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18:1 After Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples.
- After his prayer, Jesus walks to the Garden of Gethsemane.
- The place is named only in Matthew and Mark, but must be the same location. Only John mentions that Gethsemane was a garden.
- This was a place where Jesus and the disciples often met (v.2), perhaps for prayer. Sadly, the Romans cut down every tree when they destroyed Jerusalem in 70 AD -- although new olive trees have grown up in the place of the old ones.
- Judas is guiding the arrest party.
3 So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” 5 They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus replied, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he, they stepped back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken, “I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me.” 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. 11 Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?”
- The soldiers, priests, and Pharisees arrive (v.3ff).
- Jesus, fully surrendered to the Father's will and determined to embrace his destiny, walks forward to confront his captors (v.4).
- The atmosphere is tense. In the presence of Jesus (God in the flesh), all fall down -- as though in worship (but not really).
- Jesus ensures that his followers are released. He and he alone must face what is to come. The cup must be drained to the dregs.
- Further to verse 6, falling down in the presence of Deity is a common reaction.
- See Ezekiel 1:28; Daniel 10:9; Acts 9:4; Revelation 1:17
- In addition the original of verse 8 reads, "I told you that I am [he]." In other words, here is another "I am" passage. The priestly posse is spooked. In 19:8 we see even Pilate feeling a degree of fear before Jesus, so it is quite possible that mere soldiers felt the same.
- Peter draws a sword (v.10), striking at the servant of the high priest.
- He misses. (It is doubtful he was aiming for the ear.)
- The servant is named: Malchus.
- The fact that his name was preserved is significant; it probably means that this man later became a Christian.
- According to Luke 22:51, Jesus healed the ear.
- Simon Peter rightly earns Jesus' censure. See also Matthew 26:52.
12 So the soldiers, their officers, and the Jewish police arrested Jesus and bound him. 13 First they took him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one person die for the people.
- Jesus is arrested, bound, and led away (v.12).
- Annas had been high priest 6-15 AD, but was deposed by Pilate's predecessor. Still, he retained a lot of power: five of his sons and grandsons became high priests, not counting his bond with Caiaphas, and so the family (virtually a dynasty) of Annas continued to dominate the priesthood 17-41 AD.
- The courtyard of the high priest has been excavated and a church building erected on the site.
15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16 but Peter was standing outside at the gate. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the woman who guarded the gate, and brought Peter in. 17 The woman said to Peter, “You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the slaves and the police had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing around it and warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself.
19 Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. 20 Jesus answered, “I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said.” 22 When he had said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
- Jesus appears before Annas (vv.19-24), father-in-law of Caiaphas, who had spoken prophetically of Jesus' death in 11:50.
- Christ is questioned about his teachings and about his disciples.
- Jesus insists he is not a false prophet; he spoke openly, not secretly (Deuteronomy 13:6).
- After being struck in the face (v.22), Jesus asks, in effect, for a fair trial (v.23).
- He is then sent to Caiaphas.
- This interaction is recorded in Matthew 26:57ff, though nothing is related here in John.
- At this irregular trial Jesus is convicted of blasphemy (Matthew 26:65).
- An unnamed disciple has connections (v.15) and is able to enter the courtyard with Jesus. Peter, on the other hand, remains outside, warming himself on this cool night in early spring. It is now (v.17) that Peter denies Jesus for the first time.
- Next thing we know, Jesus is being led from Caiaphas' palace to the residence of Pilate (v.28 -- in tomorrow's study).
25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They asked him, “You are not also one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the slaves of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment the cock crowed.
- Peter denies Christ for the second and third times (vv.25-27), after which comes the final cockcrow.
- It is remarkable that such a moral lapse is recorded and preserved.
- The scriptures of the Bible are honest about the shortcomings of spiritual leaders.
- Some scholars believe that the story of Peter's denial was most likely circulated by Peter himself. Think about it...
- There is only one man in the Bible who emerges sinless (8:46).
- The three-fold denial corresponds, fortunately, to the three-fold "reinstatement" of chapter 21.
28 Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate’s headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered, “If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.” 31 Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.” The Jews replied, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death.” 32 (This was to fulfill what Jesus had said when he indicated the kind of death he was to die.)
