Jesus had been born for this purpose, to give his life for the sin of the world. And, he did willingly lay down his life, but he didn’t take his own life. By not resisting those that cried “Crucify! Crucify!” in John 19:6 he established righteous and legal judgment against their unjust act, the murder of an innocent man. And he was innocent, sinless as Pilate said in John 19:6 “I do not find a basis for an accusation against him”. Yet, as Jesus said John 18:11 “The cup that the Father has given me—shall I not drink it?”. This was the plan, the mystery Jesus unveiled through his obedience and the mission we now carry in Ephesians 3:9 “and to enlighten everyone as to what is the administration of the mystery hidden from the ages by God, who created all things”.
Those Who Believe in Me Through Their Word
The Cup That the Father Has Given Me
John 18:1–11
This was a time when the population of Jerusalem swelled with pilgrims for the Passover so there were likely few places where they could go to quietly pray. But in John 18:1 “there was a garden”, “Probably this walled olive grove was set aside by some wealthy supporter for the use of Jesus and his disciples.”1 and it seems that Jesus frequented this place when he was in the area as it says in
John 18:2 (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, also knew about the place, because Jesus often gathered there with his disciples.)
It would have now been after sunset, however, the Passover is celebrated at the full moon so it would have been easy to make your way by the light of the moon, yet those who were ready to take Jesus by force came in
John 18:3 So Judas, taking the cohort and officers from the chief priests and from the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.
Jesus knew they were coming and could have made them press into the garden, but he “went out and said to them, “Who are you looking for?” in John 18:4 and “They replied to him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” in John 18:5 then in
John 18:6 So when he said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
Jesus then asked for the freedom of his disciples in
John 18:8 Jesus replied, “I said to you that I am he! So if you are looking for me, let these men go,”
but Peter was ready to defend his master and pulled his sword but this was not the way Jesus would overcome evil and in
John 18:11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into its sheath! The cup that the Father has given me—shall I not drink it?”
The Officers of the Jews Seized Jesus
John 18:12–18
Jesus had presented himself freely to these men who had come with the intent to take him by force so as soon as they had the opportunity, seized and tied him in
John 18:12 Then the cohort and the military tribune and the officers of the Jews seized Jesus and tied him up,
but they didn’t take him for a public hearing, they took him first in the night Annas in
John 18:13 and brought him to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.
There is much that is lost on us because we don’t know the history and politics of the day, but “Annas was the power behind the throne in Jerusalem. He himself had been high priest from ad 6 to 15. Four of his sons had also held the high priesthood, and Caiaphas was his son-in-law … when the Roman governors came, the office … went to the greatest sycophant and the highest bidder … The family of Annas was immensely rich, and one by one they had intrigued and bribed their way into office, while Annas remained the power behind it all … In the Court of the Gentiles, there were the sellers of victims for the sacrifices, those sellers whom Jesus had driven out … were called the Bazaars of Annas”2
While Peter and the other disciples had been left behind, “Simon Peter and another disciple followed Jesus” in John 18:15 and they came into the courtyard. Peter then begins his denial in
John 18:17 Then the female slave who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You are not also one of the disciples of this man, are you?” He said, “I am not!”
The High Priest Questioned Jesus
John 18:19–27
It is Not Permitted for us to Kill Anyone
I Find No Basis for an Accusation
John 18:39–19:6
The Jews, those that had taken Jesus, brought him to Pilate, the Roman Governor of the region who was the only legal authority that could judge and carry out a death sentence. But when asked, they didn’t bring a charge or accusation, they only said “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have handed him over to you!” in John 18:30 and then “It is not permitted for us to kill anyone” John 18:31 Pilate questioned Jesus and in
John 18:38 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 basis for an accusation against him.”
Then, as a good politician and seeking to placate the Jews, Pilate offered them a choice, freedom for Jesus or he would release Barabbas, “a revolutionary” in John 18:40. But “they shouted again” in
John 18:40 Then they shouted again, saying, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.)
Pilate was still seeking to placate the crowd so in
John 19:1 So then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged.
and when the soldiers were finished with Jesus, he was bloodied and bleeding. Pilate prepares the crowd by saying again to them in
John 19:4 And Pilate came outside again and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing him outside to you, so that you will know that I find no basis for an accusation against him.”
Now, the beaten and bloody Jesus is presented in
John 19:5 Then Jesus came outside wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, and he said to them, “Behold the man!”
but “the chief priests and the officers shouted, saying, “Crucify! Crucify!” in John 19:6 and Pilate says for the third time, “I do not find a basis for an accusation against him.”
We do not have a king except Caesar!
John 19:7–16
Study Verses
- John 18:1–11 The Cup That the Father Has Given Me
- John 18:12–18 The Officers of the Jews Seized Jesus
- John 18:39–19:6 I Find No Basis for an Accusation
Today’s Reading
- John 17:20-26
- John 18:1-40
- John 19:1-16
References
- 1. Carson, D. A. (1991). The Gospel according to John (p. 576). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, MI: Inter-Varsity Press; W.B. Eerdmans.
- 2. Barclay, W. (2001). The Gospel of John (Vol. 2, p. 263-264). Louisville, KY: Edinburgh.