John 18:1-40

(John 18:1-14)

When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples. Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none. Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year. Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

 

In chapter 17, Jesus prayed for the disciples and the spirits that need to be saved in the future. After praying, Jesus crossed the Kidron Creek located east of Jerusalem. The garden that Jesus went to with his disciples was the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus and his disciples often went to pray. The guards of the temple and the servants of the high priests and Pharisees came there, led by Judas Iscariot, a disciple of Jesus.

When a group of soldiers came to find him, it was the beginning of a series of processes for crucifixion. Then, Jesus knew that humiliation, insults, trial, and death awaited them. “Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen, went out and said to him, “Who are you looking for?” They said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” And he said, “I am he.”Jesus, who was with his disciples, saw the soldiers coming to arrest him, and then went forward and was the first to face him.

Jesus came forward, revealed who he was, and faced danger head on, saying to the soldiers: 『Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way.』

Even though Jesus Himself went down the path of his death, his disciples protected him to the end. He has the heart of the Lord to protect his disciples even if he is arrested. Although the disciples were all scattered after Jesus was arrested and died on the cross, they were able to start a new life as disciples once again through the resurrected Jesus, who protected them to the end.

 

(John 18:15-27)

And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself. The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not. One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.

 

After praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was taken to the high priest's house by the Roman army, Pharisees, and the high priest. The Gospel of John illuminates the description of four characters. The first is Simon Peter. Jesus wanted Simon to be accompanied by rock-like faith and actions, so Jesus gave him a new name, Ceba Peter. Just a few hours earlier, during the Last Supper, Peter prophesied that he would deny the Lord three times. But as if rejecting this prophecy, Peter struck the ear of Malchus, the servant of the high priest, who came to arrest the Lord from Gethsemane. And he followed Jesus from afar into the house of the high priest.

In the tension, Simon Peter felt the cold, and, drawn by the warmth of the wood fire, sat down with the people. People recognize him, and they ask Peter if it is Jesus and his companions. Peter vehemently denied it. Luke records this in detail. In Luke 22:59-62, “And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilæan.

 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spike, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.”Luke reveals that Jesus was in the high priest's court, and at his third denial, a rooster crowed and Jesus and Peter's eyes met. The many stories that Peter experienced while following the Lord for three years, and all the events that warmed his heart, collapsed in an instant.

The second character is another disciple. During the public life of Jesus, there were 120 disciples, women, and various other disciples, so he is one of them. He asked the people who worked in the high priest's house to let him in, and he must have been close to the high priest and quite influential. However, he is anonymized in the text. He wanted to live as a disciple of Jesus, but he hid in darkness and anonymously.

The third person is a subordinate of the high priest. This man took great pride in having a high priest. And he believed that serving the high priest is serving God, and he devoted his life to it. Thinking that Jesus' answer to the high priest's question was disrespectful, he struck Jesus. Believing that he had devoted his life to God, he committed an ungodly act of touching Jesus, the Son of God. Because he didn't take seriously what it was to serve God, and he didn't listen to the truth. Because he defined what he believed as a religious system. He lost sight of Jesus because of visible religious institutions and traditions. There are many cases in which church members also cannot get out of the framework of the law.

The fourth figure is the people who warmed the fire. Those gathered in the courtyard of the high priest's house were directly or indirectly related to the Jewish religion. In the life of Jesus, many people gathered. People gathered in rejoicing in front of Jesus' miracle, and gathered when He healed the sick. But there was no one beside Jesus who was heading to the cross to save all mankind. When their desires were not met, they turned their backs on Jesus and abandoned him as a devoted mate.

Simon Peter. The other disciples, the high priest and his servants, and those who were warming the fire were all in the same time and space as Jesus. In the courtyard of the high priest's house, everyone rejected and indifferent to Jesus for their own reasons. Despite the pitiful appearance of those gathered in the courtyard of the high priest, Jesus Christ never stopped walking on the cross. Because he knew they needed the cross and resurrection. Today, each of us will experience various things in the garden. It's up to people to decide which way to go. Only those who realize that they have turned away from God, repent to God and enter the narrow way, the cross, will be saved by God.

 

(John 18:28-40)

Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.  Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man? They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.  Then said Pilate unto them, Take ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:  That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what death he should die.  Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?  Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?  Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?  Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.  Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.  But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?  Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber.

 

They are the driving force behind the death penalty on the innocent Jesus and driving him to the crucifixion. Then, at dawn, they took Jesus to the court where Brinake Pilate was. And they summoned people, and those who gathered quickly made Jesus sentenced to death. Then they went to Pilate and accused him of being a sinner to be killed. The situation was moving very urgently. According to the Law custom that contact with the Gentiles would be unclean and not eat the Passover Lamb, they did not enter the Gentile Pilate's court.

 

They were mean outside Pilate's courthouse, pushing only Christ Jesus into the courthouse, and inciting Jesus' death. Pilate found no sin in Jesus. So Pilate tried to find a compromise with them. According to the Passover liturgy, prisoners are often pardoned, but he suggested that Jesus be pardoned. Then they cried out, "They shouted again and said, "It is not this man, but Barabbas." And Barabbas was a robber. Jesus seemed to them less than a robber. Robbery was the customary term used by the Romans toward the Zealots. Barabbas means a member of the enthusiasm party.

 

In Mark 15:7, Barabbas is introduced as one of the people who plotted a civil revolt, murdered and arrested during the civil war, and introduced him as a famous (rumored) prisoner in Matthew 27:16. Barabbas, who most of the Jews know, led the civil war for Jewish independence. It was an outstanding independence army supported by the Jewish people. They did not choose Jesus Christ, the Son of God, for their pardon, but Barabbas. They drove Jesus Christ to death and saved Barabbas, who was about to die. It is the golden age of the Jews, the reconstruction of the Kingdom of David, that they wanted Barabbas, who led the civil war for Jewish independence. On the other hand, they thought of Jesus Christ as the Messiah, but they looked at them standing weak and their hearts turned into anger.

 

Jesus declares that this earth is not Jesus' kingdom. It reveals that this earth is the world of Satan. 『Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. 』 However, no one knew that the cross would judge Satan. Satan thought that if Jesus died, the world would become his kingdom forever, but God judges Satan by the death of Jesus. This is what God planned before the creation of the world. And it is the covenant made with Adam and Eve in Genesis 3:15.『And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. 』 Jesus said, “Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. 』Jesus is the One above all things, and all things are from Jesus.