Christ is arrested
18
📚When Jesus had spoken these words, he went away with his disciples over the Kidron valley. A garden was there, which he and his disciples entered.18:1 The Kidron is a valley between the city of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives to the east of the city. The “garden” was the garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:36). For other events which took place there see Matt 26:36-46.⚜
2 📚And Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often went there with his disciples. 3 📚Judas then, taking a group of men, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches and weapons.
18:3 Matt 26:47. The event described in Matt 26:48-49 happened either at this time or after Jesus’ words in v 8.⚜
4 📚Therefore Jesus, knowing everything that would come upon him 📖, went out and said to them, “For whom are you looking?”
5 📚They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth”. Jesus said to them, “I am”. 📖 And Judas, who betrayed him, also stood with them.
6 📚Then as soon as he said to them, “I am”, they drew back and fell to the ground.
18:5-6 He made no attempt to escape, but boldly confronted His enemies. He knew that His time had come (John 7:30; 17:1). And He was voluntarily laying down His life (John 10:17-18).⚜
7 📚Then he asked them again, “For whom are you looking?” 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 go their way”,
18:8 In the time of His great trial His thoughts were for His disciples (compare John 13:1).⚜
9 📖so that these words he spoke might be fulfilled: I have lost none of those whom you gave me.
10 📚Then Simon Peter drew the sword he had, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. 11 📚Then Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword in the scabbard. Shall I not drink the cup which my Father has given me?”
Christ before the priests
12 📚Then the group of men, the commander, and the Jewish officers seized Jesus, bound him, 13 📚and led him away first to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year.
14 📚Now Caiaphas was the one who counselled the Jews that it would be good for one man to die for the people.
Christ is denied by Peter
15 📚And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. That disciple was known to the high priest, and he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.
18:15 The Bible does not tell us who this other disciple was, but many Bible scholars believe he was John. See John 20:2-3, 4, 8.⚜
16 📚But Peter stood outside at the door. Then that other disciple, the one known to the high priest, went out, spoke to the girl on duty at the door, and brought Peter inside.
17 📚Then the girl on duty at the door said to Peter, “Aren’t you also one of this man’s disciples?” He said, “I am not”.
18 📚And the servants and officers stood there, having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves. And Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.
19 📚The high priest then asked Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching.
18:19 He was trying to find something with which to accuse Jesus. The high priest was not conducting this enquiry according to Jewish law. According to that law witnesses for the defense of the accused should have been called first, then witnesses for the prosecution.⚜
20 📚Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where the Jews always come, and I have said nothing in secret. 21 📚Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard me what I said to them. Look, they know what I said”.
18:20-21 Jesus meant that they should have proceeded according to the law and called witnesses. He had taught in public and many had heard Him. Even the things He said to His disciples privately were not secret things contrary to His public teaching.⚜
22 📚And when he said this, one of the officers who stood nearby slapped Jesus and said, “Do you answer the high priest like that?”
18:22 This too was illegal.⚜
23 📚Jesus answered him, “If I spoke wrongly, testify about what is wrong, but if I spoke rightly, why do you strike me?”
18:23 The Lord Jesus is saying again that they (who claimed to uphold the law) should conduct the investigation according to the law.⚜
24 📚Now Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
18:24 It is almost certain that Caiaphas was in another part of the same building. The building was the palace of the high priest (v 15).⚜
25 📚And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Then they said to him, “Aren’t you also one of his disciples?” He denied it, and said, “I am not”.
26 📚One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?”
27 📚Peter then denied it again, and immediately the rooster crowed.
Christ before Pilate
28 📚Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor, and it was early morning. They themselves did not go into the palace, to keep from being defiled, so that they could eat the Passover 📖.
29 📚Then Pilate went out to them, and said, “What accusation 📖 do you bring against this man?”
30 📚They answered and said to him, “If he were not an evildoer, we would not have handed him over to you”.
18:30 This was an unreasonable answer. See what these hypocrites called the Lord Jesus without the slightest evidence for it – “evildoer”.⚜
31 📚Then Pilate said to them, “You take him and judge him according to your Law”. Then the Jews said to him, “We are not allowed to put anyone to death”.
18:31 The Romans, who ruled the country, permitted the Jews to judge certain kinds of cases, but not to crucify offenders. And these Jews wanted Jesus to die on a cross, condemned by the Romans.⚜
32 📚So that the word of Jesus, which he spoke to indicate what death he would die, might be fulfilled. 33 📚Then Pilate went back into the palace, called Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
18:33 The Jews accused Jesus of trying to set Himself up as a king and of rebelling against the Roman rule in Judea (see Luke 23:1-2). So this question.⚜
34 📖Jesus answered him, “Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you about me?”
35 📚Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own people and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?”
18:35 Pilate is saying he knows nothing except what the Jews have said to him. He does not want to accept their accusations without evidence and so questions Jesus.⚜
36 📚Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, so that I would not be delivered up to the Jews. But now my kingdom 📖 is not from here 📖”.
37 📚So Pilate said to him, “Are you a king, then?” Jesus answered, “You rightly say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world, that I might testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth pays attention to my voice”.
18:37 As the King in God’s spiritual kingdom Jesus sends forth the truth, not armies. He wants to conquer men’s hearts and minds with spiritual power, not their lands with physical force. Everywhere in this Gospel there is this emphasis on truth (John 1:14, 18; 3:21; 4:24; 8:32; 14:6, 17; 16:13; 17:17). See what the Lord says here – everyone who wants the truth, loves the truth, and practices the truth, will listen to Christ and do what He says. Everyone. The opposite is, of course, true – they who do not want the truth will not listen to Him. Compare John 8:47; 2 Thess 2:10.⚜
38 📚Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went back out to the Jews and said to them, “I find no fault at all in him.
18:38 Pilate did not wait for an answer. And there is no reason to think that he wanted an answer, or cared about the truth. That is the real tragedy of Pilate (and of many today also). Pilate knew very well there was no evidence that Jesus had committed any crime (John 19:4, 6; Matt 27:18, 23; Luke 23:4, 13, 14).⚜
39 📚But you have a custom that I should release to you one prisoner at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”
40 📚Then they all cried out again, saying, “Not this man, but Barabbas”. Now Barabbas was a robber.