward at His voice. Les then moves through the mock trial and Peter's denial, noting that 'they've gone all the way through these night time hours with His mock trial' and only then brought Jesus before the governor Pilate in the morning. He also points out the irony that the Creator of the universe stood silently before his own creatures. Les does not, in these clips, give an explicit explanation for why the arrest itself was at night, but he emphasizes the nighttime context.
In Clip 7, Les says that after the arrest, the religious leaders 'gone all the way through these night time hours with His mock trial,' and then brought Jesus 'before the governor, the Roman authorities' in the morning. He underscores that Jesus stood there meek and silent, though He was the Creator of the universe and could have annihilated the city with one word.
Les Feldick teaches that 'at a crucial moment when Satan entered into the man Antichrist, and from that moment on Judas then became an instrument of Satan. That's why he was able to betray Him in the Garden.' This explains the spiritual power behind the betrayal, though it does not directly address the timing.
In Clip 6, Les refers to 'that huge number of soldiers that have come with him' — the soldiers who accompanied Judas. He also notes that the other accounts make plain that the soldiers 'were all stricken backwards just simply from the power of Christ's voice.' The arrest was a military-style operation.
Les describes how, after the arrest, Jesus went through a mock trial, Peter denied Him, and the rooster crowed (Clip 6). Then in the morning, Jesus was brought to Pilate. The soldiers of the governor also mocked Him, stripping Him and putting a scarlet robe and a crown of thorns on Him (Clip 3).
Why Did the Disciples Not Know Jesus Would Die?
mind that she knew why she was putting on a burial ointment. But it is amazing. She is the only one of this inner circle that does not go to the tomb to check out whether He's there or not. So whether the Lord had revealed something to her and that she knew what she was doing here, it's a possibility.
Why the Temple Veil Tore — Matthew 27 Explained
And even though Matthew doesn't give the whole, John doesn't give the whole, but when you put them all together, then you get it. Alright verse 38, "...then there were two thieves crucified with him, and you all know the account of that, and how that the one finally turned to him, and recognized who he was." Now verse 45, "...
Acts 4 Explained: No Other Name — Only Jesus Saves
So what did they do? Verse 3. They laid hands on them, that is on Peter, and I don't know if they're all of them, but anyway, the disciples, and put them in hold until the next day, for it was now eventide. Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed. And the number of the men was about 5,000. Now we've got a fair number of Jewish believers at this time.
Mockery and Crown of Thorns
Les describes the soldiers mocking Jesus, stripping Him, and pressing a crown of thorns on His skull, showing the depth of scorn Jesus endured.
Satan's Role in Judas' Betrayal
Satan entered into Judas, making him an instrument of Satan and enabling him to betray Jesus in the Garden.
Why the Temple Veil Tore — Matthew 27 Explained
And it was only after that, when He now comes out and says in verse 46, "...that about the ninth hour he cried the loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" That is to say, "...my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Now the reason I'm emphasizing this three hour period, and again I'm going to put it off for the time being, is because I want to be able to tie that in with one of the act…
The Betrayal and the Soldiers
Les moves through Judas' betrayal in the garden and notes the huge number of soldiers who came to arrest Jesus, and that they were stricken backward by the power of Christ's voice.
The Nighttime Mock Trial
Les points out that the mock trial went all through the nighttime hours, and only in the morning was Jesus brought before Pilate, the Roman governor.
Matthew 26:47: And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people.
This is the moment of Jesus' arrest in the garden when Judas arrived with the armed multitude.
Matthew 26:57: And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
This shows Jesus being led away to Caiaphas at night, where the religious leaders were gathered.
Matthew 27:1: When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.
This confirms the morning after the nighttime trial when the leaders took counsel to put Jesus to death.
Matthew 27:11: And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
This shows Jesus being brought before Pilate in the morning after the nighttime trial.
The Bible shows the arrest happened at night, followed by a nighttime mock trial. Les Feldick notes that the trial ran through the night and Jesus was taken to Pilate in the morning. The transcripts do not give an explicit explanation for the timing, but the nighttime arrest set the scene for the all-night proceedings.
Les Feldick points out that when the soldiers came, they were stricken backwards by the power of Christ's voice, showing He had power to resist but chose not to.
Judas came with a large number of soldiers from the chief priests and elders, as Les notes in Clip 6.
Watch the Teaching: Why Did the Disciples Not Know Jesus Would Die?