Jesus' Arrest

‘Orders is orders’,
so they say.
And how right
they are.
Orders
are there
to be obeyed,
instantly,
unquestioningly,
fully,
or else.
At least
our Commanding Officer
thinks so.
Any hesitation;
any look of defiance;
any raised eyebrow;
and you’d had it:
painfully,
irrevocably sometimes.
Punishment
came swift and sure.
So,
when we were told
to go
to the Garden of Gethsemane
and arrest
Jesus of Nazareth
off we went
straight away,
unquestioningly.
Well,
when I say unquestioningly,
that was
in front of the C.O.
We had plenty
of questions,
and grumbles
about such a mission.
Why did we have to go
at night
when it was
dark and cold?
We could have been
sitting round a blazing fire
telling stories and jokes;
eating,
drinking,
sleeping,
instead of here.
And,
why Jesus of Nazareth?
What had he done
apart from
cause mayhem
in the Temple
that day.
That had been fun
to watch.
We’d been rather short
on excitement
recently.
I’d heard talk
of some extraordinary things
he was said
to have done,
miracles
people called them.
Personally
I was secretly
looking forward
to seeing him up close;
seeing if he really was
special.

We were being led
by a man called
Judas,
one of his friends
I heard tell.
With friends like that
who needs enemies,
so they say.

He seemed to know
exactly where to go
because
there was no messing about;
no dilly dallying.
Straight there
we went.
Nothing subtle.

They must have heard us
coming
but when we arrived
he was just standing there
waiting for us.
I ask you.
If he was that much
in tune with God
then surely
he would have been warned;
would have been long gone.
But no.
There he was
waiting
calmly.

I knew it was him.
I don’t know how,
but I knew,
even before this
Judas fellow
went up to him
and kissed him.

I didn’t like that.
No,
I really didn’t like that.
Well,
you should stick by
your friends
through thick and thin
shouldn’t you.
I mean,
where would we be
if we all went round
betraying
other people,
and
especially
friends.
I can take most things.
In my line of work
you have to,
but I didn’t like that.

No.
This is getting dangerous.
To have sympathy
for a prisoner
is not right;
not safe.
I mustn’t let it show
or I’ll be for the high jump.
But
there is something
special
about him.
It’s like
he’s in charge.

My C.O. won’t like that.
I think
this Jesus of Nazareth
is in for a rough ride.


© Kathleen Wilks