John 18 - Holman KJV Study Bible

18:1-19:42 John's Passion Narrative appears in these chapters. The events include ­Jesus' betrayal by Judas (18:1-11), His informal hearing before Annas (18:12-14,19-24), Peter's denials (18:15-18,25-27), ­Jesus' Roman trial before Pilate (18:28–19:16a), and His crucifixion and burial (19:16b-42). Only John among all the Gospels featured ­Jesus' appearance before Annas, and His Roman trial is covered in more detail in John. On the other hand, John did not provide an account of ­Jesus' formal Jewish trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin.

18:1 The brook Cedron (Kidron) is mentioned frequently in the OT (2 Sam. 15:23; 1 Kings 2:37; 15:13; 2 Kings 23:4,6,12). The garden is called "Gethsemane" in the Synoptic Gospels (Matt. 26:36; Mark 14:32). Entered may suggest that it was a walled garden.

18:3 A band of soldiers was dispatched to prevent rioting. The officers from the chief priests and Pharisees were the primary arresting officers (see notes at 7:32 and 7:46). Lanterns and torches were needed to track down a suspect hiding in the dark garden. The presence of weapons shows that the arrest party anticipated resistance.

18:5 I am he connotes deity (see note at 6:35,48). This is shown by the soldiers' reaction in the following verse.

18:6 Falling to the ground was a common reaction to divine revelation (Ezek. 1:28; 44:4; Dan. 2:46; 8:18; 10:9; Acts 9:4; 22:7; 26:14; Rev. 1:17; 19:10; 22:8).

18:8-9 ­Jesus' statement summarized 17:12, which harks back to 6:39 and 10:28. ­Jesus is portrayed as the good shepherd who chose death to save His sheep (10:11,15,17-18,28).

18:10 Peter's sword was short and could be hidden under his robe (Luke 22:38). The name Malchus indicates a slave of Arabic origin.

18:11 To drink a cup means to accept God's plan for one's life, whether desirable (Ps. 116:13) or difficult (Jer. 25:15,28).

18:12 On officers, see note at verse 3. Bound is an expression associated with arrest or imprisonment (Acts 9:2,14,21).

18:13 Annas, apart from being father in law to Caiaphas the high priest, also had been high priest from a.d. 6–15. He continued to wield considerable influence.

18:14 On this description of Caiaphas, see notes at 11:49 and 11:50-51.

18:15-17 The other disciple was probably the one "­Jesus loved" (20:2; see note at 13:23). The damsel that kept the door was probably one of the high priest's slaves.

18:18 The Roman soldiers had returned to their barracks, entrusting the task of guarding ­Jesus to the officers (see note at v. 3). Another fire of coals was lit at Peter's restoration in 21:9.

18:19 High priest refers to Annas (see note at v. 13). Questioning ­Jesus about his disciples and his doctrine suggests that the primary concern was theological. Political charges were later added (19:7,12).

18:20 ­Jesus' words in secret have I said nothing echo God's words in the book of Isaiah (Isa. 45:19; 48:16). ­Jesus did not mean that He never spoke in private with His disciples but that His message was the same in private as in public; He was not leading a conspiracy. John recorded instances of ­Jesus teaching both in the synagogue (cp. 6:59) and in the temple (Gk hieroncp. ; 2:14-21; 7:14,28; 8:20; 10:23; see note at 2:14).

18:21 ­Jesus' response is understandable, especially if the questioning of prisoners was considered improper in His day. Note also the legal principle that a person's own testimony about himself was inadmissible (see note at 5:31).

18:22-23 This was probably one of the officers who helped arrest ­Jesus (v v. 3,12). The slapping was likely a sharp blow with the flat of one's hand (Isa. 50:6 LXX; cp. Matt. 26:67; Acts 23:1-5). The charge to respect the high priest may refer to Exod. 22:28 "Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people" (as quoted by Paul in Acts 23:5). In response, ­Jesus denied having violated that law.

18:24 Before ­Jesus could be brought to the Roman governor, charges had to be confirmed by the official high priest, Caiaphas, in his function as chairman of the Sanhedrin council (see note at 3:1).

18:27 On the crowing rooster, see 13:38.

18:28 The hall of judgment may refer to Herod's palace on the western wall of the temple or the Fortress of Antonia northwest of the temple grounds. Early probably means shortly after sunrise, when the Sanhedrin council met in formal session and pronounced its verdict (Matt. 27:1-2). The reference to Passover may mean the entire Feast of Unleavened Bread, which lasted seven days (cp. Luke 22:1 "Feast of Unleavened Bread . . . which is called the Passover"). Eat the passover probably means "celebrate the feast" (see 2 Chron. 30:21).

18:29 Pilate was appointed by Emperor Tiberius, and he served as governor of Judaea from a.d. 26 until 36/37. The famous "Pilate inscription," discovered in Caesarea in 1961, identified Pilate as prefect of Judaea.

18:31 Like Gallio after him (Acts 18:14-15), Pilate was not interested in judging internal Jewish disputes. The Sanhedrin council did not have the power of capital punishment.

18:32 Crucifixion horrified Jewish sensibilities. It was considered the same as hanging (Acts 5:30; 10:39), about which Mosaic law said, "he that is hanged is accursed of God" (Deut. 21:23; cp. Gal. 3:13). If ­Jesus had been put to death by the Sanhedrin council, He would have been stoned for blasphemy (Lev. 24:16; cp. John 10:33; Acts 7:57-58).

18:33 On the judgment hall, see note at verse 28. Pilate's question aimed at determining whether ­Jesus was a threat to Rome's imperial power.

18:36 ­Jesus' description of His kingdom echoes passages in Daniel (Dan. 2:44; 7:14,27; cp. John 6:15).

18:37 On bear witness and truth, see notes at 5:31-47 and 14:6.

18:38 Ironically, the man charged with determining truth in the matter glibly dismissed the relevance of truth in the presence of the One who is truth incarnate (see note at 14:6). Pilate's comment may reflect disillusionment, if not bitterness, and a pragmatic viewpoint. On he went out again unto the Jews, see verses 28-29. Pilate exonerated ­Jesus three times (cp. 19:4,6), but the Jews persuaded him to pursue prosecution (19:12-16).

18:39 The passover refers to the entire feast (see note at v. 28).

18:40 Barabbas means "son of the father" (Gk bar-abbas). Ironically, people wanted Barabbas released rather than the true Son of the Father—Jesus. This robber was an insurrectionist or domestic terrorist, perhaps engaged in Zealot-style political extremism (Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19).