CHAPTER XVIII. THE BETRAYAL (John 18:1-14). Leaving the Upper Room, Jesus and his disciples went out into the moonlit night, for there was full moon at the Passover, and took their way through the streets out of the eastern gate, across the Kedron, to the garden of Gethsemane, about. half mile from... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDAS.... KNEW THE PLACE; FOR JESUS OFTTIMES RESORTED THITHER. The movements of Judas, after the Last Supper, we may readily picture to ourselves in their outline. Going immediately to Caiaphas, or to some other leading member of the Sanhedrim, he informs him where Jesus is, and announces that he i... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDAS, THEN, HAVING RECEIVED. BAND OF MEN. The multitude, guided by Judas, is described by Mark as "great." It consisted (1) of _the band_ (John 18:3; John 18:12), or Roman cohort, which, consisting of 300 to 600 men, was quartered in the tower of Antonia, overlooking the temple, and ever ready to p... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS, KNOWING ALL THINGS THAT SHOULD COME UPON HIM. Knowing their objects and all that he had to endure on the morrow. He submitted of his own will, and after the troubled hour of Gethsemane, is as calm as the unruffled sea. WHOM SEEK YE? Jesus "went forth" from the shadow of the trees into the... [ Continue Reading ]
JUDAS, ALSO, WHICH BETRAYED HIM, STOOD WITH THEM. To the Lord's question, his foes replying that they sought Jesus of Nazareth, he calmly replied, "I am he." Then follows. scene designed to show all the world that the Lord laid down his own life. His foemen were powerless in his hands. As he answers... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THESE GO THEIR WAY. After the guard had recovered from its sudden terror, perhaps wondering how it could have been so smitten to the earth, but still standing as if they did not know what to do, Jesus again asks whom they seek, and on their answer, repeats that he is the one they seek, adding t... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SIMON PETER... SMOTE THE HIGH PRIEST'S SERVANT. We learn from Luke 22:38, that there were but two swords in the whole company of the twelve. One of these naturally was in Peter's possession, as being the foremost of the whole band. Abbott surmises that the attack on the guard followed their sud... [ Continue Reading ]
PUT UP THY SWORD INTO THE SHEATH. Matthew 26:52-53, is in some respects fuller, and is full of instruction: "Put up again thy sword into its place; for all they that take the sword shall perish by the sword." There is no possibility of advancing Christ's kingdom in such worldly ways, by force, by d... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE BAND, AND THE CAPTAIN AND OFFICERS OF THE JEWS, TOOK JESUS AND BOUND HIM. The disciples "all forsook him and fled" (Mark 14:50), probably at this moment, and the soldiers of the Roman band, and the Jewish temple officers, rough, cruel men, seized and bound the Son of God. The terror inspir... [ Continue Reading ]
AND LED HIM AWAY TO ANNAS FIRST. The actual high priest at the time was Caiaphas; but this Annas had been high priest, and as such enjoyed the title by courtesy. Being also. man of great wealth and influence, and of active habits, he took upon him much of the business of that high office, as. sort... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW CAIAPHAS WAS HE WHICH GAVE COUNSEL TO THE JEWS, ETC. Caiaphas had already committed himself to the policy of condemnation (John 11:50). He was appointed high priest by the Roman procurator about 27 A. D., held the office during the whole administration of Pilate, was deposed 36 or 37 A. D. Both... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TRIAL BEFORE THE HIGH PRIEST (JOHN 18:15-27) "Reading the Gospels side by side, we will, with care and study, see how all they tell us falls accurately into its proper position in the general narrative, and shows us. six-fold trial,. quadruple decision,. triple acquittal,. twice repeated condemn... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT PETER STOOD AT THE DOOR WITHOUT. The damsel who kept the door, for it was. common Jewish custom to have female porters, seeing that Peter was. stranger, refused to admit him. John went in, evidently expecting Peter to follow, but when he did not, returned and spoke to the maid, who at once, suf... [ Continue Reading ]
ART THOU NOT ALSO ONE OF THIS MAN'S DISCIPLES? John was known to the maid as. disciple of Christ. The maid, fancying that Peter was another, from his acquaintance with John, asked the question, after Peter had gone in, from curiosity. There was no occasion for Peter to deny, but from sudden fear he... [ Continue Reading ]
SERVANTS AND OFFICERS STOOD THERE, WHO HAD MADE. FIRE OF COALS. As we learn from Mark 14:66, the fire was made in the court, the open space left in the center for light and ventilation around which the building was constructed, and which was reached by an arched way called (Matthew 26:71) "the porc... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HIGH PRIEST THEN ASKED JESUS... OF HIS DOCTRINE. Is not certain whether this "high priest" was Annas or Caiaphas, but. agree with the opinion of Canon Farrar that it was Annas, and that John, therefore, gives an account of the informal examination by this great dignitary which he personally witn... [ Continue Reading ]
SPAKE OPENLY TO THE WORLD. The Lord ignores the question concerning his disciples, but answers with reference to himself. He had taught openly in the synagogue and temple; he had entered into no conspiracies, as Annas himself had done; all his life and teaching could be learned by inquiry. Let them... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE OF THE OFFICERS.. STRUCK JESUS. This is the first blow that was laid upon him "by whose stripes we are healed." The word rendered "palm of the hand" is "rod" in the margin, which is probably the meaning. The officer,. courtier, was not accustomed to hear. prisoner, in plain and independent lang... [ Continue Reading ]
