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John 18

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Jesus Is Arrested in the Garden 1–12

1
When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Kidron, where was a garden, into which he entered, himself and his disciples. ​
2
Now Judas also, who betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus oft-times resorted thither with his disciples.
3
Judas then, having received the band of soldiers, and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. ​
4
Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were coming upon him, went forth, and saith unto them, Whom seek ye? ​
5
They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, who betrayed him, was standing with them. ​
6
When therefore he said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. ​
7
Again therefore he asked them, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth.
8
Jesus answered, I told you that I am he; if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: ​
9
that the word might be fulfilled which he spake, Of those whom thou hast given me I lost not one. ​
10
Simon Peter therefore having a sword drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. Now the servant’s name was Malchus. ​
11
Jesus therefore said unto Peter, Put up the sword into the sheath: the cup which the Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? ​
12
So the band and the chief captain, and the officers of the Jews, seized Jesus and bound him,

Jesus Before Annas and Caiaphas 13–14

13
and led him to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. ​
14
Now Caiaphas was he that gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. ​

Peter Denies Jesus 15–27

15
And Simon Peter followed Jesus, andso didanother disciple. Now that disciple was known unto the high priest, and entered in with Jesus into the court of the high priest; ​
16
but Peter was standing at the door without. So the other disciple, who was known unto the high priest, went out and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter.
17
The maid therefore that kept the door saith unto Peter, Art thou also one of this man’s disciples? He saith, I am not. ​
18
Now the servants and the officers were standing there, having made a fire of coals; for it was cold; and they were warming themselves: and Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.
19
The high priest therefore asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his teaching. ​
20
Jesus answered him, I have spoken openly to the world; I ever taught in synagogues, and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and in secret spake I nothing. ​
21
Why askest thou me? ask them that have heard me, what I spake unto them: behold, these know the things which I said.
22
And when he had said this, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? ​
23
Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me? ​
24
Annas therefore sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. ​
25
Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore unto him, Art thou also one of his disciples? He denied, and said, I am not.
26
One of the servants of the high priest, being a kinsman of him whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? ​
27
Peter therefore denied again: and straightway the cock crew.

Jesus Before Pilate 28–40

28
They lead Jesus therefore from Caiaphas into the Prætorium: and it was early; and they themselves entered not into the Prætorium, that they might not be defiled, but might eat the passover. ​
29
Pilate therefore went out unto them, and saith, What accusation bring ye against this man?
30
They answered and said unto him, If this man were not an evil-doer, we should not have delivered him up unto thee.
31
Pilate therefore said unto them, Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law. The Jews said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: ​
32
that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying by what manner of death he should die. ​
33
Pilate therefore entered again into the Prætorium, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews? ​
34
Jesus answered, Sayest thou this of thyself, or did others tell it thee concerning me?
35
Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?
36
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: 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. ​
37
Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. ​
38
Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find no crime in him. ​
39
But 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? ​
40
They cried out therefore again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber. ​

Bible text: American Standard Version (1901) · Public domain

Study Notes for John 18

Verse 1

the brook Cedron — The KJV spells it 'Cedron' only here; elsewhere it is 'Kidron', crossed by David, who 'passed over the brook Kidron' and went up Olivet weeping (2 Sam 15:23, 30). John does not name the garden; Matthew calls the place Gethsemane (Matt 26:36). The same word kepos is used of the garden of the tomb (John 19:41).

Verse 3

a band of men and officers — Speira is a body of soldiers, the word for the 'band of soldiers' in Matt 27:27 and the 'Italian band' of Acts 10:1; v.12 adds 'the captain'. The 'officers' (hyperetes) come from the chief priests and Pharisees. 'Lanterns' (phanos) occurs only here, so the party came armed and lit.

Verse 4

knowing all things that should come upon him — He 'went forth' to meet them, before any hand was laid on him. John had said that Jesus 'knew that his hour was come' (13:1), and Jesus had said of his life, 'No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself' (10:18). 'Seek' is zeteo.

Verse 5

I am he — In Greek this is ego eimi, 'I am', the 'he' supplied by the KJV. The same words stand alone in 'Before Abraham was, I am' (John 8:58), and the LORD says 'I am he' in Isa 41:4 and 43:10. Judas 'stood with them' (histemi), among those who came to take him.

Verse 6

they went backward, and fell to the ground — No hand is laid on the band; it falls at the saying. Ps 27:2 has the same movement of those who come against the righteous: 'mine enemies and my foes… stumbled and fell'. The party that came with lanterns, torches and weapons (v.3) is the one on the ground.

Verse 8

let these go their way — He gives himself up on condition that his own go free. This is the shepherd who 'giveth his life for the sheep' (John 10:11), and who said of them, 'they shall never perish' (10:28). Matt 26:56 shows what followed: 'all the disciples forsook him, and fled'.

Verse 9

have I lost none — This is quoted from his prayer (John 17:12); the same thought is in 6:39, 'of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing'. 'Lost' is apollymi, to destroy or perish, the verb of 'die' in v.14 and 'perish' in 11:50: one man dies that none of these perishes. 'Fulfilled' is used of Jesus' own word, as in v.32.

Verse 10

The servant's name was Malchus — John alone names the swordsman, Simon Peter, and the servant, Malchus, a name found nowhere else. Matthew has 'one of them which were with Jesus' (Matt 26:51). Only Luke records the healing: 'he touched his ear, and healed him' (Luke 22:51), and gives the right ear (Luke 22:50).

