|
| Chapter 18 |
| Bible Text | Notes and Thoughts |
|
1 ¶ When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the Brook Kidron, where was a garden into which He entered with His disciples. 2 And Judas also, who betrayed Him, knew the place, for Jesus oftentimes resorted thither with His disciples. 3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon Him, went forth and said unto them, "Whom seek ye?" 5 They answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said unto them, "I am He." And Judas also, who betrayed Him, stood with them. 6 As soon then as He had said unto them, "I am He," they went backward and fell to the ground. 7 Then asked He them again, "Whom seek ye?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." 8 Jesus answered, "I have told you that I am He. If therefore ye seek Me, let these go their way," 9 that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, "Of them which Thou gavest Me, have I lost none." 10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and smote the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. 11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, "Put up thy sword into the sheath. The cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?" 12 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound Him, 13 ¶ and led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest that same year. 14 Now it was Caiaphas who gave counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. 15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. That disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. 16 But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known unto the high priest, went out and spoke unto her who kept the door, and brought in Peter. 17 Then the damsel who kept the door said unto Peter, "Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples?" He said, "I am not." 18 And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals, for it was cold and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them, and warmed himself. 19 The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and about His doctrine. 20 Jesus answered him, "I spoke openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue and in the temple whither the Jews always resort, and in secret have I said nothing. 21 Why askest thou Me? Ask them that heard Me what I have said unto them. Behold, they know what I said." 22 And when He had thus spoken, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, "Answerest thou the high priest so?" 23 Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou Me?" 24 Then Annas sent Him bound unto Caiaphas, the high priest. 25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, "Art not thou also one of his disciples?" He denied it and said, "I am not." 26 One of the servants of the high priest, being kinsman of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did not I see thee in the garden with him?" 27 Peter then denied again; and immediately the cock crowed. 28 ¶ Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment. And it was early, and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover. 29 Pilate then went out unto them and said, "What accusation bring ye against this man?" 30 They answered and said unto him, "If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee." 31 Then said Pilate unto them, "Take ye him and judge him according to your law." The Jews therefore said unto him, "It is not lawful for us to put any man to death," 32 that the saying which Jesus had spoken, signifying what death He should die, might be fulfilled. 33 Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus and said unto Him, "Art thou the King of the Jews?" 34 Jesus answered him, "Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of Me?" 35 Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me. What hast thou done?" 36 Jesus answered, "My Kingdom is not of this world. If My Kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now is My Kingdom not from hence." 37 Pilate therefore said unto Him, "Art thou a king then?" Jesus answered, "Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice." 38 Pilate said unto Him, "What is truth?" And when he said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and said unto them, "I find in him no fault at all. 39 But ye have a custom that I should release unto you one at the Passover. Will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?" 40 Then cried they all again, saying, "Not this man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber. |
v1-14 The Betrayal. We must note that Jesus was completely in control of the situation, He was waiting to be arrested, this actually makes the treachery of Judas not really necessary, but it makes man think that they are in control of the situation. John does not mention the prayer of agony, Matt 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46 We do not know why but John knew about it v11. Following the prayer, Jesus and the disciples cross the brook Kidron, the word ‘brook’ means a stream which flows in the winter only. They are heading for a garden on the eastern side, Gethsemane. v2 It appears that Jesus and the disciples had often come to this place so Judas knew where to find Him. Luke 21:37. v3 Judas is given a ‘band’ (speira Greek) which means a Roman cohort, normally 600 men, but may not have been at full strength. They probably came from Castle Antonia Acts 21:31ff. The ‘officers’ were the temple police who worked for the Jewish rulers Acts 5:20-27. v4-9 (See also Matt 26:46-54) Nothing takes our Lord by surprise, "knowing all things," Jesus makes the first move, it was Him who now approaches Judas and the soldiers. The question "Whom seek ye?" puts the temple officers on the defensive, they are forced to admit to what they are there for, "Jesus of Nazareth." They obviously had not recognized Him so were taken aback when He admitted to them that He was the one they were hunting for. A normal person realizing they were being hunted for would probably try to hide their identity. "I am He." This is more than identification as in John 9:9 or it can