THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

John: Believing On The Christ, The Son Of God, For Eternal Life

Part XXXIX: Trusting In Christ For His Ministry In His Arrest

(John 18:1-11)

I. Introduction

A. John's Gospel presents Jesus as the Son of God (John 1:18) and "full of grace and truth" especially in relation to His shepherding of the disciples and His submission to the Father's will, John 1:14; 10:11-15; 17:4.

B. These truths are revealed in Christ's arrest, and we view that event for our insight and edification:

II. Trusting In Christ For His Ministry In His Arrest, John 18:1-11.

A. After the Last Supper, Jesus left the upper room with His eleven disciples (minus Judas who had left to betray Him) and crossed the Kidron brook into a garden located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, John 18:1.

B. In this spot, John records three events leading to His arrest that remarkably reveal His deity and shepherding oversight of His disciples regardless if He was about to be humanly subdued by His enemies, John 18:2-11:

1. First, Jesus revealed His complete fearlessness and power as Almighty God before His foes, John 18:2-6:

a. He had fearlessly regularly spent the night in this garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives during the feast (John 18:2b; Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 334) that Judas might know where to betray Him, John 18:2a. This is also the place where Jesus' human ancestor, David, was likewise betrayed: when David crossed the Kidron, his friend Ahithophel was betraying him to Absalom, 2 Samuel 15:23, 30-31; Ibid.

b. Judas acquired a speiran of Roman soldiers, a tenth part of a legion, or 600 men, who came from the chief priests and Pharisees with lanterns, torches and weapons, John 18:3; Ibid. Nevertheless, Jesus did not flee from them, but went out to ask the 600-man group, "Whom seek ye?" (John 18:4 KJV)

c. When they answered, "Jesus of Nazareth," and Jesus said, "I am (He)," the whole group, including Judas, went backward and fell to the ground, John 18:5-6. To explain, Jesus' words, "I am (He)" in the Greek text are ego eimi, literally translated as "I am," what appears in Exodus 3:14 in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament in Jesus' day when God told Moses the He was the "I AM," U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966, p. 399; Sir Lancelot C. L. Brenton, The Sept. with Apoc.: Grk. and Eng., 1998, p. 73!

d. Thus, prior to His arrest, Jesus revealed Himself to be the Old Testament Jahweh "I AM" of Israel's Exodus in infinite power over His foes, and that by His spoken word! This is the same means by which He will destroy His foes at His Second Coming, Revelation 19:11-16, 21.

2. Second, Jesus revealed His selfless shepherding care of His disciples before His foes, John 18:7-9:

a. Christ again asked those who had come to arrest Him who they sought, and they said, Jesus of Nazareth, so He answered again "I am (He)," but this time without demonstrating His divine power, John 18:7-8a.

b. However, He expressed His care of the disciples by saying that if His foes sought Him, they should let His disciples go without being arrested (John 18:8b), fulfilling His previous John 17:12 claim that He had lost none of His disciples [except the deceiver, Judas Iscariot], John 18:9. "As the Good Shepherd, Jesus laid down His life for the sheep (10:11). His protection of the apostles was a perfect illustration of His substitutionary atonement. He died not only for them but instead of them," Ibid., B. K. C., N. T., p. 335.

3. Third, Jesus revealed His courageous submission to the Father's will before His foes, John 18:10-11:

a. One of the disciples, Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and cut off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest's servant, John 18:10. This was an evident errant stroke Peter had made in an effort to kill the man.

b. Regardless of this expression of Peter's loyalty to Christ, his action to defend Jesus against what harm might come to Him from the soldiers countered the Father's will that Jesus partake of the "cup" the Father gave Him, the "cup" of suffering and death on the cross to atone for man's sins, John 18:11b; 1 Peter 2:24.

c. Jesus thus told Peter to put up his sword into its sheath, to let Jesus be arrested, John 18:11a.

d. [Luke 22:51 added that Jesus healed Malchus' ear, an evident act of grace and another demonstration of His divine power in spite of His coming arrest, mistreatment, suffering and death on the cross.]

Lesson: Regardless of His imminent arrest by the large group of soldiers that would lead to His suffering and death on the cross, Jesus demonstrated His fearless divine nature and power, He selflessly shepherded His disciples and He courageously submitted to the Father's will of facing the cross without any self-defense.

Application: (1) May we trust in Christ as God and Messiah for eternal life, John 20:31. (2) May we follow Jesus' example to rely courageously on God to do His will and selflessly shepherd those under our care, 1 Peter 2:21-23.