Jesus Arrested
18 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.
2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas came to the garden, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and the Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons.
4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?”
5 “Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied.
“I am he,” Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.
7 Again he asked them, “Who is it you want?”
“Jesus of Nazareth,” they said.
8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go.” 9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: “I have not lost one of those you gave me.”[John 6:39]
10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)
11 Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”
12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jewish leaders that it would be good if one man died for the people.
Peter’s First Denial
15 Simon Peter and another disciple were following Jesus. Because this disciple was known to the high priest, he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard, 16 but Peter had to wait outside at the door. The other disciple, who was known to the high priest, came back, spoke to the servant girl on duty there and brought Peter in.
17 “You aren’t one of this man’s disciples too, are you?” she asked Peter.
He replied, “I am not.”
18 It was cold, and the servants and officials stood around a fire they had made to keep warm. Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.
The High Priest Questions Jesus
19 Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.
20 “I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21 Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”
22 When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby slapped him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.
23 “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
Peter’s Second and Third Denials
25 Meanwhile, Simon Peter was still standing there warming himself. So they asked him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”
He denied it, saying, “I am not.”
26 One of the high priest’s servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, challenged him, “Didn’t I see you with him in the garden?” 27 Again Peter denied it, and at that moment a rooster began to crow.
Jesus Before Pilate
28 Then the Jewish leaders took Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness they did not enter the palace, because they wanted to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate came out to them and asked, “What charges are you bringing against this man?”
30 “If he were not a criminal,” they replied, “we would not have handed him over to you.”
31 Pilate said, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”
“But we have no right to execute anyone,” they objected. 32 This took place to fulfill what Jesus had said about the kind of death he was going to die.
33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
34 “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?”
35 “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”
37 “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
38 “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?”
40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in an uprising.
18:1–14 John does not mention the agony in the garden and
the kiss of Judas, nor does he identify the place as Gethsemane or the Mount of
Olives.
18:1 Jesus went out: see Jn 14:31, where it seems he is
leaving the supper room. Kidron valley: literally, “the winter-flowing Kidron”;
this wadi has water only during the winter rains.
18:3 Band of soldiers: seems to refer to Roman troops,
either the full cohort of 600 men (1/10 of a legion), or more likely the
maniple of 200 under their tribune (Jn 18:12). In this case, John is hinting at
Roman collusion in the action against Jesus before he was brought to Pilate.
The lanterns and torches may be symbolic of the hour of darkness.
18:5 Nazorean: the form found in Mt 26:71 (see note on Mt
2:23) is here used, not Nazarene of Mark. I AM: or “I am he,” but probably
intended by the evangelist as an expression of divinity (cf. their appropriate
response in Jn 18:6); see note on Jn 8:24. John sets the confusion of the
arresting party against the background of Jesus’ divine majesty.
18:9 The citation may refer to Jn 6:39; 10:28; or 17:12.
18:10 Only John gives the names of the two antagonists; both
John and Luke mention the right ear.
18:11 The theme of the cup is found in the synoptic account
of the agony (Mk 14:36 and parallels).
18:13 Annas: only John mentions an inquiry before Annas; cf.
Jn 18:16, 19–24; see note on Lk 3:2. It is unlikely that this nighttime
interrogation before Annas is the same as the trial before Caiaphas placed by
Matthew and Mark at night and by Luke in the morning.
18:15–16 Another disciple…the other disciple: see note on Jn
13:23.
18:20 I have always taught…in the temple area: cf. Mk 14:49
for a similar statement.
18:24 Caiaphas: see Mt 26:3, 57; Lk 3:2; and the notes
there. John may leave room here for the trial before Caiaphas described in the
synoptic gospels.
18:27 Cockcrow was the third Roman division of the night,
lasting from midnight to 3 a.m.
18:28 Praetorium: see note on Mt 27:27. Morning: literally,
“the early hour,” or fourth Roman division of the night, 3 to 6 A.M. The
Passover: the synoptic gospels give the impression that the Thursday night
supper was the Passover meal (Mk 14:12); for John that meal is still to be
eaten Friday night.
18:31 We do not have the right to execute anyone: only John
gives this reason for their bringing Jesus to Pilate. Jewish sources are not
clear on the competence of the Sanhedrin at this period to sentence and to
execute for political crimes.
18:32 The Jewish punishment for blasphemy was stoning (Lv
24:16). In coming to the Romans to ensure that Jesus would be crucified, the
Jewish authorities fulfilled his prophecy that he would be exalted (Jn 3:14;
12:32–33). There is some historical evidence, however, for Jews crucifying
Jews.
18:37 You say I am a king: see Mt 26:64 for a similar
response to the high priest. It is at best a reluctant affirmative.
18:39 See note on Mt 27:15.
18:40 Barabbas: see note on Mt 27:16–17. Revolutionary: a
guerrilla warrior fighting for nationalistic aims, though the term can also
denote a robber. See note on Mt 27:38
The Gospel of John
Online Bible Study in English
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