suggest the majestic title used of God, "I AM;" John 8:58. v8,9 As the officials only asked for Jesus personally then He could insist that the disciples were not arrested as well, so fulfilling the previous prayer request John 17:12; or His prophecy John 6:39. v10,11 Considering Peter’s promise of loyalty in John 13:37 Peter’s reaction to the events is not unexpected. Why did Peter have a sword? The sword was a sign of the future stress and problems Luke 22:36-38; Mark 14:47,48 but it was not required at this point in time, so Jesus tells Peter to put it away, Jesus was here to be arrested and tried. John gives us the name of the injured man as Malchus a slave of the high priest, Jesus heals the ear. Luke 22:50,51. v12-14 The Arrest The soldiers and the Jewish officers tie Jesus up and take him to the High Priest. At the time Caiaphas was the High Priest, Annas had been the previous High Priest and had several sons who were also to be high priests later. Luke 3:2; Acts 4:6. v15-27 Jesus on Trial. v15,16 still trying to honour his promise Peter follows to the High Priest house, the other disciple is probably John and seems to have the right to enter the building. v17 The woman who was at the door must have realized that Peter was connected to Jesus if she knew John, but Peter denies it. v18 Peter finds himself by the fire with the servants, but John interrupts his story to report what was happening to Jesus. v19,20 It must have been Annas who was asking the questions as the Sanhedrin had not yet been called, Annas was trying to get information for the future trial. Jesus had taught in the open, the priests had heard all He had said, nothing could be taken as plotting against the authorities. v21 "Why ask me," was Annas doing something illegal by trying to get Jesus to admit to plotting by His own testimony. v22,23 The officer strikes Jesus, apparently thinking Jesus had no respect for the High Priest. But Jesus points out the injustice of their actions, they had no defense and had to now send Jesus to Caiaphas. v25-27 See also Luke 22:55-60; Matt 26:69-75The story now returns to Peter where we find that he is again being challenged, even being recognized as the one who had cut off the ear the High Priests servant, Peter continues to deny that he knew Jesus, even swearing at the questioner. It is at this point the cock crows and Peter remembers the prediction (prophecy) of Jesus John 13:38 and departs a broken man. Before Caiaphas and Pilate. We are not given any real information on what happened in the house of Caiaphas apart from Matt 27:1; Luke 22:63-71 John appears to assumed that the readers would have known of the Jewish leadership’s method of deliberation. From the house of Caiaphas they took Jesus to Pilate, the Jew’s did not have the power to punish with death under the Roman occupation v31 so they needed to persuade Pilate to issue the necessary judgement. v28 "The Hall of Judgement" the headquarters of the Roman governor, to a Jew this was a pagan’s house and would have stopped them being ‘ceremonial clean’ this close to the Passover. They were more concerned with ritual cleanness than justice. v29-31 So Pilate has to go out to the Jewish leaders. It appears that the Sanhedrin had not prepared any legal proof of the accusation against Jesus, they had expected Pilate to accept their word. Pilate was satisfied that the very simple charge that they had brought against Jesus was not one he needed to get involved in, "Take him and judge him according to your law." The Jews wanted Pilate to carry out the judgement and kill Jesus, the removal of the death penalty reminded the Jews that they were very much subject to the Roman law. v32 Jesus had prophesied that He would be crucified Matt 20:18,19, the Jewish method of punishment was by stoning, so He had to be punished under Roman law. v33-38 Pilate takes the matter into his own hands, getting involved with the judgement. He returns to Jesus who had obviously been taken into the Judgement hall. From Pilate’s questioning the Sanhedrin must have charged Jesus with claiming to be the ‘King of the Jews.’ A claim which was different to what they found Him guilty of earlier. Luke 22:70-71, a charge of blasphemy, claiming to be God. v33 "Are you a king then?," Pilate has a problem, if Jesus is a king of another kingdom it could have political problems for him, if Jesus claimed to be King of the Jews then there already was a ‘king of the Jews,’ King Herod, appointed by Rome. v34,35 Before Jesus could answer this question he needed to know if the question was really from Pilate himself or was he asking it for the high priest, the Sanhedrin, or had he already had talks with them about the arrest of Jesus. Pilate was careful not to admit as to whether he had had anything to do with the earlier arrest by the Jews, putting the responsibility upon the Jews. The reply of Jesus is that His kingdom is not from this world, not of human origin, He is not of this Satanic world system, which is based upon pride, personal desires and war. If His kingdom had been of this world then His servants would be fighting. Jesus was showing the difference from His real kingdom, there was no danger to the Roman empire. Pilate was puzzled, here was a man who claimed to be a king but had not appearance of a king, yet the prisoners tells him that those who know the truth will recognize Him as a King. Pilate can see no danger in this man, so ends the interview with the remark "What is truth?" v38 Having found that there was no danger for Rome he tells the Jews that their charge is wrong, "I find in him no fault at all." However, Pilate has realized that the Jews were out for the blood of this man and thought he had a way of getting round the situation. It was a custom that at Passover the Roman Governor would release a prisoner. Pilate thought that Jesus was very popular with the people so he offers a very nasty robber, Barabbas or Jesus. The people rejected the Son of God instead wanted evil. Acts 3:14; Luke 23:17-19; Mark 15:12-14. |
Easy English Translation
| Back to previous page | Return to Home Page |
| The Gospel According to St. John |
