The Church of Divine Guidance Sunday morning Adult Bible Study is embarking on an exhaustive study of the book of John. Of the four gospels, John’s gospel presents Jesus as God most forcefully. John explicitly declared Jesus to be God who brought all things into existence. John’s gospel confirmed that Jesus was YHVH of the Jews . He is light and life . These are the notes of that study along with the recorded audio of the session.
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| The Taking of Christ by Caravaggio, 1602. |
Jesus Prays for Himself
John 17:1-5 (NLT)1 After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you
The time had finally come for Him to complete His assignment, which was to bring salvation to mankind. His glorification through death, resurrection, and exaltation, would be to glorify the Father.
Jesus prays for the disciples
John 17:9-12 (NLT)9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you.10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory.11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to you. Holy Father, you have given me your name; now protect them by the power of your name so that they will be united just as we are.
Jesus prays that His disciples will be kept in God’s name. God has entrusted His reputation to Christ, who revealed it to the disciples. Now Jesus prays that the disciples may be kept true to that revelation. The purpose of this prayer is that the disciples might share a unity of spirit modeled after the unity shared by the Father and the Son in the Trinity
Remember what we said the goal is not isolation but insulation.
Jesus prays for all believers
John 17:20-26 (NLT)20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message.21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
The prayer reaches out to include those who will believe because of the testimony of the disciples. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, his disciples told many people about him. They spoke in public about salvation.
They used Jesus’ name to do miracles. The good news about Jesus spread quickly.
The first thing he asks for us is this: “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.”
Chapter 18 Jesus's Arrest
Most of us would hate the thought of being arrested and brought to trial. If we were guilty of a crime, being arrested would be humiliating. But if we were innocent, it would be devastating. Yet in what should have been a demeaning experience for Jesus, we see again his majesty and glory. Jesus uses an experience of attack, betrayal and abandonment to demonstrate his confident trust in the Father. His calm assurance will help us face life's hurts and injustices with the same trust in the same Father.
John 18:1-3 (NKJV)1 When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples over the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered.2 And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples.3 Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.
This place was a deep, dark ravine, to the northeast of Jerusalem, through which flowed this small storm brook or winter torrent, and which in summer is dried up. We know this place as the Garden of Gethsemane.
Matthew 26:30 (NKJV)30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Matthew 26:36 (NKJV)36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there."
The Romans ruled the Jews. But they allowed the Jews to arrest people because of minor crimes. So Judas brought guards from the Temple to arrest Jesus. Probably, the Roman soldiers came with the guards to help them if they had trouble.
Jesus, however, knowing that in this spot Judas would expect to find Him, instead of avoiding it, He went there which goes back to what He said at
John 10:18 (NKJV)18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."
John 18:4-7 (NKJV)4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, "Whom are you seeking?"5 They answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am He." And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them.6 Now when He said to them, "I am He," they drew back and fell to the ground.7 Then He asked them again, "Whom are you seeking?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."
Luke 22:47-48 (NLT)47 But even as Jesus said this, a crowd approached, led by Judas, one of his twelve disciples. Judas walked over to Jesus to greet him with a kiss.48 But Jesus said, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”
They answered as you would expect from the military or police when they came to arrest someone. “We’re looking for Jesus of Nazareth” He answered and then John reminds us that Judas was there with those who came to arrest Him. One of the commentaries that I read said that the word Jesus or He was not after He said “I am” in the original Greek so it would have just been “I am”, which would reflect back to the Exodus passage when God told Moses that when the Jews asked who sent him he was to say I AM sent me. That would account for what happened after that when they fell back and down. It was the glorious effulgence of the majesty of Christ which overpowered them. "This, occurring before His surrender, would show His power over His enemies, and so the freedom with which He gave Himself up" [MEYER].
Jesus was not taken by surprise and He actually walked up to them and asked who they were looking for? He did not try to escape. He was actually controlling the situation. This was God’s plan to save people from their sins.
So He asked them again who they were looking for which would was an opportunity for them to escape but the effect of His first answer wearing off, remember they were ordered to arrest Him so they were going to follow and execute their orders.
