THE ARREST OF JESUS.
John 18:1-14.
After the Passover meal, the institution of the Lord’s Supper, the Upper Room discourse, and Jesus’ great high priestly prayer, Jesus led His disciples over the brook Kidron to the garden of Gethsemane (John 18:1). Judas, possessed by Satan (cf. John 13:2; John 13:27), had already disappeared into the night (cf. John 13:30). Judas knew where Jesus would be, and turned up with a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, who came bearing lanterns, torches, and weapons (John 18:2-3).
Jesus remained in control of the situation. Nobody had been able to lay a finger upon Him prior to this, but now He knew His hour was come (cf. John 13:1a). Before anyone touched him, He stepped forward. “Whom do you seek?” He asked (John 18:4).
Back in the Garden of Eden, it was God who was doing the seeking. There, the guilty man Adam had hidden himself. Here in the Garden of Gethsemane, men were doing the seeking, and the innocent man Jesus willingly stepped forward for man’s salvation.
“Jesus of Nazareth,” they answered. “I am,” replied Jesus. Such was His power over them that they immediately went backward and fell to the ground. “Whom do you seek?” asked Jesus again. And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I have told you that I am” (John 18:5-8a).
Jesus’ love for His disciples (cf. John 13:1b) now came to the fore: “if therefore you seek me, let these go their way” (John 18:8b). Jesus’ high priestly prayer was already being fulfilled (John 18:9; cf. John 17:12). John had already noted that Judas “stood” with those sent to arrest Jesus, aligning himself with them (John 18:5b).
Simon Peter, impetuous as ever, drew his sword, and smote off the ear of the high priest’s servant. John knew this man by name. Jesus rebuked Peter, adding, “the cup which my Father has given me, shall I not drink it?” (John 18:10-11).
Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane had demonstrated His willingness to drink the cup of His sufferings down to the very dregs: ‘not my will, but yours be done’ (cf. Luke 22:42). ‘What shall I say?’ Jesus had asked earlier; ‘Father save me from this hour? but for this cause came I unto this hour (cf. John 12:27). And thus, He would ‘endure the cross, despising the shame’ (cf. Hebrews 12:2).
We see something of the meekness of Jesus in that He who had done no wrong (cf. Luke 23:41) surrendered to them and allowed Himself to be bound (John 18:12). He could have called upon His Father, and He would have sent forth twelve legions of angels to defend Him (cf. Matthew 26:53). Instead, He submitted to the limited power of His foes, and was led away to Annas first (John 18:13), and then to Caiaphas (cf. John 18:24).
“Now Caiaphas was he who gave council to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people” (John 18:14; cf. John 11:49-50). Thus far the purposes of God, and the plans of men, coincided (cf. John 11:51-53) .
