DECEMBER 30, 2018
CHRIST’S ARREST
INTRODUCTION:
1. The hour is now come that Christ should suffer the Just for the unjust; that the Captain of our salvation, who was to be made perfect through suffering, should enter the final and deciding battle against the enemy.
2. “When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden…” With these words, John brings us into the closing scene of our Lord’s ministry, passing at once from intercession to sacrifice.
3. John here enters upon his account of Christ’s passion. He, like all of the other Gospel writers, enters fully into the story of the cross.
a) John’s Gospel, being largely supplemental, this is one of few stories that all four evangelists record. Of course, the reason for this rare exception should be obvious, since they are all writing about the climactic and defining event in the life of Christ on earth; that for which He was sent of God.
b) Even respecting the cross, and the events leading up to it, John’s gospel still maintains it supplemental character, in that,he makes mention of a number of significant details that were passed over by the synoptic writers, which were left for John, the beloved disciple, and a near eyewitness to all these things.
4. Here we have John’s account of Christ’s arrest, which is unique, in that, he includes how our Lord identified Himself to the arresting officers and the mob that surrounded them, and the stunning effect that His words had on them.
I. JESUS KNOWINGLY AND DELIBERATELY REMOVES HIMSELF TO THE PLACE OF HIS ARREST. (VSES. 1, 2) As Christ had time, and again rehearsed in the ears of His disciples the things that are now about to come to pass (Matt. 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; 18:31, 32) we can be certain that nothing was hid from Him. Once He had finished His discourses and His prayer, He wasted no time in coming to the place where He knew the arrest would be made. He, knowing that the hour was come, went forth immediately, by moonlight, (for the Passover was observed at the full moon) over the brook Cedron, which runs between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives, where there was a garden, a place where He would often go and pray. “Jesus therefore knowing all things that should come upon Him” (Verse 4a) arrived at the garden allowing time for certain things that are recorded in the other Gospels, which took place before the mob arrived. (See Matt. 26:36-45) He comes here with His disciples, now numbering eleven, seeing that Judas was now otherwise employed.
A. JESUS WENT FORTH IN ROUTE TO THE PLACE WHERE HE WOULD SURRENDER HIMSELF INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY. (VERSE 1)
1. He went forth from the place where His great prayer was offered.
a) Some think that it was from the room where He held the Lord’s Supper and delivered His final discourse and prayer that He went forth; that when He said, “Arise, let us go hence,” He then, before leaving delivered his discourses and prayed.
b) Others think that His discourses and prayer were delivered within the temple precincts, and from there He went forth.
c) What seems most probable (in my opinion) is that after the supper, at His word, they arose and went out of the room (Ch. 14:31) to a quiet place perhaps near the wall, where He delivered His discourses and prayed and from there He went forth with His disciples.
2. He went with the eleven over the brook Cedron.
a) This brook lies on the east side of Jerusalem between the city and the Mount of Olives. Except in the winter and after rains, Cedron is nothing more than the dry bed of a water-course.
b) This is the same as the brook Kidron which David passed over with his loyal subjects in the time of his great sorrow, brought upon him by Absalom’s rebellion, which sets forth the scene that is now before us in a picture. (See II Sam. 15:23)
3. He entered with His disciples into a garden.
a) This is elsewhere called Gethsemane.
b) Exactly what kind of garden it was is uncertain, but it is believed to have been a place enclosed with trees, providing quiet, a shady retirement.
c) We know that our Lord frequently came here causing some to conjecture that there was a special relationship between Him and the owner, who gave Him free access. This is doubtless the place that is referred to in Luke 21:37.
d) Almost all commentators agree that it is more than coincidental that man’s fall took place in a garden, and Christ’s passion, by which He is restored also, began in a garden. Augustine remarks, “It is fitting that the blood of the Physician should there be poured out where the disease of the sick man first commenced.”
B. JUDAS KNEW WELL THE PLACE WHERE JESUS WOULD BE FOUND. (VERSE 2)
1. “And Judas also knew the place.” Judas knew the place where Jesus used to pray, and he was familiar with His habits of prayer. This is one of John’s peculiar explanatory comments.
a) Judas wasn’t psychic; he simply knew that Jesus’ habits of prayer were consistent, and that when at Jerusalem, this was His preferred spot.
b) We see here again that Jesus’ prayer life was well known to His disciples. Even Judas knew that when it was night Jesus would be retiring to His place of prayer, and there He could be found.
c) Would to God that our prayer life was so consistently predictable, that, like Daniel, even our enemies would know our habits. (Dan. 6:4-11)
2. Here is one more indication of the unmitigated evil of this former disciple into whom Satan entered. He had been to this place many times with his Master, and there heard Him pray. Yet to lead a violent mob into this sacred place for the purpose of betraying the sinless Son of God was not a problem for Judas.
