Background

Even though Jesus’ knows that he will soon be betrayed and captured in chapter 18, he spends his last moments of freedom in chapter 17 praying for and guiding his disciples. He speaks to them about eternal glory, and the love he desires them to have. It is from this self-sacrificial background of chapter 17, that we must view chapter 18. Jesus forecasts in chapter 17 the trials that he is soon to face in chapter 18, but more importantly he also goes past his immediate predicament to point to the hope that lies beyond the storm. The hope he has in store for all those who trust in him.

Wrestling with the text

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When one reads all four gospels together, they each color in and help define the others, giving us a fuller Jesus who is closer to the real Jesus of history than merely what one persons perspective can bring. Go through one or two of the parallel texts of Mark 14:32-50, Luke 21:39-53 and Matthew 26:42, and see the full picture of what is happening here. This will also help prepare you for the next section you read tomorrow.

Judas was the money holder for the disciples. This was a very high role in ancient Jewish society, and shows that Judas would have been a highly respected member of the group, one who would have been very close to Jesus status-wise. This notion is confirmed by Judas’ seat position at the last supper. He was sitting right next to Jesus, and in the ancient world the closer one was seated to the leader in a meal, the more honor and respect that person had. Thus, Judas was likely considered to be an extremely godly man, likely even more so than the majority of the 12 disciples. What should this tell us about the ideas of holiness and humility that many of us find our identity and comfort in? What categories do we put people in to figure out who is ‘holy’ and who is not? Is this really a good or accurate way to see the world?

Journaling

Wrestling with the text

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In vs.5 and 6, Jesus answers the guard’s saying “I am he.” The English translation doesn’t quite grasp the full meaning behind this statement. A better, more direct translation would be “I am”, repeating the “I am” statements found throughout the entire book of John. The importance of this is that the Greek word for I AM is a direct parallel to the Hebrew name God uses for himself in Exodus 3:14: “I am who I am.” This provides a deep sense of the power of God, his absolute existence as someone who is what he is, without need of another to support or keep him. He is eternal and infinite and therefore requires no one to bring him into existence: he just is. Though “I am” is commonly used without such divine implications, in the context of the guards all falling down in response to Jesus’ statement of it, its divine implications are clear. How does this add to the incredible nature of the text? In the face of his capture, trial, torture and crucifixion, Jesus is still God, and he is still in control. His mere utterances can knock over his Roman capturers. His power is confirmed further still by vs.4: “Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward…” Jesus knows exactly what is going on. This is all part of the plan. Even as the nations destroy his Son, God is still the one in control.

Often our Western, “rational” society emphasizes the physical over the supernatural and spiritual. Thus, Jesus’ suffering is often seen in merely physical terms, forgetting the demonic oppression of the event, and the intense psychological stress involved. This scene in the Garden for Jesus may even intensity-wise parallel the crucifixion. How does that change the way we should view this moment in Jesus’ life? When every ounce of his being (physical, spiritual, psychological etc.) cried out against what God was calling him to do, Jesus said “Let your will be done.” (Matthew 26:42). How should we see Jesus’ sacrifice and utter love for us in light of his willingness to go through such an all-encompassing torment? How should this change the way we should see ourselves?

Here Peter is once again eager, but misguided. Look at some of the parallel texts to understand the character of Peter better: Matthew 14:28-31, John 13:2-11. How do you see yourself in Peter? How should Peter have responded in John 18? How would you have responded?

Journaling

Wrestling with the Text

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In this text we see Jesus questioned by Annas, and then by Annas’ son-in-law Caiaphas. Caiaphas held his office for nearly 18 years, whereas the average High Priest usually survived only 2-3 years before being kicked out. To maintain office for 18 years in such a hardcore place as Jerusalem, Caiaphas had to be one cutthroat kind of guy. Jesus is standing before the Kosher Godfather of ancient Jerusalem, and before his equally powerful Father-in-Law. How does this image of divine power vs. worldly political power clarify this text, and the point of Jesus’ entire life on earth?

What should we take away from Jesus’ response to the High Priest? On the one hand, his comments clearly show his unwillingness to participate in the silly games that the establishment wanted him to play, but at the same time he didn’t say anything to directly defy the court. How do we exist in the world, within a government, within a culture, while refusing to engage in it? How does Jesus’ chained body before the ancient court set a model for us to follow?

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Wrestling with the Text

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Judas and Peter’s betrayals are placed side-by-side together by the author John. Their parallels are clear, but what made Peter different from Judas?

John clearly connects the selfish denial of Peter with the fire that he stands around to get warm, an image of his self serving betrayal. However, the only other place where that Greek word for fire is used is in John 21:9. This is the fire Jesus cooked fish over as he forgave Peter 3 times for the 3 times Peter denied him. Peter’s failure points directly to God’s forgiveness and mercy. Read all of John 21, keeping in mind Peter’s denials in John 18, and meditate on the nature and mercy of God.

Read John 13:37. Peter clearly failed to fulfill his John 13:37 promise. At least he failed during the trial. However, is this text ultimately about Peter’s failure, or about God’s grace? Though Peter failed here to risk his life for Jesus, God took him back (John 21) and his grace washed over Peter’s life. Peter was martyred by crucifixion 35 years later. Ancient Christian writers record that Peter was crucified upside down, because he didn’t feel worthy to die in the same way as his Lord. What can we take away from Peter’s life and the radical power of God to transform?

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Wrestling with the Text

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John is a careful thinker who says things thoughtfully and deliberatively. Why does he say in vs. 28 the Jews were unwilling to enter the Roman palace because it was unclean, only to then have Jesus enter the palace immediately after? Is John adding to the image of Christ as anti-hierarchy, going against the ancient system where some people and places were clean and others were not; the same system used to keep lepers outside of the camp in the book of Exodus, and the handicapped out of the holy places in Jerusalem? Jesus is tortured, mocked, crucified and made unclean. He utterly destroys what the ancients once thought it meant to be holy. In light of Jesus’ life, what does it truly mean to be holy?

Jesus defines truth as being found in himself. What is truth? Think about it. Keep in mind that our notion of logical and rationalistic truth is a very modern idea, one that would not likely be the central focus of Jesus’ statement about truth. What do you think Jesus meant?

Journaling

Background

Chapter 18

John constantly portrays Jesus’ power and glory throughout his Gospel. That image will now be put to the test. In John 18, Jesus is betrayed by Judas—one of his closest followers—then he is taken captive, put on trial, betrayed again by Peter, only to then be thrust down the path that will in later chapters end in his torture, mockery and crucifixion. Such suffering would call into question whatever shreds of glory and power would remain, but somehow through these trials Jesus only confirms his glory and identity even more than before. When his capturers come for him he does not run nor fight back, for his kingdom is not of this world; not of greedy power or military might. His fate lies in the hands of the Roman Pilate, the local representative of the reigning Caesar, the very same Caesar who is referred to by ancient writers as “God on earth,” the man who ruled over the entire Mediterranean realm. The world in all its political power and might stands over the soon-to-be crucified corpse of this poor Jewish carpenter…and the Jew doesn’t give an inch.