GETHSEMANE, JESUS IS ARRESTED AND TRIED (JOHN 18).
Jesus, The Suffering Messiah.
Having reached the height of revelation in chapter 17, we are
immediately brought back to earth in chapter 18. What is glorious in
Heaven must be worked out on earth. But even here the glory of Heaven
shines through, f... [ Continue Reading ]
“When Jesus had spoken these words He went out with His disciples
over the Brook Kidron where there was a garden into which he and his
disciples entered.”
Having given His last words to His disciples and having made His final
prayer Jesus went out to fulfil His destiny. His disciples were
probably... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ARREST (JOHN 18:1).
Leaving the Upper Room Jesus led His disciples to the Garden of
Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. The fact that Judas knew where to
find Him suggests either that this was pre-arranged (Judas would need
to know where he was to meet up with the disciples after ostensibly
purc... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now Judas also, who betrayed him, knew the place, for Jesus often
went there with his disciples.'
This important piece of information explains why Judas was able to
find him so easily and why he was needed in order to obtain the
arrest. They had tried to arrest Jesus in official places when people... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Judas then, having received a cohort, and officers from the Chief
Priests and the Pharisees, come there with lanterns and torches and
weapons.'
The word ‘cohort' indicates a group of ‘Roman' soldiers. A cohort
was nominally a body of six hundred, although could be somewhat less,
but in this case i... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were coming on him,
went up and says to them, “Who are you looking for?” They answered
him, “Jesus of Nazareth”. Jesus says to them, “I am.” And
Judas also who betrayed him was standing with them. When therefore he
said to them, “I am” they went backward... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Again therefore he asked them, “Who are you looking for?” And
they said, “Jesus of Nazareth”. Jesus replied, “I have told you
that I am he, if therefore you are looking for me let these go their
way.” That the word which he spoke might be fulfilled, “of those
whom you have given me I lost not one”.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Simon Peter therefore, having a sword, drew it, and struck the High
Priest's servant and cut off his right ear. Now the servant's name was
Malchus. Jesus therefore said to Peter, “Put the sword into the
scabbard. The cup which the Father has given me, shall I not drink
it?”
John alone gives us the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘So the cohort and the Chiliarch and the officers of the Judaisers
seized Jesus and bound him.'
The Roman soldiers now immediately stepped in. They had watched the
chaos among the Temple police at Jesus' approach and had now seen a
sword drawn in anger. This was why they were there. So they arreste... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And led him to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas
who was High Priest that year. Now Caiaphas was he who gave counsel to
the Judaisers that it was expedient that one man should die for the
people.'
Annas had previously been High Priest but he had been replaced by the
Romans with Cai... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MESSIANIC LAMB IS EXAMINED BEFORE THE HIGH PRIEST - PETER DENIES
JESUS (JOHN 18:13).
Just as the Passover lambs had to be examined by the priests before
being sacrificed, so now Jesus, God's Passover Lamb, was to be
examined. It had to be made apparent that He was holy and without
blemish.... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Simon Peter followed Jesus and so did another disciple. Now
that disciple was known to the High Priest and entered in with Jesus
into the court of the High Priest.'
In view of the writer's particularity about names, even to the naming
in this very chapter of the servant of the High Priest, the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple
went and spoke to the woman who guarded the door, and brought in
Peter.'
The reminiscences are clear and natural, suggesting one who was there.
There is really no reason to doubt them. This disciple had bravely
followed closely behi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘The maid therefore who guarded the door says to Peter, “Are you
also one of this man's disciples?” He says, “I am not”. Now the
servants and the officers were standing there having made a fire of
charcoal, because it was cold. And they were warming themselves. And
Peter was with them as well standi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘The High Priest then asked Jesus about his disciples and about his
teaching. Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I
always taught in synagogues and in the Temple where all the Judaisers
come together, and I spoke nothing in secret. Why are you questioning
me? Ask those who have h... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when he had said this one of the officers standing by struck
Jesus with his hand, saying, “Do you answer the High Priest in this
way?” Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken evil testify in what
way it is evil, but if well, why do you hit me?”
An officer who stood by struck Him. This behaviour... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Annas therefore sent him bound to Caiaphas the High Priest.'
The continued emphasis on the fact that Jesus was bound must be seen
as significant. God bound by man. The world was doing what it could to
restrain Him, even though He has seemingly submitted Himself to their
will. For a while the one w... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said
therefore to him, “Are you also one of his disciples?” He denied
and said, “I am not.” One of the servants of the High Priest, who
was a kinsman of the one whose ear Peter cut off, says, “Did I not
see you in the garden with him?” Peter th... [ Continue Reading ]
‘They then lead Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium (the official
residence in Jerusalem of the Roman governor).'
The whole of what happened before Caiaphas is ignored by John. He is
not concerned to show up the Judaisers. Their actions are sufficient
to condemn them. What he is concerned to do i... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS BEFORE PILATE (JOHN 18:28).
Jesus' examination before Caiaphas is summed up in two sentences,
‘Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas' and ‘they lead Jesus from
Caiaphas'. To John that examination had nothing important to add. He
had already established Jesus' innocence. Unmentioned also is the
bri... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Pilate therefore went out to them and says, “What charge do you
bring against this man?” They answered and said to him, “If this
man were not an evildoer we would not have delivered him up to
you.”'
Pilate' is better known as Pontius Pilate. He was the fifth
praefectus, later to be called procurat... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Pilate therefore says to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him
according to your law.” The Judaisers said to him, “It is not
lawful for us to put any man to death”, that the word of Jesus might
be fulfilled which he spoke signifying by what manner of death he
would die.'
Pilate did not want to... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Pilate therefore entered again into the Praetorium and called Jesus
and said to Him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” '
This statement demonstrates that more had been said than John has
revealed. But this after all is what we would expect. What is
therefore clear is that the Judaisers had pointed ou... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Jesus answered, “Do you say this of yourself, or did others tell
it to you about me?”.
Jesus' replied with a question. His reply was not direct because a
direct reply would not have been the truth, for while He was the
Messianic king He was not a king in the way meant by Pilate. So He
asked, Was i... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the Chief
Priests delivered you to me. What have you done?” '
‘Am I a Jew?' Pilate's reply indicated his real disinterest. This
was an internal matter in which he was not really interested. Why then
should he have made such a suggestion? It was the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Jesus answered, “My kingship is not of this world. If my kingship
were of this world my servants would then be fighting so that I would
not be delivered to the Jews. But my kingdom is not now from
there”.'
Jesus now made quite clear that He had done nothing to worry Pilate.
The very fact that no f... [ Continue Reading ]
‘Pilate therefore said to him, “Are you a king then?” Jesus
answered, “It is you who says I am a king. This is why I have been
born and this is why I have come into the world, so that I should bear
witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.”
Pilate says to him, “What is truth... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when he had said this he went out again to the Judaisers, and
says to them, “I find him guilty of no crime.”
Pilate went out and told the Jews that he found nothing against Jesus
as far as Roman law was concerned. And that should have been the end
of the matter. An innocent man acquitted. Thus... [ Continue Reading ]
“But you have a custom that I should release to you someone at the
Passover. Do you wish me therefore to release to you the King of the
Jews?”
Pilate had an inspiration. He saw a wonderful get out. There was
custom of releasing someone at the Passover. What about him releasing
this man whom they ca... [ Continue Reading ]
‘They therefore cried out again, saying, “Not this man but
Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a brigand.'
Pilate's desperate attempt had failed, as it had to. How could he even
think that the leaders would allow the people to call for the freedom
of the man they were determined to see die. He was clearly... [ Continue Reading ]