John 18 - CSB Disciple’s Study Bible

18:5 JESUS CHRIST, I Am—See note on 14:6.

18:11 ELECTION, Sovereignty—Peter attempted to protect Jesus from the bitter cup of suffering. Jesus’s suffering was not irrational or unexplained suffering. Jesus’s suffering, by God’s own decree, was redemptive and saving in nature. God chose the way of suffering, not that of the sword, to establish the kingdom for his elect.

18:15-18,25-27 SIN, Responsibility—See note on Mt 26:69-75.

18:31-32 JESUS CHRIST, Death—The Jews had the power of death by stoning in matters of religious transgression (Ac 7:54-60). It was to their advantage to have Jesus crucified as a political offender thus nullifying his messianic following, or so they supposed. John knew the crucifixion was an outcome of Jesus’s own prophecy as to what type of death he would die.

18:32 REVELATION, Jesus Christ—Jesus revealed his own death. As all inspired predictions, his were fulfilled by God. See v. 9.

18:33-37 JESUS CHRIST, King—See note on Mt 27:11. Jesus had his own definition of kingship. He did not threaten the Roman government. He threatened the religious rulers. His was not a physical kingdom based on war and violence. His is a spiritual kingdom establishing the truth in the world. Being part of his kingdom is knowing God, who is truth, and whom we know as we know Jesus. Pilate and the Jewish leaders rejected the truth and thus sealed themselves out of God’s kingdom.

18:37 SALVATION, Acceptance—See 3:33; Lk 10:16. Acceptance of Christ means listening to him and obeying him.