There follows a passage very difficult to understand, in view of the fact that a short time later Jesus rebukes one of His followers for cutting off the ear of the high priest's servant. He reminds His apostles of the time when He sent them forth without purse or scrip, and they lacked for nothing. He then tells them that now they should take both purse and scrip, "and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one." "And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And He said unto them, It is enough" (Luke XXII:35-38).
The visit to the Mount of Olives and the prayer offered there is described more briefly than in Matthew or Mark. There is no mention of the garden of Gethsemane, but Luke adds that an angel from heaven appeared, "strengthening Him" (Luke XXII:39-46).
John's version of the Last Supper is quite different from that of the other three evangelists. He omits any description of the selection of the place for the feast. He places the supper before the Passover, apparently correctly, instead of its being the celebration of the Passover, as in the other three Gospels (John XIII:1). He omits any mention of the blessing and passing of the bread and wine. He alone of the evangelists relates that, after the supper, Jesus took a basin of water and a towel, and washed the apostles' feet, impressing on them a lesson in humility (John XIII:4-17). Jesus says to the apostles that one of them shall betray Him. Peter and John ask Him, "Who is it?" Jesus answers, "It is the one to whom I shall give a sop." He then gives the sop to Judas, and says, "What thou doest, do quickly." Judas goes away at once, although none of the apostles (unless Peter and John) understand that He is accused (John XIII:18-30). After his departure, John has Jesus delivering a long discourse, covering four chapters and part of another, none of which appears at this time in the other three Gospels. After this is finished, Jesus goes with His disciples over "the brook Cedron," into a garden, but there is no mention of the praying there, which appears in the other Gospels (John XVIII:1).
On Tuesday or Wednesday of this Passover week the "chief priests and the scribes and the elders of the people" came together unto the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest, and determined on Jesus' death (Matt. XXVI:3). Judas Iscariot then comes to them and promises to deliver Jesus to them in consideration of thirty pieces of silver (Matt. XXVI:14-16). Previous to this last visit to Jerusalem, Jesus had predicted His death and betrayal, but without indicating that His betrayer would be one of the apostles (Matt. XVI:21; XX:18-19). At the last supper Jesus indicates Judas as His betrayer, but somewhat equivocally, since the other apostles, if they had understood he was the traitor, would undoubtedly have cast him out of their society. So far as appears, he continued to take part in the supper (Matt. XXVI:21-25). Just after Jesus had finished His prayer in the garden, Judas comes with a great multitude of the chief priest's servants, carrying swords and staves. In accordance with a pre-arranged plan, Judas kisses Jesus, and thereupon the servants of the priests lay hands on Him and take Him (Matt. XXVI:47-50). One of those with Jesus draws his sword and strikes off the ear of one of the high priest's servants. Jesus rebukes him, saying, "For all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword" (Matt. XXVI:51-54). "Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled" (Matt. XXVI:56). But Peter followed "Him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants to see the end" (Matt. XXVI:58). Then follows the fulfillment of Jesus' saying that Peter should deny Him thrice before the crowing of the cock (Matt. XXVI:69-75).