The Love of Christ: His Arrest
John 18:1-27
I. Jesus endured betrayal for you; 18:1-11.
1 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. 4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you want?" 5 "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I am he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, "Who is it you want?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." 8 "I told you that I am he," Jesus answered. "If you are looking for me, then let these men go." 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: "I have not lost one of those you gave me." 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) 11 Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?"
Once Jesus completes His farewell teaching and prayer, He leads His disciples out of the city. East of Jerusalem's walled city is a steep valley called the Kidron. Here they find a garden named by the other Gospels Gethsemane. Judas, who had left the group earlier, knows the location as well and therefore can lead the arresting group to this location. They came carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons.
But Jesus is not taken by surprise. He has already made the decision to lay down His life. Therefore, Jesus steps forward and asks the first question, "Who is it you want?" The answer is "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus uses "I am", which recalls God’s divine name. Jesus' words provoke a response that even those who hear it likely do not understand. This is the biblical response of holy fear before the Lord.
Peter draws out his sword and strikes the high priest's slave, Malchus. There is a sense in which Peter's action is almost ridiculous. He is like humans who blunder through life without taking time for reality checks. What could Peter's sword do against the force of a Roman detachment?
Well-meaning Christians often think that everything depends on them and their own actions. Jesus had already shown that He could control the arresting band if He wanted to do so. Yet that was not what the Father chose for the Son's mission on earth. Doing God's work in God's way is absolutely crucial. Jesus, by contrast, understands that this is God's will and so will not hesitate to embrace it. Jesus willingly endures betrayal and arrest for you.
II. Jesus endured false accusations and denial for you; 18:12-27.
12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first 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 would be good if one man died for the people. 15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest's courtyard, 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the girl on duty there and brought Peter in. 17 "You are not one of his disciples, are you?" the girl at the door asked Peter. He replied, "I am not." 18 It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself. 19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 "I have spoken openly to the world," Jesus replied. "I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said." 22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. "Is this the way you answer the high priest?" he demanded. 23 "If I said something wrong," Jesus replied, "testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?" 24 Then Annas sent him, still bound, to Caiaphas the high priest. 25 As Simon Peter stood warming himself, he was asked, "You are not one of his disciples, are you?" He denied it, saying, "I am not." 26 One of the high priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, "Didn't I see you with him in the olive grove?" 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.
Jesus' rejection of resistance leads immediately to His arrest. Jesus is then taken to Annas, where He is interrogated and simultaneously Peter is questioned in the courtyard. The literary interlocking of these parallel stories invites us to contrast them.
Under full armed arrest, Jesus is brought to meet Annas, Caiaphas's father-in-law. From the Kidron Valley they walk west across the city, climbing its western hill where archaeologists have recently discovered the wealthy upper city of Jerusalem, where Annas likely resided.
It might have been thought that Jesus would have been brought before Caiaphas, since he was the ruling high priest. But Annas had been high priest and may well have been thought by many to still be the only legitimate high priest. Judaism understood that appointment to this position was permanent, so that when Rome removed such men, the continued use of this title became a courtesy. In John's mind the thing that marked out Caiaphas was his unconscious prophecy that Jesus would die for the people. So here he distinguishes Him by referring back to this prophecy.
Peter followed Jesus. Another disciple is now introduced, but not named. He is simply described as known to the high priest. It has often been suggested that he was John, the beloved disciple. Peter stood outside at the door, but the unknown had sufficient influence to secure his admission.
The doorkeeper asked Peter if he was one of Jesus' disciples. All four Gospels agree that this first challenge came from a slave girl. Peter responds, “I am not." The slaves and officers of the high priests had made a fire in the courtyard. They were standing around it and Peter joined them.
John now shifts the scene to what is transpiring inside. In a formal Jewish trial, the judge never asked direct questions of the accused but rather called forth witnesses whose words determined the outcome. If two or more agreed with the charges the verdict was sealed. If it were a genuine trial, Caiaphas would be presiding, but he is not present.
Annas probes two things: Jesus' teachings and His disciples. Jesus' sharp answer—pointing out that Annas should be talking to witnesses--unmasks the priest's attempt to make Jesus incriminate Himself. Twice Jesus demands that Annas produce witnesses and evidence; in other words, Jesus is demanding a trial. When Jesus affirms that He has taught openly and many can verify His work, He may sense that Annas is maneuvering to accuse Him of being a false prophet.
Jesus has thus reminded Annas of judicial procedure, which the guards interpret as insolence. Thus, one of them strikes Him. Note that Jesus here simply points to the truth. He speaks directly to the soldier. There are no witnesses accusing Him. He has not been subversive. No evidence says He has led people astray. Nothing He has said can be construed as incriminating. Annas is at an impasse. His probing has been unsuccessful. Therefore, Jesus is sent on to the reigning high priest, Caiaphas. If Jesus is going to be prosecuted, if His case is carried successfully to Pilate, it will be necessary to have the explicit support of the Sanhedrin, Jerusalem's high judicial council.
While Jesus is with Caiaphas, John reports Peter’s ongoing failings. Soldiers and servants stand around the fire and try to identify Peter. "You are not one of His disciples, are you?" Peter utters his denial a second time. Then a relative of Malchus, the man whom Peter attacked, speaks up. "Didn't I see you with Him in the olive grove?" When Peter denies Jesus the third time, a cock crows, recalling Jesus' prediction of Peter's great failure. Jesus stands up to His questioners and denies nothing, while Peter cowers before his questioners and denies everything.
This is a story about collusion, about secret agreements with some deceptive purpose, about conniving and conspiring. This is a story about the betrayal, how Judaism's high priests abandoned all pretense of devotion to God and decided instead to conspire with the military arm of Rome. Jesus endured it all for you!