John 18:8-9 (NKJV)8 Jesus answered, "I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way,"9 that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, "Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none."
Jesus showed His love and care for his disciples because He told the soldiers that since He was the one there were looking for they should let those who were there with Him go. He had said before that He wouldn’t lose any of them.
John 17:12 (NKJV)12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
That also has a much deeper meaning for us.
John 6:39-40 (NKJV)39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."
John 18:10-11 (NKJV)10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.11 So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?"
Simon Peter tried to protect Jesus. He attacked the High Priest’s servant with a sword. But Jesus did not want this. Peter was trying to stop God’s plan, although he did not realise this. So Jesus told him to put away his sword.
Luke’s Gospel tells us that then Jesus cured the servant’s ear,
Luke 22:49-51 (NKJV)49 When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?"50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.51 But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this." And He touched his ear and healed him.
Jesus told them that this was God’s plan and it had to play out. The term cup often pointed to suffering in the Bible.
Psalm 75:8 (NKJV)8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, And the wine is red; It is fully mixed, and He pours it out; Surely its dregs shall all the wicked of the earth Drain and drink down.
It also symbolized God’s wrath.
Revelation 14:10 (NKJV)10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
Jesus talks about this cup in His prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane
Matthew 26:39 (NKJV)39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."
It referred to all the pain that Jesus had to suffer so that he could save us.
John 18:12-14 (NKJV)12 Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him.13 And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year.14 Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.
Annas had been the High Priest before Caiaphas. He had actually been removed from the High Priest office by the Romans in A.D. 15 but many of the Jews may have still considered that he had the same authority as a High Priest.
You’ll remember what Caiaphas said when we studied chapter 11.
John 11:49-50 (NKJV)49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all,50 nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish."
The Jewish leaders were very worried about Jesus because many people were following him. And they thought that he might lead these people to fight against the Romans. Then the Romans would punish all the Jews. The Jewish leaders wanted to stop what was happening. They decided that there was only one way to do this. Jesus had to die!
It was Caiaphas, the High Priest, who suggested this. John, the author of the Gospel, pointed out that it was a prophecy. However, Caiaphas did not realise that he was speaking a prophecy. He thought that he was making just a political decision. He did not understand that his words had a different, spiritual meaning. But God used him to say this, because he was the most important Jewish leader at that time.
Let’s talk about Peter for a few minutes. Remember what Peter said, when Jesus told the disciples that He was going away and going to die?
John 13:36-38 (NKJV)36 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward." 37 Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake38 Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.
John 18:15-18, 25-27 (NKJV)15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.16 But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in.17 Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not also one of this Man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not."18 Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself. 25 Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, "You are not also one of His disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not!"26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Him?"27 Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.
Some experts think that the other disciple was John, the author of this Gospel, that knew the High Priest so he was able to enter the yard of the High Priest’s home. The woman who was guarding the gate probably knew this disciple, too. So she allowed Peter to enter with him. But she recognised Peter as one of Jesus’ disciples. She asked the question in a way that a no would have been expected.
Remember Peter had made that bold statement before and he had even tried to protect Jesus earlier. The leaders had arrested Jesus already. They would want to arrest his followers, too. Peter was afraid of what would happen to him. So he lied to the woman. He wanted to stay near to Jesus. Peter wanted to know what would happen to Jesus. But Peter was not brave enough to say that he knew Jesus. So that was his first denial when the girl at the gate confronted him.
The scriptures say that it was cold so all the people standing around outside waiting to see what was happening were around a fire trying to keep warm and Peter was one of them. He was asked two more times about his being one of Jesus disciples and he denied it both times.
The two questions addressed to Peter were quite different. The first was tentative, as though expecting him to deny that he had a relation to Jesus
John 18:25 (NKJV)25 Now Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Therefore they said to him, "You are not also one of His disciples, are you?" He denied it and said, "I am not!"
The second pinned him down, the very form of the question assuming his guilt. He was now recognized as the one who had wielded the sword in the garden.
