John 18 - Preacher's Commentary

The Hour

John 18:1–19:42

18:1-11

The Arrest

We come now to the tragedy and joy of Jesus’ hour of glory—an hour from which He does not shrink back in fear. But He moves into these events with a calm courage, even anticipation, like a runner eager for a race. This is why He has come. Jesus is the central actor, the prime mover, throughout His arrest, His trials, and His Crucifixion, not Judas or Annas or Caiaphas or Pilate, although their judgments and actions may seem to precipitate what takes place.

It is Jesus who “went out” with His disciples where there was a garden, and who “went forward” to meet His enemies when they came, and who asked that they let His disciples “go their way” and not arrest them. And through the interrogation Jesus is really the One who is judging those trying to put Him on trial.

There are suggestive meanings throughout the account of Jesus’ arrest. When Jesus “went out with His disciples” and crossed the Brook Kidron, He could not help being aware that the stream was dyed red with the blood of the thousands of lambs being sacrificed in the temple for the Passover. A channel carried the waste blood into the Brook.¹ And it was to a garden He came. This would be not only the scene of His arrest, but of His Crucifixion nearby and His Resurrection. It was in a garden that man first lost his way in disobedience, and now it is in a garden that man is given the possibility of being restored to God’s paradise.

Now Judas comes to this place, knowing how frequently Jesus came here, leading a “detachment of troops,” which could be as many as six hundred soldiers, as well as officers from the Sanhedrin. Here the Roman “state” and the Jewish “church” are joined in their evil plans. Imagine such a large force coming to arrest this one lone Man with His handful of nervous disciples. There must have been fear that Jesus would pull off some kind of surprise resistance. How ironic that they should come with lanterns and torches to seek the One who is the “Light of the world.” When Judas had last left Jesus, he had gone out and “it was night.” How could any artificial light guide them in their spiritual darkness?

When Jesus steps forward to meet His captors, asking them who they are looking for, and they answer, “Jesus of Nazareth,” He identifies Himself simply and directly, “I am He” (v. 5). No wonder His enemies fall to the ground, more before the awesome majesty of who He is than in amazement that He has come to them.

Then Jesus intervenes for His disciples, these weak, frightened men who will be scattered, fulfilling His own prayer, “Those whom You gave Me I have kept” (17:12). One thinks of all those dangerous, dark places in the world, those prison cells and torture chambers in Uganda, Romania, Uruguay, North Korea and elsewhere, where Jesus silently pleads for His own that they may be kept in the Father’s house.

It is Peter again who impetuously tries to take things in his own hands by reaching for the sword. He apparently swung wildly trying to split open a man’s skull and in the darkness missed, cutting off Malchus’ ear. In the face of so many armed men this was a foolhardy act of courage. And as Jesus has Peter put his weapon away He reminds him that He alone must drink the cup of suffering and death which the Father has given Him (v. 11). He is the Shepherd that must be slain for all the sheep. And Peter cannot shield Him from that.

18:12-14

The Trials: Jesus Before Annas

Now Jesus is brought to Annas, a wily, powerful, ecclesiastical politician, who had been high priest from A.D. 6 to 15. He must have been a king maker, because five of his sons had been high priests over the years and his son-in-law, Caiaphas, held the post at this time. Many questions have been raised by the scholars about Jesus being brought to Annas first for what apparently was an informal initial interrogation. Barclay has made the interesting observation that if Annas had a vested interest in the “temple business” and Jesus had cleansed the temple of the money changers earlier, which could have hurt Annas’ business, then surely he would have wanted to get Jesus alone where he could deal with Him on his terms.²

18:15-18

The Trial of Peter

In the meantime Peter has followed Jesus with “another disciple” (v. 15). The intimate details which tell us how Peter got into the courtyard from the “outside” indicate that John was present here, but he did not mention his name. His father Zebedee apparently had a prosperous fishing business and his status may well have opened contacts within the high priest’s official family. So a name is mentioned or an old favor is spoken of and Peter is allowed to come in. The servant at the door, a girl, asks Peter, who a few minutes before has been swinging a sword, if he is not one of the Man’s disciples also. She phrases her question in such a way that a negative answer will be quite natural (v. 17). The evil one will tempt us through innocent-appearing means, very often unexpectedly, making it easy to yield. Peter’s response, “I am not,” is a contrast to Jesus’ identification of Himself, “I am.” How often we answer the “yes” of God with our “no.” Peter’s only comfort after his denial is that he can stay by a human fire.

18:19-24

Jesus Questioned

Annas, who is here referred to as the “high priest” because of his control of the office, now asks Jesus about His disciples and His teachings. This is the only question the Jewish establishment puts to Jesus during the trials in this Gospel. He must be wondering if Jesus has been fomenting revolution. If this is meant to be a trial, then what Annas is doing is illegal. Jewish law provided strict safeguards for the accused; they could not be asked questions that would incriminate them, and the case had to be established by witnesses which the accuser must bring forth, none of which Annas has done.

In response Jesus declares that none of His teaching has been secret or hidden: “I spoke openly … I always taught in the synagogues … in secret I have said nothing” (v. 20). We sense Jesus’ strong authority coming through in His answer. Those who heard Him could testify that He shared the truth openly. In this bold challenge to the high priest Jesus is completely within His rights.

Some officer, perhaps an ordinary guard, strikes Jesus with his hand, another illegal act, like a bully trying to please his master.

Now Annas sends Jesus back to Caiaphas, who may have had quarters in the same building or nearby. In John’s record, the official role of the Jewish leaders in the interrogation of Jesus is minimized. And they never pass official judgment on Him. We are not certain, according to this Gospel, that there was even an attempt to call the Sanhedrin together to make any kind of decision. Yet by making the case against Jesus political, by insisting that He is a dangerous challenge to Roman authority, the Jewish leaders force Pilate to pass judgment eventually.

18:25-27

Peter and the Rooster Crow

The drama again moves to Peter, who continues to warm himself by the fire in the courtyard. Now two more chances are given him to confess he is one of Jesus’ disciples. Perhaps the people around the fire are wondering how things are going with the Galilean, and one of them turns and asks Peter if he is one of His disciples. Again he answers, “I am not!” Then after a relative of Malchus asks if he had not seen him in the garden and Peter denied again, immediately there was the “rooster crow.” Some scholars have made the point that this may have been the bugle call that ended the third watch of the night. This would mean Peter’s denials came to an end about 3:00 A.M. This has been Peter’s trial, the first opportunity in alien territory since those tender moments with Jesus during His teaching and His prayer to confess His Name. But he has been judged and found wanting. He chose the warmth of the fire over the cost of the witness. How much like him we so often are.

18:28-40

(See notes in next chapter.)