John 18 - NIV Foundation Study Bible

18:1 Kidron Valley. This was a ravine that was between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives.

18:3 soldiers. These were members of the temple police under the command of the Jewish council, the Sanhedrin.

18:13 Annas. Annas was high priest from a.d. 7 to 14. He was deposed by the Romans. Then Caiaphas, Annas’ son-in-law, was appointed to the position and served from a.d. 18 to 37. However, according to Jewish law the high priest was a lifetime position, so the Jews still considered Annas to be high priest. Therefore, they took Jesus to Annas first.

18:15 another disciple. Although this other disciple is never identified, the consensus is that he was John, the author of this Gospel.

18:21 Ask those who heard me. According to the law, the witnesses for the defense had to be called first. Jesus should not have been questioned until witnesses had testified.

18:27 Again Peter denied it. For the third time, Peter denied the Lord, as Jesus had said he would (13:38). In the upper room, Peter had boasted that he would remain true to the Lord to the end (13:37; Matt. 26:33, 35). In the garden he surrendered to the desires of his body by sleeping three times when the Lord had commanded the disciples to stay up in prayer (Mark 14:34–42). Now he submitted to the pressure of the world and denied the Lord three times.

18:28 the palace. This was probably the Roman governor’s official residence, the Fortress Antonia near the temple.

18:29–30 What charges. Pilate was not ignorant of the accusation. He was merely requesting that it be formally stated.

18:31 we have no right to execute anyone. The Romans did not allow the Jews to impose capital punishment. These Jewish leaders had no interest in a just trial; they simply wanted permission from Rome to have Jesus executed.

18:34 Is that your own idea. In reply to Pilate, Jesus gave no violent protest of innocence, nor was He sullenly defiant. Jesus politely but directly asked whether Pilate was asking on his own initiative or whether the charge was secondhand. If Pilate’s question originated with him, he was using king in the Roman sense of political ruler. If not, then king was being used in the Jewish sense of the messianic king.

18:38 What is truth? This question has been interpreted as (1) a cynical denial of the possibility of knowing truth; (2) a contemptuous jest at anything so impractical as abstract truth; and (3) a desire to know what no one had been able to tell him. no basis. This is a legal term meaning that there were no grounds for a criminal charge.

18:39 it is your custom. It appears that some in the crowd suggested that a prisoner should be released in honor of the Passover (Mark 15:8, 11). Pilate jumped at the possible compromise. By promising to release Jesus on account of the custom rather than by proclaiming Him innocent, Pilate would avoid insulting the Jewish leaders, who had already pronounced Him guilty.