John 18:26 (NKJV)26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of him whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Him?"
The crowing of the cock reminded Peter of the Lord's prediction and brought home to him his sin of denial. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
John 13:38 (NKJV)38 Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.
Let’s read Luke’s account.
Luke 22:54-62 (NKJV)54 Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest's house. But Peter followed at a distance.55 Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them.56 And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, "This man was also with Him."
57 But he denied Him, saying, "Woman, I do not know Him."58 And after a little while another saw him and said, "You also are of them." But Peter said, "Man, I am not!"59 Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, "Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean."60 But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying!" Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly.
Before we come down too hard on Peter think carefully. Sometimes, we may want to say that we do not know Jesus. This is because we are afraid. People may laugh at us or they may become angry with us. In some countries, it is not legal to be a Christian. In such places, Christians may go to prison because they believe in Jesus.
It is a sin for a Christian to say that they do not believe in Jesus. But there is no sin that is too bad for God to forgive. Remember that Jesus forgave Peter
John 21:15-17 (NKJV)15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs."16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep."17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.
Now let’s get back to this kangaroo court at Annas’ house.
John 18:19-23 (NKJV)19 The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.20 Jesus answered him, "I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing.21 Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said."22 And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, "Do You answer the high priest like that?"23 Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?"
This was not a trial, for the *Sanhedrin had not been assembled; rather it was a hearing to get evidence to submit to that body when it was convened a few hours later. The inquiry touched Jesus' disciples and doctrine. It is not clear that Annas had in mind to prosecute the disciples. More likely he hoped to get a confession that these men were being prepared for revolutionary activity. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
*The Sanhedrin was an assembly of twenty-three to seventy-one men appointed in every city in the Land of Israel. The Sanhedrin as a body claimed powers that lesser Jewish courts did not have. As such, they were the only ones who could try the king, extend the boundaries of the Temple and Jerusalem, and were the ones to whom all questions of law were finally put.
Jesus ignored the matter. So far as his teaching was concerned, he denied having given secret instruction that might be construed as plotting against the authorities. He had taught openly, in public places such as the synagogue and temple. His teaching was not subversive.
The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
Jesus implied that the procedure was illegal. There were no witnesses. He was being made to implicate himself by his testimony. One of the attending officers (others were in the courtyard) thought the answer impudent and struck Jesus to make him more docile in his attitude toward the high priest.When Christ pointed out the injustice involved, neither the officer nor Annas could make a defense of the procedure. There was nothing to do but to send the captive to Caiaphas who was the actual sitting High Priest - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
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| Jesus' Trial Before Pilate |
Nothing is said about what took place in the house of Caiaphas. The assumption is that the readers are acquainted with the Synoptic tradition of the nighttime deliberations and the formal decree of the council arrived at in the early morning. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
Matthew 26:57 (NKJV)57 And those who had laid hold of Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.
It appears probable that Caiaphas and Annas had residences in the same building, perhaps separated by a courtyard. - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
They took Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium to appear before Pilate. The Praetorium is like the Governor's Mansion. But they couldn’t go in because it was the Passover Festival time. The Passover meal had been eaten the day before. Jewish Law did not allow them to enter a Gentile’s house. If they did, then they would become unclean. The Jewish leaders were trying to arrange Jesus’ murder. But they were worried about the minor rules of their religion!
Pontius Pilate ruled Judea province on behalf of the Roman government. He had the authority to execute criminals. The Jewish leaders did not have this authority. So they took Jesus to Pilate’s palace, because they wanted Jesus to receive this punishment.
The Sanhedrin had not prepared a formal indictment against Jesus to submit to Pilate. They expected the governor to take their word for it. He didn’t go for it that this man was a malefactor, i.e., a doer of evil. The answer was flippant. Pilate was disliked by the Jews.
Pilate was satisfied that the very vagueness of the statement by the Jewish leaders indicated that the case was not one he needed to hear. All the Jews wanted was a verdict of death, the authority of the governor to cover their own decision against Jesus.