C. JUDAS ARRIVES ON THE SCENE WITH A GREAT MULTITUDE MADE UP OF JEWISH PRIESTS, PHARISEES, ROMAN SOLDIERS, AND MOBISH RABBLE. (VERSE 3)
1. John assumes that His readers were acquainted with many important points related, not the least of which is the bargaining of Judas with the priests to betray Jesus for money and thus dwells on points which they did not mention.
2. This “great multitude” (Matt. 26:47), some think consisted of four or five hundred men.
3. They come with lanterns, torches, and weapons.
a) Clearly they were expecting resistance, and evidently thought Jesus would try to hide Himself.
b) But, their failure to apprehend Him on other occasions was not for want of weaponry and search equipment, but rather, because his hour was not yet come.
c) This time will be different; not because their will to take Him is greater, but because of His will to be taken.
d) That it is His will that is sovereign in this matter becomes immediately apparent upon their arrival, as we shall see.
II. OUR LORD ASSUMES COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE SITUATION, DECLARING THE EXTENT AND LIMIT OF THE POWER THAT THEY WOULD BE GIVEN. (VERSES 4-6) What Jesus will say to Pilate in the next chapter, may also be said of this multitude: “Thou couldst have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above.”
A. JESUS WENT FORTH TO MEET HIS VIOLENT, BLOOD-THIRSTY ENEMIES WITH COMPLETE CALMNESS OF SPIRIT. (VERSE 4)
1. He did not wait for the Judas-led party to search for Him, but instead, came from the part of the garden where He was and showed Himself.
a) They may not have known His location, but He had perfect knowledge of theirs. The precise timing of every move He made was in perfect awareness of where they were, what they were doing, and when they would arrive.
b) Jesus knew all things that would come upon Him, and what’s more, He was in control of it all. He was present in the eternal counsel when it was all determined, (Acts 4:27, 28) and it would come to pass according to His will.
2. He spoke to the officers and priests with a simple inquiry. “Whom seek ye?”
a) This question was obviously not asked for want of knowledge, but instead, for sake of identifying Himself in the special way that He did.
b) Their answer gave the occasion for Him to so identify Himself, “Jesus of Nazareth.” This was the title they knew Him by, and was probably the name in their warrant.
3. Jesus, by simply stating His Name powerfully declares Who is in charge, and by Whose will He will be arrested and taken into their custody. (Verse 6)
a) It appears that none of them recognized Him, even though many of the Jewish leaders had seen Him, and certainly Judas should have known Him. But, it seems that their eyes were holden that they could not recognize Him.
b) Surely, they should have realized how powerless they were, despite their numerical force and weapons, should He have wished to resist arrest. But, mysteriously, they did not seem to get the message, judging from their subsequent behavior.
B. JESUS SOVEREIGNLY DEMANDED THE PROTECTION OF HIS DISCIPLES. (VERSES 7-9)
1. By declaring “I am He” Jesus was declaring that He is God of very God, Jehovah, the mighty I AM. (Ex. 3:13, 14)
2. This is why they were rendered powerless before Him. (Verses 6, 8)
3. As the Great I AM, He demanded the protection of His disciples and made it effectual. (Verse 9; Ch. 6:39; 17:12)
III. JESUS HERE REPRESSES VIOLENT BEHAVIOR ON THE PART OF HIS FOLLOWERS. (VSES. 10, 11)The event here mentioned is recorded by all four Gospel writers, but John alone gives the name of Peter as the striker, and of Malchus as the person struck. John, however, makes no mention of the fact that Jesus restored the severed ear of Malchus, which was His last healing miracle of His earthly ministry. (Luke 22:51)
A. PETER’S ZEAL IN DEFENDING HIS MASTER IS ADMIRABLE, BUT MISGUIDED, AND FAILS TO JUSTIFY HIS ACTIONS. The disciples had only two swords among them (Luke 22:38), and though it is unlikely that any of them were skilled swordsmen, Peter was wearing one of them on this night.
1. This former fisherman had lately promised to venture his life for his Lord, and now he would make good on his word.
2. Peter’s actions were not at all in keeping with his Lord’s clear willingness to give Himself into the hands of the enemy which He had made abundantly clear. Neither did his Master approve his carnal weaponry.(II Cor. 10:3, 4)
3. Though Peter here displayed boldness in the flesh, his courage failed when it counted most. There is a lesson for us here. Bold actions that come from pride and anger do not prove that one has real spiritual strength or courage.
B. PETER’S ACTION WAS USEFUL, IN THAT, THE LORD WAS ABLE TO MAKE GOOD USE OF IT. (VERSE 11)
1. The danger of this situation could have been very great, seeing that this Malchus was apparently a well-known figure, “…the high priest’s servant.”
a) The sword was guided so that the blow wasn’t fatal.
b) The sword was guided so that it stuck the ear, providing Jesus the opportunity to heal Malchus before their eyes. (Luke 22:51)
2. Peter’s blunder gave occasion for his Master’s powerful words in Verse 11.
a) First, He denounces the use of carnal weapons, and the spirit in which they are used.
b) Second, a public acknowledgement that the bitter cup that He was about to drink without resistance was from His Father, and therefore He would surely drink it.
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