John 18:1-12
Jesus’ Arrest
Since John 13, we have been studying what is commonly referred to as
the Upper Room Discourses. In that section, John gave us in great
detail the teachings—even the praying—of Jesus. It is like in a
movie when time slows down. They do that for effect and for detail.
Well, John slows time down. What was his desired effect? I think he
wanted us to feel what Jesus, and to a lesser degree, the disciples
went through. But he also wanted to give us the details of Jesus’
teaching. He wanted us to hear what was on Jesus’ heart just before
His passion began—something that John the Apostle never forgot and
never wanted to be forgotten.
After the prayer of John 17, the slow motion ends and John will do
what the other gospel writers did. He will give us summary details of
the cross. John’s emphasis—more than any other gospel writer—has been
on the messages of Jesus, His preaching and teaching. There will be
little of that in what is about to take place. Yet, John certainly
does not skip the crucifixion for who could write about Jesus and do
that? In fact, John will give us some details surrounding this even
not found in any other gospel.
Notice some of the details in Jesus’ arrest.
I. \\#1\\ Notice the Location
Jesus and the disciples are on the Mount of Olives. Jerusalem both
had and has a wall around it with gates through which one must walk
if they are to leave the city. If you visit Israel, you can walk
though many of these gates. These would not be the same as those
standing in Jesus’ day for the walls of that city have been torn down
since then but it is believed that the existing walls and gates stand
on the same sites.
Today, you can follow the trail from a room built on the place where
the upper room was believed to have stood, then leaving the room you
can follow a street that will go through the gates, and finally take
a path across the small creek Kidron which will take you to a garden
at the base of the Mount of Olives. That garden has olive trees
standing in it that date back to the days of Jesus Christ, and there
you can kneel and pray, either in the place Jesus was praying or a
place reasonably close to it.
II. \\#2-3\\ Notice Judas
I believe Judas left the upper room toward the beginning of their
dinner together. Jesus exposed him and so he fled back to his new
masters the chief priests. Their plan was to have Judas act as a
sleeper and spy until after the Passover, but being exposed on the
Wednesday before Passover caused them to act quicker than they had
planned. It may have taken them time to gather together and to
decide what to do, but they obviously decide to arrest Jesus in the
quietness of the night and have him crucified before the city knows
what is happening the next morning. Judas knew the places that Jesus
was likely to visit and so he brings the soldiers to this place on
the Mount of Olives.
III. \\#4-6\\ Notice Two Divine Attributes of Jesus
A. \\#4\\ Omniscience - "Jesus therefore, knowing all things"
1. That detail was specifically given to tell us that nothing
was catching Jesus off guard.
2. Some act like God was winging the cross and the
crucifixion of Christ. Nothing could be further from the
truth.
3. Jesus displayed His knowledge of what was happening by
His:
(a) Prophecies
(1) He knew who would arrest Him.
(2) He knew when they would arrest Him.
(3) He knew what would happen to the disciples and
especially to Peter.
(4) He knew what would be done to Him.
(5) He knew how long He would be in the grave.
(6) He knew when He would arise.
(7) He knew that afterward, the disciples would
be with Him.
(b) Exposing Judas
(c) Praying
Luke 22:41 And he was withdrawn from them about
a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove
this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but
thine, be done.
43 And there appeared an angel unto him from
heaven, strengthening him.
4. If Jesus had wanted to escape, He certainly could have. He
knew it was coming.
5. Jesus chose to go the cross, knowing full well what would
happen.
John 18:11 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?
B. \\#5-6\\ Omnipotence - "they went backward, and fell to the
ground"
1. This is a display of Jesus’ identity and power.
2. We see Jesus’ identity in what He said.
a. \\#4\\ Jesus asked who it was that they were seeking.
b. They answer in \\#5\\, Jesus of Nazareth.
c. \\#6\\ AS SOON AS JESUS ANSWERED, "I AM."
they fell backwards.
d. Our King James Bible says that Jesus spoke, "I am HE"
but the "HE" is italicized, meaning it is not in the
original language but was added for our
understanding.
e. What Jesus actually said was, "I am"!
f. Remember what Moses was told when He asked God’s in
the burning bush what His name was?
Ex 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT
I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto
the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me
unto you.
John 8:57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou
art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou
seen Abraham?
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I
say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
59 Then took they up stones to cast at him:
but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the
temple, going through the midst of them, and
so passed by.
g. Why did the Jews take up stones to stone Jesus when He
said that? Because He had just used a play on words
to identify Himself as Jehovah!
h. Jesus did it again right here!
3. \\#6\\ We see Jesus’ power in what He did.
a. In more contemporary language, When Jesus spoke His
names, His words knocked them on their cans.
b. This was to show that these soldiers could have never
taken Jesus had He not allowed them to do so.
c. The word "went" used here is interesting.
