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 ]