IN LIGHT OF THIS FACT

"Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?" - Matthew 26:53-54

After addressing His disciple about severing the ear of the high priest's servant, Jesus focused on the real reason the mob was there - His death.

Jesus had three rhetorical questions He posed. First Jesus asked, 

• "Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father,". 

Not only is Jesus probably making the officials mad again for calling God His Father, but Christ introduces the possibility of an option for His arrest and further developments because He is calling on His Father.

In the second question, Christ re-affirms His association with God the Father by His access to command an impressive army of "more than" 72,000 angels. 

• "and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?"

Only Elohim is King of the angels and Jesus was calling Him, His Father. Again, Christ was also acknowledging a protective stance, a defensive maneuver by His angelic force that would not necessarily stop the plan of salvation but would hinder other prophecies from fulfillment. Jesus said,

• "But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way."

Jesus had to go through with Plan A. There was no Plan B. As the Word of God made flesh, Jesus had to be faithful to all prophecies concerning Him and the salvation of the world through His betrayal, trial, torture, death and resurrection. Otherwise He would be unfaithful to His own words through the Old Testament writers and His own words to His disciples. Christ had and has the birthright as Son of God to call on the Father for anything, anytime. Jesus also had and has the immediate favor of extreme power from Father God. The Lord had both of these at His fingertips to use or display, But this passage speaks to the manner in which things had to transpire - "it must happen in this way" - In Light Of This Fact.