CHAPTER 18. Friedrich Spitta (_Zur Geschichte und Litteratur des Urchristentums_, i. 157 ff.) believes that the second section of this chapter has been accidentally dislocated, and that its original order was as follows: (1) 12, 13, Jesus is brought: to Annas; (2) 19 23, He is examined before the h... [ Continue Reading ]
Having finished His prayer and His discourse, Jesus ἐξῆλθε, “went out” from the city, as is suggested by πέραν τοῦ χειμάρρου, “to the other side of the torrent,” _cf._ John 6:1. χείμαρρος sc. χειμάρροος ποταμός, a stream that flows in winter, a torrent; of Jabbok, Genesis 32:22; of Kidron, 2 Samuel... [ Continue Reading ]
_The arrest of Jesus_.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἤδει δὲ καὶ Ἰούδας. “And Judas also knew the place, because Jesus and His disciples had frequently assembled there” on previous visits to Jerusalem, Luke 21:37. This is inserted to account for what follows, and to remind the reader of the voluntariness of the surrender. There was no attempt to escap... [ Continue Reading ]
ὁ οὖν Ἰούδας λαβών τὴν σπεῖραν καὶ … ὑπηρέτας. σπεῖρα (Spira, anything rolled up or folded together), a Roman cohort (Polyb., xi. 23, 1) or tenth part of a legion, and therefore containing about 600 men. _The_ cohort denotes the garrison of the castle Antonia, which, during the Passover, was availab... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus, then, not with the boldness of ignorance, but knowing πάντα τὰ ἐρχόμενα ἐπʼ αὐτόν, “all that was coming upon Him,” _cf._ Luke 14:31, ἐρχομένῳ ἐπʼ αὐτόν, “went out” from the garden, or more probably, John 18:26, from the group of disciples, “and says, Whom seek ye?” to concentrate attention on... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἰησοῦν τὸν Ναζωραῖον “Jesus the Nazarene,” _cf._ Acts 24:5, Ναζαρηνός occurs Mark 14:67, etc. ἐγώ εἰμι, “I am He”. He had already been identified by Judas' kiss, Matthew 24:47, but Jesus wished to declare Himself as one who did not fear identification. That the kiss was superfluous is, however, no p... [ Continue Reading ]
The immediate effect of His calm declaration was: ἀπῆλθον εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω καὶ ἔπεσον χαμαί, “they went backwards and fell to the ground”. Job 1:20, πεσὼν χαμαί; similarly used by Homer, etc., as = χαμᾶζε. This might have been considered a fulfilment of Psalms 27:2, οἱ θλίβοντές με … ἔπεσαν. The recoil,... [ Continue Reading ]
Declaring His identity a second time, Jesus explicitly reminds the officials that by their own acknowledgment they are instructed to arrest none but Himself, εἰ οὖν ἐμὲ ζητεῖτε … οὐδένα. In thus protecting His companions, Jesus, according to John, fulfils John 17:12; although here the fulfilment is... [ Continue Reading ]
Peter did not wish to be thus dissociated from the fate of his Master, John 13:38, and thinks a rescue possible, as only the Sanhedrim officials would enter the garden, leaving the soldiers outside. ἔχων μάχαιραν, “having a sword,” “pro more peregrinantium in iis locis,” Grotius, and _cf._ Thucyd.,... [ Continue Reading ]
Peter's action, however, was not commended. βάλε … θήκην. “Res evangelica non agitur ejusmodi praesidiis.” Erasmus. θήκη, a receptacle; sometimes ξιφοθήκη; usually κολεός. τὸ ποτήριον … αὐτό. For the figure of the cup, see Ezekiel 23:31-34; Matthew 20:22; Matthew 26:39. Shall I refuse the lot appoin... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἡ οὖν σπεῖρα … αὐτόν. The Roman soldiers, ἡ σπεῖρα, under the orders of their Chiliarch (Tribune, Colonel), abetted the officers of the Sanhedrim, ὑπηρέται τῶν Ἰουδαίων, in the apprehension of Jesus. As a matter of course and following the universal practice ἔδησαν αὐτόν, “they bound Him,” with His... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ απήγαγον αὐτὸν, “and they led Him to Annas first”. πρῶτον refers to the subsequent examinations, John 18:24; John 18:28. The reason for taking Him to Annas first was that he was father-in-law of the actual high priest, Caiaphas, and was a man of commanding influence. He had himself been high pri... [ Continue Reading ]
