The Gospel According to Saint John
John 18
Chapter XVIII · Vol. IV, pp. 242–245
1 Judas betrayeth Jesus. 6 The officers fall to the ground. 10 Peter smiteth off Malchus' ear. 12 Jesus is taken, and led unto Annas and Caiaphas. 15 Peter's denial. 19 Jesus examined before Caiaphas. 28 His arraignment before Pilate. 36 His kingdom. 40 The Jews ask Barabbas to be let loose.
1 When Jesus had spoken these words, ahe went forth with his disciples over bthe brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.
2 And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for cJesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples.1
3 Judasd then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.
4 Jesus therefore, eknowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye?
e Mat.16.21;17.22,23;20.18,19;26.2,21-24,31,32. ch.10.17,18. Ac.2.28.
5 They answered him, gJesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, hstood with them.
6 As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, 2they went backward, and fell to the ground.3
2 Ps.129.5;27.2;40.14. Ec.8.4. This showed that he could easily have killed them.
3 By what specialty in the appearance or manner of our Lord this was effected does not appear. But as the band, which was doubtless of Roman soldiers, must have heard much of the miraculous powers of Jesus, and as they had with them such light as would give full display to his person, it is not improbable that some indescribable heavenliness in his appearance, manner, or voice, produced an effect upon them which, if not directly miraculous, was in every sense supernatural, and amounted to an acknowledgment of his kingly dignity. And perhaps (as Boothroyd supposes) our Lord intended by this power over the soldiers to show to his disciples that he could have escaped if he had pleased.—C.
7 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
9 That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, jOf them which thou gavest me have I lost none.
j ch.17.12;10.28. Jude 1.
10 Thenk Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high-priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
k Mat.26.33,35,51. Mar.14.47. Lu.22.49,50. ver.18,26.
4 Any one who reads the history of Josephus relating to this time will see why Peter had a sword as the means of intimidating the robbers with which Judea was so terribly infested.—C.
11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: lthe cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
13 And led him away to pAnnas first; for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the high-priest that same year.5
14 Nowq Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die6 for the people.
q ch.11.49,50.
6 See note on ch.11.50.—C.
15 Andr Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another7 disciple: that disciple was known unto the high-priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high-priest.
16 Buts Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high-priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.
17 Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.
18 Andt the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals;8 for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.
A.M. cir. 4037. A.D. cir. 33.
t Mar.14.54. Lu.22.55,56. Ps.1.1. Pr.9.6;13.20.
8 Of charcoal, as the original signifies. The parties stood in a circle round the fire, which was, most probably, in a sort of portable grate, as the eastern houses have no fireplaces.—C.
19 Theu high-priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.
u Lu.11.53,54;20.20.
20 Jesus answered him, vI spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing.
21 Why askest thou me? wask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said.
22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by xstruck Jesus9 with the palm of his hand,1 saying, Answerest thou the high-priest so?
23 Jesus answered him, yIf I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?2
2 A Christian is bound to bear injuries without revengeful retaliation; but is privileged, even by the example of his patient and long-suffering Lord, to impugn and call in question the injustice he may suffer.—C.
25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. aThey said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not.
26 Oneb of the servants of the high-priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?
27 Peterc then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.3
c Mat.26.74,75. Mar.14.71,72. Lu.22.60,61. ch.13.38. Mar.14.30.
3 See note on Mar.14.72.—P.
28 Thend led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment:4 and it was eearly; gand they themselves went not into the judgment-hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the 5passover.6
d Mat.27.2. Mar.15.1. Lu.23.1.
4 Or, Pilate's house.
e Pr.1.16;4.16. Mi.2.1. Ps.140.2.
g Ac.10.28;11.3. Mat.23.23,24.
5 Feast-offering, De.16.2. 2 Ch.30.17;35.8,9,13.
6 The phrase eat the passover may signify eat the paschal lamb; but it may have a wider signification. The context alone can determine the true meaning. If it signify the paschal lamb, then our Lord must have been crucified on the 14th of the month, and could not have eaten the paschal supper with his disciples. Yet the other evangelists say he did, Mat.26.17-20, &c. The word passover, therefore, must have some other meaning. John employs it to denote the whole festival, ch.2.13; 6.4, &c.; but the word eat limits it here to some particular act. We know that it was customary to kill voluntary peace-offerings on the 15th, and these were eaten by the offerer and his friends who were ceremonially clean. To these offerings the term passover was applicable; and to these doubtless the evangelist refers in this passage.—P.
29 Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?
30 They answered and said unto him, If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee.
31 Then said Pilate unto them, hTake ye him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, iIt is not lawful for us to put any man to death:
32 That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled,7 which he spake, signifying what death he should die.8
7 Mat.20.19;26.2. ch.12.32,33. Lu.18.32,33. For the Jews did not crucify any.
8 He had signified that he 'should be lifted up,' ch.3.14; 12.32, that is, upon the cross. Now this was never a Jewish, but was a Roman mode of punishment; wherefore the Roman governor being compelled to pronounce sentence, the prophecy of our Lord was eventually fulfilled.—C.
