Jesus Was Deserted by All His Trusted Friends

Open the Bible UK Daily

“You will all fall away.”

Mark 14:27

It wasn’t just Judas. Jesus said to the disciples, “You will all fall away.” Feel the weight of that.

Peter couldn’t imagine this happening to him: “Even though they all fall away, I will not” (14:29). You can see what he is saying, and you have to admire his courage and determination: “Lord, you can count on me! Even if all the rest of them abandon you, I want you to know, Lord, that you’ve got at least one friend in the world who will not let you down, even if I’m the last man standing!” Surely, he meant these words with all his heart.

But when the crowd arrived with swords and clubs, fear got the better of faith for all of them, as it so often does for us, and Mark tells us that “They all [Peter included] left him and fled" (14:50). Notice that word "fled." The disciples didn’t slink away from Jesus—they ran from Him!

The Dutch author, Klaas Schilder, in his book, Christ in His Suffering, writes of the pain this brought to Christ: “Isolation is always painful, for a human being instinctively seeks company… [Jesus’] sensitive heart craved company, yearned for understanding, for sympathy, for someone to share His experiences and fully understand His soul. But Jesus must watch them go, one by one: See, there goes Peter. And now John. James too, is leaving, as they tear themselves away.”

Jesus was left alone in the presence of His enemies, deserted by all His trusted friends.

How does reflecting on Jesus' humanity change how you approach Him?