_Examination before Annas_.... [ Continue Reading ]
The attitude Caiaphas was likely to assume towards the prisoner is indicated by his identification with the person who uttered the principle, John 11:50, ὅτι συμφέρει … ἀπολέσθαι.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἠκολούθει … μαθητής. “There followed Jesus Simon Peter” with whom the narrative is now concerned “and another disciple,” in all probability John. He is mentioned to explain how Peter found access to the high priest's residence. “That disciple was known to the high priest,” _i.e._, probably to Caiaph... [ Continue Reading ]
Peter, not being known to the household, was excluded and stood outside at the door, πρὸς τῇ θύρᾳ ἔξω, _cf._ John 20:11. John, missing him, spoke to the doorkeeper and introduced him. τῇ θυρωρῷ, female doorkeepers appear 2 Samuel 4:6; Acts 12:13, and see Wetstein.... [ Continue Reading ]
Naturally he concluded from John's introducing him that Peter was also a disciple, and as a mere innocent and purposeless remark says: Μὴ καὶ σὺ … τούτου; “Are you also one of this man's disciples?” He says, οὐκ εἰμί, “I am not”.... [ Continue Reading ]
Εἱστήκεισαν … θερμαινόμενος. The household servants and the Sanhedrim servitors had made a fire in the open court of the house and were standing round it warming themselves. Peter, unabashed by his lie, joined himself to this group and stood in the light of the fire. _Cf._ Luke 22:56, πρὸς τὸ φῶς. J... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὁ οὖν ἀρχιερεὺς ἠρώτησε … “The high priest then interrogated Jesus about His disciples and about His teaching,” apparently wishing to bring out on what terms He made disciples, whether as a simple Rabbi or as Messiah. But Jesus answered: Ἐγὼ παρρησίᾳ ἐλάλησα … οὐδέν. The high priest's question was u... [ Continue Reading ]
“Why do you interrogate me? Ask those who have heard, what I said to them.” Similarly Socrates appeals to his disciples. The οὗτοι might be construed as if Jesus looked towards some who were present.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ταῦτα … ἀρχιερεῖ; ῥάπισμα. The older meaning of ῥαπίζειν was “to strike with a rod” sc. ῥαβδίζειν; but in later Greek it meant “to give a blow on the cheek with the open hand”. This is put beyond doubt by Field, _Otium Noru._, p. 71; _cf._ Rutherford's _New Phryn._, p. 257. R.V [90] marg. “with a ro... [ Continue Reading ]
The calmness and reasonableness of Jesus' retort to this blow impressed it on the memory of John, whose own blood would boil when he saw his Master struck by a servant.... [ Continue Reading ]
As nothing was to be gained by continuing the examination, Jesus is handed on to Caiaphas, Ἀπέστειλεν … ἀρχιερέα.... [ Continue Reading ]
resumes the narrative interrupted at John 18:18-19, and resumes by repeating the statement that Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. While he did so the servants and officers, John 18:18, who were round the fire said, Μὴ καὶ σὺ … “Are you also of His disciples?”... [ Continue Reading ]
Λέγει εἶς ἐκ τῶν δούλων … ὠτίον, “one of the servants of the high priest, who was a kinsman of him,” etc., “a detail which marks an exact knowledge of the household (John 18:15),” Westcott.... [ Continue Reading ]