(1) We would think that it implies to be knocked away
or perhaps pushed back, but it doesn’t.
(2) That doesn’t mean that is not what happened, but it
is not the best word to use to describe it if it
did.
(3) The word means "go," as if the guards were not
being forced or even dragged backwards but
simply walked backwards until they fell.
(4) Perhaps the reason John chose that word was to
give us the impression that Jesus was not
resisting these men.
(a) They were not being hurled across a field
or any thing like that.
(b) When they heard Jesus’ voice, they staggered
backward a few steps and fell.
(c) Jesus could have hurled them across a field,
even into outer space, but He was not His
role at that time.
(d) This was another demonstration of Jesus
power under control, His meekness.
(e) But it did show that Jesus went with the
guards. They did not TAKE Him anywhere.
C. By the way, to have divine attributes means Jesus is Divine!
IV. \\#8\\ Look at Jesus’ Care For the Disciples
A. Last week, I mentioned that Jesus would not be doing the
"work" from the prayer onward.
1. By "work" I mean that Jesus will not be in control, rather
evil men and the Father will be.
2. Here is a case in point. In Jesus’ prayer, He had said.
John 17:12 …kept them in thy name: those that
thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is
lost….
3. Jesus made the request but the Father had to be the One to
protect the disciples.
B. Let’s think about this for a moment.
1. Jesus was "concerned" for the disciples.
a. "Concerned" is not really the right word. Jesus is
God, knows everything, and so does not have to be
"concerned" about anything!
b. But it seems obvious that Jesus did not want
the disciples to be arrested or to die.
c. I think God’s heart is compassionate to anyone who is
battling death, whether it is they who are dying or
a loved ones.
2. However, we are all going to die. It is inevitable.
a. So when it comes time to die, has God lost His
concern for us?
b. Is that why we die then?
3. No. It is not really death that Jesus was concerned
about.
a. We are going to die.
b. What Jesus wanted was for the disciples to die at the
RIGHT TIME, after they had run their race.
C. Christian friend, death comes to us all and we need to accept
the fact that while there is sorrow for those left behind, it
is not a SAD day for the Christian.
1. We leave this place and go to be with Jesus.
a. We do believe that Jesus died and rose again!
b. We do believe that death is nothing but a door to
eternity.
c. We do believe that we are going to live with Jesus in
heaven for all eternity.
2. I understand the sorrow of losing someone. I also
understand that the circumstances in which a loved one
dies can make their death even harder. I understand that
we miss them and that can produce a continual sorrow.
3. But the only thing that is really sad about a Christians’
death is for him to die without having run his/her race!
2Tim 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have
finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me
only, but unto all them also that love his
appearing.
D. Unsaved friend, for you it is a totally different set of
circumstances.
1. You die lost and you will immediately go to hell.
2. The only reprieve you will have is the Great White Throne
Judgment \\#Rev 20\\.
3. Your death will be cause for much sorrow and concern.
V. \\#10-12\\ Look at Jesus’ Surrender
A. I have said before and will say again, "Peter was no coward."
1. He was completely ready to die fighting for Jesus.
2. However, Jesus stopped Peter.
3. Even more, to be more certain there would be no
repercussions, Jesus healed Malchus’ severed ear.
B. Why did Jesus stop Peter?
1. Fighting back is not what Jesus wants Christians to do.
a. This is a hard concept for us to grasp but it is
unmistakable in the Scriptures.
Mt 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not
evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right
cheek, turn to him the other also.
Ro 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves,
but rather give place unto wrath: for it is
written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith
the Lord.
b. Matthew records a more detailed statement by Jesus at
this point.
Matt 26:52 Then said Jesus unto him, Put up
again thy sword into his place: for all they that
take the sword shall perish with the sword.
c. From this I would say that Jesus does not want
Christians to die fighting back.
d. This is a hard concept for us because we wear more
than one hat.
(1) We are Americans are know that godly people must
fight those who would destroy our country.
(2) We are family members and know we have a scared
duty to protect our family.
(3) And some would go further to say we are possessors
of fortunes and must fight to protect what is
ours. (That one I am not as concerned about,
but I don’t have as much in the way of worldly
goods as others.)
e. However, as Christians, we must be willing to die for
Jesus as Jesus died for us.
f. How is that? That takes us to our next thought.
2. Jesus was surrendering to death.
Isa 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a
lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her
shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
a. This was not cowardness and this was not weakness.
b. It was meekness and it was fulfillment of Bible
imagery and prophecy.
(1) All through the Scriptures, the Jews waited for
the Lamb of God, the One sacrifice Who would
take away sin.
(2) Here He is. How could Jesus be that Lamb if now
He acted like a lion?
This does not seem like a good place to stop because we are a long
way from the end; but due to time constraints, it is where we will
stop for tonight.
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