33 Thenj Pilate entered into the judgment-hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?
34 Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself,9 or did others tell it thee of me?
9 From a personal desire to learn the truth; or, as instigated by others, to involve me in a charge of treason?—C.
35 Pilate answered, kAm I a 1Jew? lThine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
36 Jesusn answered, oMy kingdom is not of this world:2 if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.Cited in WCF 31.5
o Ps.45.3,6. Is.9.6,7. Da.7.13,14;2.44. ch.6.15;8.15. Zec.9.9. 2 Co.10.4,5. Lu.12.14;17.20,21. Ro.14.17. Col.1.13.
2 As if he had said, 'I am, indeed, a king; but my kingdom is "righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost"—principles not of this world; and my servants are taught to pray and suffer, rather than to contend and fight. Wherefore, as my kingdom is spiritual, and interferes not with temporal governments, there is no just reason to accuse me of any seditious purposes or acts.'—C.
37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king.3 To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bearp witness unto the truth. Every one that is qof the truth heareth my voice.Cited in WSC 23
38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?4 And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, rI find in him no fault at all.
4 What is truth? As if he had said, 'Why, as to truth, who can tell what it is? A suitable subject for metaphysical disputation; but a useless inquiry for a soldier and a governor.'—C.
r Mat.27.24. Lu.23.4,14,15. ch.19.4,6.
39 Buts ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?
s Mat.27.15-17. Mar.15.6. Lu.23.17.
Notes
Ver. 11. It is no time for fighting; nor is my kingdom or cause to be propagated by force of arms. I am not destitute of almighty power to rescue myself; but from regard to the glory of God, and to manifest my own love in the salvation of sinners, I freely and cheerfully submit to all the tribulation and wrath which he hath appointed me to undergo, and I will allow of no opposition to it. 20, 21. Whatsoever I have taught has been with all openness, plainness, and freedom to all sorts of people, in the most public places, and on the most solemn occasions. Nor did I ever teach aught in private that I did not teach openly.—Let then my hearers, whether friends or foes, be examined as to what they heard me deliver. 36, 37. My kingdom is altogether spiritual and heavenly, consisting in a dominion over men's souls and consciences, and not over their secular affairs.—Nor does it in the least interfere with, or tend to the disturbance of, civil government; if it had, I should have allowed my followers to fight for my protection or rescue.—I freely own myself a king; but, to satisfy you that my kingdom is not of a worldly constitution or design, know that God hath sent me into this world, that, by my preaching and miracles, I might reveal and confirm the truth, and that alone, concerning God and myself, and the way of salvation to sinful men. This is the mean of my conquests and government; and every one that is acquainted with and awakened by the word of truth may believe and embrace my testimony, and become my willing subject.
Ver. 2. This garden may have belonged to some friend of our Lord; or, more probably, have been one of those public gardens which are common around cities both in Asia and Europe.—Note, The life of our Lord is strikingly diversified between extreme activity and publicity, and the love of quiet and retirement. There never appears, however, any morbid preference either for publicity or solitude; but the one is diligently employed as the means of doing good to men, the other is thankfully received as an occasion of more private converse with his disciples, or of communion with his Father. C.
Ver. 28. Defiled. They were defiled with hypocrisy, malice, falsehood, and bloodthirstiness: with all these pollutions within them and upon them they were ready to eat the passover as a work of righteousness; but they would neither enter the prætorium nor come in contact with a Gentile soldier, lest they should be disqualified. They were careful to 'make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter,' to whiten the exterior of the sepulchre, but forgetful or regardless of the death and rottenness within.—Note, Let this ceremonial scrupulosity and moral defilement of the Jews furnish to every Christian a special note for self-examination before prayer and the Lord's supper, and every other act of religion! C.
Reflections.—Garden retirements should at once lead our thoughts to Adam's ruining fall, and to the gracious promises and redeeming sufferings of Christ. Amazing was his willingness to die for us who thus went forth to meet his murderers. And after showing his ability to strike them dead, he readily resigned himself into their hands, in obedience to his Father's will. Why then should danger or death ever deter us from faithfully owning his cause! Kindly he proportions his people's trials to their strength, and preserves them by offering himself a sacrifice for them. And his cause is to be maintained by his ministers by weapons not carnal, but mighty through God. Yea, the most hasty in their zeal are seldom the most steadfast in his service. But hardened indeed are men when even awful miracles cannot restrain their wickedness and folly. Dreadful is the nature of sin, that brought God, in our nature, under such sorrow and suffering. And infinite was his kindness and condescension cheerfully to submit to all for our sake. O my soul, let the treachery of Judas, the rage of Jews, the repeated denials of Peter, the cowardly injustice of Pilate, serve me as a glass to view myself, as a warning to watchfulness, and to avoid fellowship with sinners! And let the wisdom, meekness, and boldness of Christ be my pattern. Let me adore that wonderful providence which overruled all for the fulfilment of scripture, the glory of God, and salvation of men. And never let me condemn persons or things because they are run down by the multitude.