- Having been examined by Annas and Caiaphas, Jesus is now conducted to the headquarters of Pontius Pilate (v.28).
- The Jews will not enter the Gentile residence (v.28).
- They want to be able to celebrate the Passover (Numbers 9:6-12), and not be disqualified because of ritual contamination.
- "The dwellings of non-Jews are unclean" (Ohol. 18:7). This may be because Gentiles sometimes buried abortions or premature babies under their homes. In Judaism, close contact with death makes one unclean. In that case they would be unclean for seven days (Numbers 19:11) and miss the festival.
- Here is the ultimate irony: Men who insist on technical purity are seeking the execution of the Messiah, the Redeemer of Israel! They bend over backwards to avoid the possibility of contamination, but are prepared to destroy the very font of cleansing for the people of God! (See Zechariah 13:1.)
- Pilate goes out to meet them (v.29), inquiring as to the accusation.
- It would seem there had been some communication between Caiaphas and Pilate. See Matthew 27:1.
- Presumably the Jews would have stoned Jesus to death for blasphemy (as they did to Stephen in Acts 7). Yet instead of Jesus being stoned and brought down to the earth, he was "lifted up" through crucifixion (12:32) -- an ironic twist.
- Their reasoning appears to be circular (v.30). "Of course he's guilty, otherwise he would not have been brought here." His accusers know that they have no real case, at least not with respect to Roman law.
- Pilate knows the case against Christ is weak. He tells them to judge Jesus by their own law. Pilate knows full well that they seek the death penalty, yet are not permitted to administer it. The Jewish leaders will have resented such condescension by the governor.
- But Pilate is not about to rubber-stamp the decision of the Sanhedrin. He is in effect opening a new trial.
- In regard to verse 31, the Palestinian Talmud reads, "Forty years before the destruction of the Temple they took from Israel the right to inflict capital punishment" (Sanh. 1.1; 7.2). The Babylonian Talmud is not quite so explicit, though it agrees with this statement.
33 Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” 35 Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” 37 Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate asked him, “What is truth?”
- Pilate now questions Jesus personally (v.33ff).
- Rather than trying to defend himself, Jesus tries to influence Pilate (v.34ff).
- Jesus then speaks of the true nature of his kingdom. It is completely obvious to Pilate that Jesus is innocent; he is certainly no threat to the state.
- Verse 36 is just one of a number containing the Christian teaching on warfare.
- Jesus implies that Pilate should listen to him (v.37), but Pilate responds evasively (v.38a).
After he had said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, “I find no case against him. 39 But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover. Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 40 They shouted in reply, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a bandit.
- Pilate goes outside to the Jewish leaders, dismissing the case (v.38b). He will not be manipulated.
- Then he suggests the release of Barabbas, a man who really was an enemy of the state, one who would resort to violence to topple the Roman overlords. (See Mark 15:7.)
- What is Pilate thinking?
- Did he feel bound to honor the tradition of releasing a prisoner, with Barabbas and Jesus being the best choices?
- Was he trying to give the Jewish leaders on opportunity to save face, since they weren't going to get their way with Jesus? (That is, Jesus could have been released without being declared innocent.)
- Or was he gambling that the crowd would choose Jesus over Barabbas, who was the real threat? (Was he hoping to set Jesus free and dispatch the revolutionary?)
- Whatever he was thinking, it did not turn out well for him. The crowd, controlled by the high priest, opts for the insurrectionist. The Jewish leaders have outfoxed him.
- What is Pilate going to do now? We shall see, in chapter 19.
- Note: In some manuscripts of Matthew 27:16-17 is found Barabbas' given name: Jesus. Many scholars believe his first name was expunged from the record because it was offensive to later Christians. For more on Barabbas, see the first study on Matthew 27.
- Note: Lestes (v.40) means "robber; insurrectionist."
Thought questions:
- Jesus confidently walked out from the garden to meet the arrest party. When I am called to embrace suffering, how is my resolve? my attitude?
- Peter drew the sword to further his master's cause. Do I believe it is ever right to use violence to advance religion?
- Why do you think Pilate presented the option of releasing Barabbas or releasing Jesus?
- What if you were Pilate? Do you think a man or woman of God could have served faithfully as a Roman prefect in Judea? Do you see any good outcome in this situation?