IF. HAVE SPOKEN EVIL, BEAR WITNESS OF THE EVIL. Observe the calmness and dignity of the reply. Paul, under similar circumstances (Acts 23:3), answers like. man, but Christ, like the Son of God. If there was evil in the words just spoken, let it be pointed out; but if not, to smite him was. crime. T... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW ANNAS HAD SENT HIM BOUND TO CAIAPHAS. If this. correct translation, the Lord was sent to Caiaphas before the examination just recorded. The Revision, however, reads: "Annas, therefore, sent him," etc., indicating that he was now sent. The latter is the correct translation, and points out this a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SIMON PETER... ART THOU ALSO ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES? In verse 18 Peter is described as among the enemies of Christ, warming himself. It is repeated in order to give the circumstances of the second denial. It is by. comparison of all the Gospels that we get the full facts. They do not contradict e... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE OF THE SERVANTS OF THE HIGH PRIEST... DID. NOT SEE THEE? ETC. There is no mention of where the third denial occurred. Some time had passed, "about an hour" (Luke), since the last denial. Matthew and Mark describe the charge by "them that stood by;" Luke as made by another man, and John as made b... [ Continue Reading ]
IMMEDIATELY THE COCK CREW. As the oaths were sullying the lips of him who had declared that he would die for the Master, the cock crew the second time to herald the approach of day. At that very moment the Lord, probably now being led to the meeting of the Sanhedrim which Luke tells us met at dayli... [ Continue Reading ]
CHRIST BEFORE PILATE (JOHN 18:28-40) John only gives the detailed account of the private examinations of Jesus by Pilate during the civil trial recorded in 18:33-37. He probably went within Pilate's palace as he would not be deterred by the scruples of the Jews, having eaten his Passover, and he was... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT ACCUSATION BRING YE AGAINST THIS MAN? As. detachment of Roman soldiers had been furnished to assist in the arrest, he probably knew already that they regarded the prisoner an evil doer, but he did not know what were the specific charges.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF HE WERE NOT. MALEFACTOR, WE WOULD NOT HAVE DELIVERED HIM UP UNTO THEE. Their reply shows that they had hoped that Pilate would take their verdict that Jesus was. malefactor, worthy of death, and would send him to death without. trial. They had condemned Jesus to death on the charge of blasphemy,... [ Continue Reading ]
TAKE YE HIM, AND JUDGE HIM ACCORDING TO YOUR OWN LAW. They had judged and condemned according to their own law and Pilate, on their refusal to state their charges, bade them proceed according to their own laws. They answered that this could not be done for "it was not lawful for them to put any man... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THE SAYING OF JESUS MIGHT BE FULFILLED. Had the Jews been allowed to put Christ to death, he would have been stoned, as Stephen was, by. mob in Jerusalem, stoning being the usual Jewish method of execution, but he had "signified what death he should die" (John 12:32, and Matthew 20:18-19) and... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN PILATE ENTERED THE JUDGMENT HALL AGAIN. Before Pilate returned into the judgment hall, where Jesus had been taken, the Jews had made. formal charge that must demand the attention of Pilate, that Jesus was aiming at the sovereignty of Judea and seeking to overturn the Roman government. See Luke... [ Continue Reading ]
SAYEST THOU THIS THING OF THYSELF? OR, ETC. This question of Jesus is not for information, but it strikes right at the merits of the charge. Who made it? Did any Roman ever see me breaking the Roman laws? If. Roman had preferred the charge of insurrection, it might be examined, but when did the Jew... [ Continue Reading ]
MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD. Jesus did not hesitate to relieve the honest perplexity of Pilate; still it would be hard for Pilate, with his gross ideas, to form any conception of. kingdom not of this world,. kingdom of which the subjects did not fight with carnal weapons to defend its king, or... [ Continue Reading ]
ART THOU. KING THEN? If Christ has. kingdom he must be. King. Some commentators have thought that Pilate asked this question in contempt of the poor, bound prisoner that was before him, but the gravity of the answer of Jesus shows that it was sincerely asked. The Lord did not reply to sneers. Hence... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT IS TRUTH? Pilate's inquiry was not answered in words, but Truth sat embodied and bound before him. It matters not whether his question was sincere, or in pity of one whom he may have thought an enthusiast, it is evident that he was profoundly impressed, for at once he stepped out of the hall t... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HAVE. CUSTOM, THAT. SHOULD RELEASE UNTO YOU ONE AT THE PASSOVER. By. comparison of the other accounts it is evident that, in the interval, before his effort to release Jesus according to the custom of the Passover feast, he sent Jesus to Herod in order to shuffle off the responsibility, but Herod... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT THIS MAN, BUT BARABBAS. He had not named Barabbas, but they, in their anxiety to reject Christ, at once name him. The people were stimulated to this choice by the bitter hatred of the priests. It is remarkable that this man Barabbas was confessedly guilty of the very crime with which the priest... [ Continue Reading ]