Verse 11

the cup which my Father hath given me — This is the cup he asked of in the garden: 'let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt' (Matt 26:39); he went on, 'except I drink it, thy will be done' (Matt 26:42). In Scripture the cup is what the LORD pours: 'in the hand of the LORD there is a cup' (Ps 75:8); 'the cup of his fury' (Isa 51:17).

Verse 13

to Annas first — Only John records this first stop. Annas was father in law (pentheros, a word found only here) to Caiaphas, 'the high priest that same year'. Luke 3:2 names both: 'Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests'; Acts 4:6 has 'Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas'.

Verse 14

it was expedient that one man should die for the people — Caiaphas had said it earlier: 'it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not' (11:50). John adds there that, 'being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation' (11:51).

Verse 15

another disciple — John does not give his name. He was 'known' (gnostos) to the high priest and so went in with Jesus 'into the palace' (aule), a courtyard open to the air; a fire of coals is lit there (v.18). Peter 'followed' (akoloutheo), but stood at the door until the other came out and spoke (v.16).

Verse 17

the damsel that kept the door — Thyroros, the doorkeeper, is the 'porter' of John 10:3, who 'openeth' to the shepherd. Peter's 'I am not' (ouk eimi) negates the verb Jesus used in vv.5–8. He had said, 'I will lay down my life for thy sake' (13:37), and was told, 'The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice' (13:38).

Verse 19

of his disciples, and of his doctrine — 'Doctrine' is didache, teaching. Jesus answers only the second part, and sends the questioner to the hearers: 'ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them' (v.21). The question about his disciples he leaves unanswered.

Verse 20

I spake openly to the world — 'Openly' is parrhesia, plainly and without concealment. It is the LORD's own claim in Isaiah: 'I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth' (Isa 45:19) and 'I have not spoken in secret from the beginning' (Isa 48:16). 'Always resort' (sunerchomai) is the coming together of the Jews.

Verse 22

struck Jesus with the palm of his hand — Rhapisma, a blow with the hand, is found only here, in Mark 14:65 and in John 19:3, 'they smote him with their hands'. The officer is a hyperetes, as in v.3. Compare Isa 50:6: 'I gave my back to the smiters… I hid not my face from shame and spitting.'

Verse 23

bear witness of the evil — He asks for testimony, not an answer in kind: 'bear witness' (martureo) is John's frequent verb, and 'well' (kalos) is set against 'evil' (kakos). 'When he was reviled, reviled not again' (1 Pet 2:23). The officer's question about the blow, 'why smitest thou me?', gets no reply.

Verse 24

bound unto Caiaphas — 'Bound' goes back to v.12, 'took Jesus, and bound him'. John gives nothing of the hearing before Caiaphas. Mark 14:53 does: 'they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes'. v.28 resumes with Jesus led 'from Caiaphas'.

Verse 26

Did not I see thee in the garden with him? — The speaker is the kinsman of Malchus (v.10). 'Garden' (kepos) is the word of v.1, and 'cut off' (apokopto) is the verb of v.10. The third denial follows at once, 'and immediately the cock crew' (v.27), as 13:38 foretold.

Verse 28

the hall of judgment — Praitorion, the governor's court-room, is 'common hall' in Matt 27:27 and 'Herod's judgment hall' in Acts 23:35. The Jews stay outside 'lest they should be defiled' (miaino); 'it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation' (Acts 10:28). 'Early' is proi, morning.

Verse 31

It is not lawful for us to put any man to death — Pilate hands the case back: 'judge him according to your law'. They answer with the limit on their own power. v.32 gives John's reason for noting it, and Pilate himself later says, 'Take ye him, and crucify him' (19:6).

Verse 32

signifying what death he should die — The same phrase closes 12:33, after 'if I be lifted up from the earth' (12:32); see also 3:14. Jesus had foretold that he would be delivered 'to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him' (Matt 20:19). 'Fulfilled' (plerothe) is used of his words, as in v.9.

Verse 33

Art thou the King of the Jews? — The question is asked in Matt 27:11, Mark 15:2, Luke 23:3 and here. The title was first heard from the Magi, 'Where is he that is born King of the Jews?' (Matt 2:2). In John Jesus answers by asking where the question came from (v.34), and then speaks of his kingdom (v.36).

Verse 36

My kingdom is not of this world — 'Servants' is hyperetes, the word translated 'officers' in vv.3, 12, 18 and 22; 'fight' is the verb of 'Fight the good fight of faith' (1 Tim 6:12). He had refused to be made king by force (John 6:15).

Verse 37

bear witness unto the truth — 'Thou sayest that I am a king' answers Pilate as in Matt 27:11, 'Thou sayest'. Paul recalls that Christ Jesus 'before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession' (1 Tim 6:13). 'Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice' goes with 'My sheep hear my voice' (John 10:27).

Verse 38

What is truth? — 'Truth' (aletheia) is the word Jesus has just used twice, and Pilate goes out without waiting for an answer. Jesus had said, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life' (John 14:6). 'Fault' is aitia, a ground for a charge; 'I find in him no fault' is said again in 19:4 and 19:6.

Verse 39

a custom, that I should release unto you one — Sunetheia, a custom; Matt 27:15 says 'the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would'. Pilate offers 'the King of the Jews', as he does in Mark 15:9, in place of a name. The choice is left to the crowd.

Verse 40

Now Barabbas was a robber — Lestes, a bandit, is the word of 'a thief and a robber' in John 10:1. Mark 15:7 says he 'lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection'. The name Bar-abbas is 'son of Abba'; 'Abba' is the word Jesus prayed in Mark 14:36.