John 18 - NIV Bible Study Commentary
The narrative picks up from 13:30 with the betrayal of Jesus by Judas (18:1 - 11). Jesus was taken both to Annas and to the high priest Caiaphas and questioned “about his disciples and his teaching.” During this time Peter denied Jesus three times (vv.12 - 27). John stresses that Jesus had predicted Peter’s denial in 13:38 (cf 18:9, 32). Everything was happening as it had been planned. God was at work in every detail.
Jesus was then taken before Pilate (18:28 - 19:16a). Here John stresses the time of Jesus’ death and correlates it with the Jewish Passover. John had introduced Jesus with the words of John the Baptist, “Look, the Lamb of God” (1:29); now he returns to that imagery in his account of Jesus’ death. Moreover, in Jesus’ reply to Pilate, the earthly ruler representing Rome, Jesus stressed the spiritual aspects of his kingdom: “My kingdom is not of this world… . [It] is from another place” (18:36). By now the readers of John’s gospel have a good understanding of what Jesus meant.
John is particularly concerned to show that Pilate only reluctantly had Jesus crucified. It was only at the Jews’ insistence that he finally agreed. Thus even at this point in the book, John still has the theme in mind with which he began: “his own did not receive him” (1:11). Jesus was the Servant of the Lord who was “despised and rejected” (Isa 53:3) by his own people.
John recounts the crucifixion of Jesus (19:16b - 37) in such a way that its fulfillment of OT prophecies is highlighted (e.g., vv.23 - 24). Particularly important to John is the identification of Jesus as the King of the Jews (vv.19 - 22). In the title given Jesus at his death, he was recognized as the Davidic King, the Messiah, and the Son of Man who received the kingdom (Da 7:9 - 14). More importantly, it was a Gentile official who called him “king of the Jews,” just as in Daniel the Gentile nations acknowledge the Son of Man as king of the Jews (Da 7:14, 27).
In keeping with John’s emphasis on the work that Jesus was sent into the world to do, the final words of Jesus before his death were simply, “It is finished” (19:30). Jesus had completed the work of the Father. The fact that the Roman guards did not break Jesus’ legs (vv.31, 33) but instead pierced his side (vv.34 - 35) shows that even in the smallest details, OT prophecies were fulfilled (cf. vv.36 - 37; v.24) and thus gave witness to Jesus as the Messiah (cf 20:31).
When Jesus was buried, two “secret” Jewish believers, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, openly acknowledged their faith in Jesus (19:38 - 42). This fact may suggest that many more such believers were to be found among even the leaders of the people (cf 12:42).
About this Study Bible