Πάλιν οὖν … ἐφώνησεν … A cock crew, the dawn approaching, and the warning of John 13:38 was fulfilled. See on John 13:38.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἄγουσιν, “They lead,” _i.e._, the Sanhedrists who had assembled lead: in Luke 23:1, ἀναστὰν ἅπαν τὸ πλῆθος αὐτῶν. ἀπὸ τοῦ Καϊάφα. Field prefers translating “from the house of Caiaphas,” _cf._ Mark 5:35; Acts 16:40. πραιτώριον, _praetorium_, lit. “the general's tent”; here probably the governor's qua... [ Continue Reading ]
to John 19:16. _Jesus before Pilate_.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐξῆλθεν οὖν ὁ Πιλάτος … The examination began therefore in the open air in front of the building; _cf._ John 19:13. Pilate opened the case with the formal inquiry, Τίνα κατηγορίαν κ. τ. λ.; To this reasonable demand the Sanhedrists evasively and insolently reply (John 18:30): “Had He not been a κακο... [ Continue Reading ]
This does not suit Roman ideas of justice; and therefore Pilate, ascribing their reluctance to lay a definite charge against the prisoner and to have the case reopened to the difficulty of explaining to a Roman the actual law and transgression, bids them finish the case for themselves, λάβετε αὐτὸν... [ Continue Reading ]
This, however, they decline to do, because it is the death penalty they desire, and this they have no right to inflict: ἡμῖν οὐκ ἔξεστιν ἀποκτεῖναι οὐδένα. In the Roman provinces the power of life and death, the _jus gladii_, was reserved to the governor. See Arnold's _Roman Prov. Administration_, p... [ Continue Reading ]
Pilate, being thus compelled to undertake the case, withdraws within the Praetorium to conduct it apart from their prejudices and clamours. He calls Jesus and says to Him, Σὺ εἶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων; How did Pilate know that this was the κατηγορία against Jesus? John omits the information given i... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus examined by Pilate in private_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus answers by asking: Ἀφʼ ἑαυτοῦ σὺ τοὺτο λέγεις …; Pilate's reply, “Am I a Jew?” precludes all interpretations, however inviting (see especially Alford and Oscar Holtzmann), but the simple one: “Do you make this inquiry from any serious personal interest and with any keen apprehension of the ble... [ Continue Reading ]
To this Pilate with some heat and contempt replies: Μήτι ἐγὼ Ἰουδαῖός εἰμι; “Am I a Jew?” How can you suppose that I have any personal interest in such a matter? τὸ ἔθνος τὸ σὸν … ἐμοί. “Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me.” It is their charge I repeat. τί ἐποίησας; “what has... [ Continue Reading ]
But Jesus accepts the allegation of the Jews and proceeds to explain in what sense He is king: Ἡ βασιλεία ἡ ἐμὴ κ. τ. λ. My kingdom is not of a worldly nature, nor is it established by worldly means. Had it been so, my servants would have striven to prevent my being surrendered to the Jews. But as t... [ Continue Reading ]
Pilate understands only so far as to interrupt with Οὐκοῦν … σύ; “So then you are a king?” On οὐκοῦν see Klotz's _Devarius_, p. 173. To which Jesus replies with the explicit statement: Σὺ λέγεις … ἐγώ. “Thou sayest.” This, says Schoettgen (Matthew 26:25), is “solennis adfirmantium apud Judaeos formu... [ Continue Reading ]
Pilate waited for no reply to his question, but τοῦτο εἰπὼν, πάλιν ἐξῆλθε. The noting of each movement of Pilate suggests the eye-witness, and brings out his vacillation. Ἐγὼ οὐδεμίαν αἰτίαν … “I for my part find no fault, or ground of accusation in Him.” Naturally, therefore, Pilate will acquit and... [ Continue Reading ]
_Pilate declares the result of his examination_.... [ Continue Reading ]