Jesus had predicted that he would die by crucifixion, a Roman method of punishment, whereas the Jews used stoning - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
Matthew 20:17-19 (NKJV)17 Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them,18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death,19 and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again."
He had also said that people would lift him above the earth. This was a prophecy about the manner in which he would die.
John 12:32-33 (NKJV)32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.
John 18:33-37 (NKJV)33 Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"34 Jesus answered him, "Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?"35 Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?"36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here."37 Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."
Pilate was obliged to examine this matter on the grounds of possible revolutionary intent.
Immediately, Pilate asked Jesus if he (Jesus) was the king of the Jews. Jesus wanted to know why Pilate had asked this question. Perhaps somebody had told Pilate that Jesus said this. Or perhaps it was Pilate’s own idea to ask this question.
The word ‘king’ had different meanings for different people. The Romans allowed only people that they chose themselves to be kings. For example, they had chosen Herod to be a king. But for the Jewish leaders, the word ‘king’ could have meant a leader of their religion: the Messiah. Jesus did not deny that he was a king.
Jesus does agree that He has a kingdom, but not the kind of kingdom that has soldiers to fight for it because it was not built or kept by military might. Jesus’ kingdom was not a physical region or country. He was king over everybody who believed in him. He is our king when we allow him to rule every part of our lives. Everybody who obeys him belongs to his kingdom. We live in the world still, so his kingdom is also in the world, too. It is in the world, but it does not belong to the world.
John 17:14 (NKJV)14 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
Jesus came into the world to show to people and to tell to people the truth about God. When we believe this, we belong to his kingdom. And so we do not belong to the world.
Here was a man who had spoken of his kingdom twice in vs. 36 He said “My kingdom is not of this world” and “my kingdom is from another world.” Then He admited that He was a king in vs. 37.
But He had none of the outward marks of kingship. Pilate could hardly believe that anyone would mistake the figure before him for a king. Jesus was hesitant to affirm that he was a king, lest Pilate misunderstand the nature of his kingship, which he now explained in terms of truth. Christ had come to bear witness to it.
John 18:38-40 (NKJV)38 Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no fault in Him at all.39 "But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"40 Then they all cried again, saying, "Not this Man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber.
Pilate saw that Jesus had no concern for politics or affairs of state and was far removed from a warlike spirit, and so he terminated the interview, saying rather disdainfully, it seems, What is truth? Satisfied that the prisoner was not dangerous to Rome, he announced this to the Jews outside. Jesus was innocent of the charges the Jews had made. Jews had charged against him.
Sensing the tenacity of the rulers in their desire to get a conviction, Pilate thought he saw a way to get around them and uphold justice by releasing the prisoner. It was a yearly custom at Passover time for the governor to please the crowd by releasing one prisoner whom they requested. Pilate thought that, because Jesus was very popular, the people who had gathered by this time for their annual request would seek his release. John presupposes a knowledge of the Synoptic narrative by his reference to Barabbas. Robber. Brigand (cf. Acts 3:14). - The Wycliffe Bible Commentary.
Pilate could not find any reason to execute Jesus. Probably, Pilate thought that Jesus would not cause trouble for the Roman government. So Pilate wanted to let Jesus go free. And Pilate wanted the *Jewish leaders to request this. Then, he could agree, because of their custom.
But the Jewish leaders refused. Instead, they wanted Barabbas to go free. The other three Gospels also mention Barabbas. From their descriptions, we know that Barabbas had led some Jews in Jerusalem to fight against the Romans. He was also guilty of murder.
Mark 15:7 (NKJV)7 And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion.
Matthew 27:15-16 (NKJV)15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished.*16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.
Luke 23:18-19 (NKJV)18 And they all cried out at once, saying, "Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas"--19 who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.
Because the Jews hated the Romans, Barabbas was probably popular with them. So Jesus died instead of Barabbas. Barabbas deserved his punishment. But he became free because Jesus took his punishment.
We are like Barabbas, because we all deserve God’s punishment because of our sins. But Jesus has taken the punishment that we deserve. His death has freed us from the results of our sins.
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